Cooking with Pearly in Penang

We spent a delightful six hours in the company of Pearly Kee and her husband Chandra, at their home in Penang, on their “Penang Home-cooking” course, consisting of a market tour, cookery course and “eat what you cook” lunch.

This considerably extends our gap-year cooking repertoire, previously limited to Tibetan Momos and Argentinian Asado, by adding three delicous ‘Nyonya-style’ dishes - fish in spicy tamarind curry, dark sauce pork and curry kapitan. Nyonya basically describes the fusion of cooking styles and ingredients from Malaysia and China.

After being picked up from our hotel by Chandra, we met Pearly across the road from the wet market. For a moment, our class was in jeopardy, when Pearly explained to us about crossing busy main roads in Penang.  “All locals know that you just walk out, wave your hand and the cars will slow down” Pearly explained confidently. Unfortunately the first car hadn’t read the script, and we were almost immediately mown down by a large red Volvo that swerved around us. In mitigation, the driver probably wasn’t from Penang.

However things promptly picked up when Pearly started showing us knowledgeably around the market.  It was refreshing yet rare to see Louis and Frankie exhibiting such interest in vegetables!  Pearly had us smelling and tasting an assortment of fruits, vegetables and spices - mangosteen, lemongrass, garlic chives, numerous different types of ginger - really bringing the market alive for us. Even our sense of hearing was involved; as Pearly explained to us just how fresh the chickens were, we heard the urgent, terrified squawking of a chicken punctuated by an uneasy silence.  

Pearly showing Louis the giant bamboo

Louis comparing two types of ginger

Fighting with an eel in the wet market

Mmmmmm....smells leafy

Delicious snack made from stringed dough with coconut and sugar on a banana leaf

A crumpety peanut delight

Chandra then drove us to their house where we found three cooking workstations, each carefully arranged for up to four people. Unlike our momo cooking adventure in Kathmandu, this was going to be all hands on deck, as we would be preparing two lots of each of the three dishes as a family. To our right, we had Chami and Tracey, two ladies currently living and working in Malaysia and to our left, Lester, an American gentleman and able cook who deservedly received most of the cooking plaudits on the day. 

Pearly guided us on the preparation of our cluster of vegetables, including a clever garlic squashing technique for instantly removing the skin. We also learned the importance of soaking and washing vegetables to remove parasites. The boys were closely and enthusiastically engaged in the process, Louis with me and Frankie with Julia, refining their slicing, chopping and stirring as the morning progressed. 

Frankie carefully chopping....

Louis garlic-squashing

Vegetables all prepared

We had detailed, colourful menus to follow - and keep - although thankfully, we didn’t need to refer to these too often as Pearly gave clear instructions throughout. If we were in any doubt, Lester was paying close attention and could be relied upon for back-up!

Pearly’s advice reached much further than just talking through and acting out the recipe.  We enjoyed anecdotes about life in Penang, her career in cookery and about the fun and games in putting her last two books together.  

Louis keeps the curry sauce moving about

Frankie rolling the limes to get them nice and soft before squeezing

We learned also about how every Nyonya meal has a purpose beyond merely satisfying hunger - it aims to heal and ease your body too. So, for example, after eating something hot, then rather than reaching for a bucket of water or an ice-cream, try a cooling mangosteen instead.  We picked up many other useful tips too - did you know, for example, that you can tell a fish is cooked when his eyes go white and pop out?

After a few hours of cooking  - you’re expected to keep to a reasonable pace - Pearly comes around for the tasting.  We waited with baited breath as she pronounced her verdict, thankfully all positive!  We had produced three meals that were ready for eating in Pearly’s dining room.  

Well done, team mate!

There followed a very enjoyable, homely lunch as we dined on the products of our labours, complemented by some delicious nutmeg juice, a local speciality.  Our boys’ favourite was the dark sauce pork - no coincidence perhaps that this also happened to have the most sugar!

Our reward - we get to eat what we cooked!

Some photos and shared contact details later, we parted - very full, very satisfied and a little wiser.  Thank you Pearly for your wisdom shared. 

Baders with Pearly and Lester