Little Nyonya Dishes for All Occasions

A people of mixed Chinese and Malay heritage, the Peranakans are known for their outstanding cuisine. Traditionally prepared by the womenfolk, or Nyonyas, the cuisine combines the best cooking styles and ingredients from the Chinese and Malay kitchens. In this book, renowned Peranakan chef Philip Chia takes Peranakan cooking to another level by styling traditional Peranakan dishes on small plates and presenting them as light bites perfect for entertaining and get-togethers. With intensely rich and complex flavours, and simple yet effective plating ideas, these Peranakan bites will make any occasion unforgettable.

Philip Chia’s passion for cooking was ignited when he learnt how to pound spices the traditional Peranakan way, with a batu lesong (stone mortar and pestle), at the tender age of six. Over the years, Philip continued to pick up cooking tips and learn the finer details of Peranakan cooking from his Nyonya aunties, who held exacting standards when it came to preparing Peranakan dishes and sweets. This lead him to emerge as one of the finalists in a cooking competition judged by the late Mrs Lee Chin Koon, an acknowledged authority on Peranakan cooking. Today, Philip helms the Peranakan kitchen at the highly reviewed Straits Express restaurant in Singapore where he continues to share his passion for Peranakan cooking with his team of chefs and guests. He is often invited as guest chef for Peranakan food promotions both locally and abroad, and he is also a familiar face on television, promoting Peranakan cuisine. Philip Chia is also the author of Peranakan Heritage Cooking and Delightful Little Nyonya Treats.