This is the Food Place food court, located at Pavilion Mall. The food court is located beside the Oriental Kopi Restaurant. I will introduce you to another food from another stall.
This time I ordered Chwee Kuih and Yam Cake from the Siam Taste stall, which cost RM5.90 per box. I had an early dinner and decided to eat light, so I bought this Nyonya kuih for dinner.
On the left is Chwee Kuih. This is a steamed rice cake. It is white, smooth, and has a soft, slightly wobbly texture. The top is generously covered with a savoury topping of finely diced or grated preserved radish (choy poh), which is fried until fragrant and has a savoury, slightly salty taste. The dish is served with a red chilli sauce, which provides a sweet and spicy contrast to the savoury toppings and plain rice cake.
On the right is Yam Cake. This is a savoury cake made from yams (taro) and rice flour. It is off-white to greyish in colour and has a denser, more textured appearance than the chwee kuih, with visible pieces of yam. It is also topped with fried shallots and sesame seeds and served with a dark, sweet, and savoury sauce, likely a sweet soy sauce or a similar gravy.
Nyonya kuih is a culinary legacy of the Peranakan Chinese, also known as Baba-Nyonya. The Peranakans are descendants of Chinese immigrants who settled in the Malay Peninsula and Indonesian Archipelago between the 15th and 17th centuries, particularly in places like Malacca, Penang, and Singapore. Over generations, they adopted and adapted the local Malay culture, creating a unique hybrid culture that is reflected in their language, clothing, and, most notably, their food.
"Nanyang" (南洋), meaning "Southern Ocean" in Chinese, is the historical term for the Southeast Asian region where these Chinese migrants settled. The name of the establishment, "Nan Yang Siew Bao & Herbal Tea," reflects this historical connection to the area.
