By Gary Lee
Upon entering this restaurant, one is immediately enveloped by a vibrant ambiance of animated conversations. The atmosphere buzzes with a fascinating blend of English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Tagalog conversations, harmonising with the soft-pop music that shifts between Bahasa Melayu and English.
Looking through their menu, we’re particularly excited with their Nyonya Peranakan food dishes. Famous in Malaysia, particularly in Penang and Malacca, this unique culinary tradition reflects the rich cultural heritage of the Peranakan community, which is a mix of Chinese and Malay influences.
Distinguished by its complex spices and elaborated cooking techniques, Nyonya cuisine frequently includes an array of spices, fresh herbs and coconut milk. Within this culinary tradition, sambal denotes a piquant chili paste, which serves as a popular condiment or accompaniment, made from a mixture of chilies, shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, shallots, and additional ingredients.
One notable, and sometimes controversial ingredient in Nyonya recipes is petai, also known as bitter beans or stink beans, widely consumed in southeast Asia. The beans grow hanging from a tree, wrapped in a tough outer skin of twisted pods (looks somewhat like giant snow peas) that grow in clusters. When we are on road trips in Malaysia, you will find vendors selling them on the sides of the road and in the markets.
Petai is a key ingredient in the dishes we order. We had sambal udang petai, succulent prawns stir fried with petai, similar to the Thai equivalent called Goong Pad Sator. Occasionally eaten raw, petai has a unique smell, a firm crunch and a nutty flavour. Like durian – you either love it or hate it, but this particular dish is absolutely delicious.
We also order the Four Heavenly Kings (stir-fried mixed vegetables with sambal, named after the famous Cantopop legends in 1990s) normally consisting of eggplant, winged beans, long beans, and petai, but the vegetables are interchangeable. This velvety smooth texture of eggplant coated in sambal is truly remarkable. This dish was made famous in Australia by MasterChef Australia alumni, Adam Liaw on SBS Food.
These dishes pair excellently with steamed rice. Once you have tried these dishes, you can then tell great stories of how you conquered not only the spicy sambal, but the little mysterious vegetable known for its potent effects!
Don’t worry though, there are plenty of other dishes to try at this authentic Malaysian establishment. I recommend the baked curry pipis, Cantonese style pork ribs or even the salt and pepper calamari.
The variety of Malaysian cuisine is remarkable, and I hope our readers will give Nyonya Peranakan food a try, and now you know where to find them. Visit Malaysia Village House soon!
Malaysia Village House
2/49 Synnot St, Werribee Victoria 3030
