About The Book

This book is a treasured collection of close to 100 Peranakan Indian recipes, ranging from everyday dishes to festive fare. Each recipe is inspired by the skills and stories of different members of the community. Using the collective voice of Nenek (an affectionate term for grandmother) to capture the warmth of a typical Chitty Melaka kitchen, we invite everyone to savour the flavours of a small and distinctive community. The Peranakan Indians are the descendants of the inter-marriages between early South Indian settlers and the Malay, Chinese and other local communities. Beginning from the 15thcentury in the important port city of Melaka, our hybrid culture has evolved over time, with our cuisine and spoken language bearing close resemblance to the well-known Baba-Nonya community. What makes us unique would be our roots in the Chitty Village in Melaka; indeed, tracing this long lineage is a source of pride, even as many have settled far and wide across the globe. Compiling the recipes and associated traditions has been a labour of love, undertaken by the Peranakan Indian (Chitty Melaka) Association and its supporters.