Eclectic Peranakan Heritage in Joo Chiat

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Take a walk with me down the streets of Joo Chiat, and there we will discover glimpses of a bygone era, a hybrid of Chinese, Malay traditions with a touch of Portuguese, Dutch and Indonesian influences.

A street once known as Lorong E East Coast Road, this road was named after a man, who was a wealthy 2nd generation Straits born merchant from Malacca.

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The two rows of pre-war terrace houses along Koon Seng Road are a distinct part of Joo Chiat’s identity and are one of the finest examples of Peranakan architecture in Singapore.

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The most outstanding feature of the late styled (1900-1940) houses is the narrow and intricately embellished facade of the entrance.

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The main face of the house is decorated in plaster and tiles, often, these fine ceramic tiles with floral or geometrical designs were imported from France, England and Belgium.

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The external walls of these houses are decorated with Chinese couplets of good fortune, health and happiness adorning the front windows, similar to the traditional residences in China. These motifs are derived from mystical dragons, deer and dogs, symbols of good fortune and long life.

Other motifs like flowers are bird act as accompaniments to the decoration, which reflected the wealth and status of the owners.

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With its rich architectural heritage, I can only imagine the many intriguing stories behind these homes and their old owners who used to lived there.

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I will be taking a walk down Katong Road next to discover more of the Peranankan culture in this part of Singapore, look out for my upcoming posts!

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Photo *Heart* Fridays – Laksa Lemak!

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Laksa, a Peranankan dish of ‘chor bee hoon’ noodles swimming in a rich, spiced coconut and fish based gravy soup of ground dried prawns, fish cake, bean sprouts and cockles, topped with a garnish of Laksa leaves. Salivating yet?

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This variant of Laksa from Katong, is characteristic by the way it is eaten from the bowl; with only a spoon, without the use of chopsticks or a fork.

A random fact about Laksa in Katong – in the 90s, Laksa ‘wars’ erupted among 4 stalls on the same road, all claiming to be the best and the original Katong Laksa. Is this stall the real McCoy?

Actually it isn’t. I have been told which stall in Katong is the real Katong Laksa but have yet to try it.

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It’s going to be a huge challenge to keep my weight down, having to walk pass many of these Singapore local favorites every weekday morning!

Do you like Laksa? How do you usually like it, with ‘Hum’ or without? Do share your favorite Laksa stalls.



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Photo *Heart* Fridays – Going Nonya

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Part of the fun of exploring a local culture is getting to taste the cuisine that the culture offers.

Amongst the 4 cultures, Peranakan food has to be one of my favorites (I have too many favorites from our selection of Singapore’s cuisine). And where can we find the largest selection of Peranakan restaurants in Singapore? Definitely Katong of course.

Pnk 28Ngoh Hiang – fatty ground pork, together bits of water chestnut seasoned with five spiced powder, wrapped in bean curd skin. Steamed first, then fried to a crispy outside and juicy inside. Really addictive!

Pnk 30Bakwang Kepiting – Crab and Meatball Soup.

Pnk 29Babi Pongteh – Braised Pork with Fermented Soya Bean (Tau Cheo) This is a vital dish that will be included in a traditional Tok Panjang (translated as long table), a formal dining style of choice for the Peranakan Chinese, for special occasions like birthdays and weddings.

 

Pnk 31Chap Chye – Mixed Vegetable stew

K loves Nonya Cuisine as well, he has been reminding me every other evening, in our bus journey from school to home. Pointing to Peranakan Inn, exclaiming that he loves the Chap Chye and everything else that we ordered from the restaurant, and that we have to visit the place for a meal very soon.

 

Do you love Nonya Food too? What’s your favorite dish?



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