Preserving a Legacy: The Art of Peranakan Cuisine through "Setengah Nyonya"

KUALA LUMPUR: "You’ll know a true Nyonya by the yellow of her hand," said Veronica Goh, the woman behind "Setengah Nyonya," a home-based Peranakan food business.

The Art of Peranakan Cooking

Fresh ingredients like fresh turmeric, finely chopped into slivers, are key in Peranakan cooking, a tradition Goh learnt from her late mother.

"As the youngest in the family, I spent a lot of time with my mum in the kitchen, and she was very strict," the Cheras-based Goh, 52, said with a laugh. "If I didn’t chop finely enough, she’d knock my knuckles with her knife!"

These lessons taught her the art of precision and care when in the kitchen. "Nyonya cooking is a labour of love and a lot of eye-balling," she added, emphasising that it’s learned more through observation than following recipes.

A Passion for Detail

That passion for detail has been carried into "Setengah Nyonya." What started as a simple escape during the pandemic has become something much deeper – a way for Goh to preserve and celebrate her Peranakan heritage.

"If we keep making fusion foods, the essence gets lost. What will your grandchildren remember? When my nieces and nephews taste our family dishes, they say, ‘This reminds me of grandma.’ These are the things that should stay alive," Goh, a former airline flight attendant, said.

Preserving the Legacy

Goh’s fondest childhood memories are tied to food, the heart of a typical Peranakan household – like eating pong teh, a Nyonya chicken and potato stew, with white bread or spreading beef rendang on toast for a quick sandwich.

Her family’s meals, rich in tradition, always stood out from those of her Chinese friends, especially during holidays like Christmas and Chinese New Year.

"We didn’t even know we were Baba Nyonya until much later. It was only after I left school and started working that I realised we have this lineage," she admitted, referencing her maternal Malaccan grandmother and Penangite grandfather.

That rich heritage is now what fuels Goh’s work through "Setengah Nyonya," where she prepares classic Peranakan dishes like pong teh, beef rendang, achar, udang masak lemak, bak chang, and kari kapitan.

A Personalized Experience

She’s even happy to personalise the experience, curating menus and helping with decorations to make every event special.

Challenges and Setbacks

Interestingly, Goh mooted the idea to her mother years before her passing when she was helping her make bak chang, the Nyonya-style glutinous rice dumplings.

"I remember telling her, ‘We can sell this, you know? Not many people have this kind of food.’ She told me it was a crazy idea and that nobody would want to buy food from home," Goh recalled.

However, turning that idea into a business hasn’t been without its challenges. Goh vividly remembered one night when a batch of dumplings turned bitter. "I had to make 100 dumplings from scratch in a few hours. My husband stayed up to help with the charcoal stove, boiling each batch for four hours!"

Despite setbacks, positive feedback keeps her going. "When I hear, ‘This is so nice, my family loved it,’ it makes everything worth it," she said.

A Legacy Worth Keeping

For young Peranakans disconnected from their heritage, Goh has simple advice: "Sit down with the oldest person in your family and listen. They have so many stories, but nobody asks."

Looking ahead, Goh, who studied fashion, dreams of turning part of her home into a private dining space where guests can enjoy Peranakan dishes and buy Peranakan-inspired clothing.

She also plans to offer one-on-one cooking classes to share her culinary passion and preserve her family’s traditions.

Conclusion

For Goh, though, it’s not just about food. It’s about preserving a legacy – a celebration of culture, family, and the beloved flavours that shaped her life.

FAQs

• What is "Setengah Nyonya"?
  "Setengah Nyonya" is a home-based Peranakan food business owned and operated by Veronica Goh.
• What kind of dishes does "Setengah Nyonya" offer?
  "Setengah Nyonya" offers a variety of Peranakan dishes, including pong teh, beef rendang, achar, udang masak lemak, bak chang, and kari kapitan.
• How can I get in touch with "Setengah Nyonya"?
  You can contact "Setengah Nyonya" on Facebook and Instagram.