It was Sunday afternoon and I decided to drop by Peranakan Khek, a 2 month old Nonya Kueh pantry which is located next to Edith Patisserie in Lavender.
As the Mid Autumn festival was around the corner, owner Sharon was offering a special Moonkhek made with sunflower seeds, on top of the usual selection as well as 2 special items. I called in two hours before to make sure that I was gonna get the entire range including the Kueh Cempedak Salat, which I am not exactly a fan of since it is made of the pungent jackfruit. As I approached the little space, Sharon came out to greet us with her large platter of delicious looking Nonya Kuehs, eight in total including the Gula Melaka chiffon cake.
I am not gonna name all the Nonya Kuehs here but they are all painstakingly crafted by hands, each and every single one by Sharon. Sharon insists on using raw coconut milk, instead of the more readily available pasteurised options. What this means is that, while her Kuehs will taste fresher and added more fragrance, their shelf life will also be significantly shortened. She also makes her own green pandan and bluepea flower extracts, both of which are very labour intensive processes. I can’t wait to tuck in. My favourite of the lot is the Kueh Dada which has an unbelievably soft skin accentuated with natural pandan juice and the freshly grated coconut with Gula Melaka wrapped within was sublime.
Kueh Salat is often used as a bench mark for Nonya Kuehs. Here, don’t expect the luscious version you get at Candle Nut nor the resplendent one from Chalk Farm, Sharon’s humble version is one that does with its barest to tinkle the tastebuds nonetheless.
Before I left with a satisfied stomach, I asked Sharon whom she picked up her Nonya Kuehs making skills from, assuming recipes handed down from a matriarchal figure.
And to my surprise she replied she never had a mentor despite coming from a Peranakan family. All her creations came from countless attempts of trials and errors, and perhaps her training as a patisserie chef did help in one way or another. Such gems!
The above article is written by Guest Writer @ramenking2016. You can find him on instagram where he shares his love for food and travel.
Peranakan Khek
11 Cavan Road, Singapore 209848
Opening Hours: Tues -Sat 11am to 6pm
Sun 11am to 5pm
Phone: +65 6443 1213
