Singapore Nyonya has a more authentic name, native Chinese, which generally refers to native Chinese. According to Alvin, who has a good knowledge of Nyonya culture, it turns out that this refers not only to the descendants of Chinese married to Malas, but also to the descendants of all foreign Chinese and Singaporeans (including Malas, Indians and Indonesians). Alvin's mother is a nun, and he also regards himself as a descendant of an authentic nun. In order to preserve culture, he rented an old house with a history of more than 60 years in Joo Chiat, a traditional Nyonya district, as his precious collection. Recently, it has been secretly opened to interested people. Interested people can even make an appointment with Alvin's mother to cook a private dish called Nyonya.
Rectangular buildings are the characteristics of traditional houses in Nyonya, which are generally divided into three parts: banquet living room, dining room and kitchen from the main entrance. According to Alvin, since Nyonya used to be a nobleman, most banquet living rooms were equipped with an expensive sofa or chair. For example, this set of Chinese chairs in Alvin's collection was originally made by the French in Vietnam, mixed with western European carvings and beautifully hand-made. It is very precious. Asked if he would give up love, the surprise was: "everything can be discussed." "All kinds of niang make the room furnishings, through? There is a strong flavor of combining Chinese and western, and some of them are checked by friends. Although most of them are out of print, as Alvin said, "What's the harm of giving up love when you meet someone who knows how to appreciate it?" " 」
Like Alvin, many local people in China want their Nyonya culture to be protected so that more people can understand their traditions. Therefore, a brand-new Museum of Native Chinese officially opened in Singapore more than two months ago.
The predecessor of the museum is actually Daonan School with European architecture. After two years of transformation, it can be said that it is completely new. The pure white exterior wall and elegant architectural style fully show the charm of the empress. The museum on the third floor * * * has ten exhibition halls, which contain more than 1200 cultural relics. The exhibition hall on the ground floor tells the origin of China native people. On the second floor, the twelfth traditional wedding of Nyonya is introduced in detail. Antique jewelry, wedding dress and bride's dowry are all on display, which is extremely luxurious. The third floor is the display area of Nyonya's religion, costumes and food culture. From here, you can see the evolution of Nyonya's costumes and appreciate the exquisite embroidery. Each piece also presents a unique cultural color.
Speaking of Nyonya culture, how can we eat less? All the men in China have gone to other places to get married, and they are still obsessed with the taste of their hometown. As wives, they created dishes based on Chinese food and mixed with spicy or Indonesian styles to comfort their husbands' homesickness, so they were called "mother's family dishes", which was once called the ancestor of fusion dishes by the gourmet Cai Lan. At present, there are not many authentic Nyonya restaurants in Singapore, and True Blue, which has just moved to the edge of the Native Chinese Museum, is one of them. The relocation was originally invited by the museum, so that tourists can feast their eyes on it and look for it, of course, because its naughty taste is authentic enough.
Boss Benjamin's mother is a mother, and she is also a cook. She has been cooking for decades and said with a smile that the most difficult thing is preparation. For example, black beans, an essential seasoning for mom's cooking, should be marinated all day, and dried shrimp sauce should be made by herself. Less work is not enough. One of them is Ayam Buah Keluak, which is said to be the signature of the chef. It is salty, sour and appetizing. The author likes spiced rolls and shrimps best.