Uncle Seng and Aunty Mei Lee visit Penang--Little Nonya Kitchen

My paternal second uncle Seng came to visit us in Penang as part of saying farewell to Asia enroute to immigrating to the USA. He stopped by to treat us to dinner, and asked us to take him to the renowned 'Little Kitchen Nonya'.

Waiting for our exquisite meal and catching up in conversation.

The portions are not large, and we had to exercise considerable restraint not to demolish the spread.

Sambal Prawns.

Jiu Hu Char (Shredded Cuttlefish Wraps)

Curry Kapitan (Portuguese Chicken Curry)

Achar Hu (Fried fish steeped in pickled vegetables)

Hae Bee Hiam Kacang Botol (4 sided bean sauteed with fragrant dried shrimp)

And my favorite Purut Ikan (Fish Stomach). An exquisite stew simmered over three days when prepared correctly. At that point, the rubbery boot like fish stomach is tender and dissolves in your mouth like braised ox-tail.  Turning what was once peasant food into a heady concoction with multi-tiered pungent symphonic flavors that are pungent, tangy, sweet and full of umami. I can consume an entire bowl of this to myself. The selection and use of herbs and spices at each step is high art, much like constructing a classic Boullaibaise.

~ Shien