If you think the best Nyonya food is found in Malaccan restaurants, then you will be blown away with what comes out of a home kitchen. Baba Ee caters lunches or dinners for a minimum group of 10 and advanced booking is required. But let me tell you this... it's worth the journey...

The mere scent of sambal belacan brings back fond memories of my grandmother rhythmically pounding away spices in the backyard while my aunt foraged for fresh herbs from the garden to throw into the pot. Coming from the Northern region, I am embarrassed to admit that I am rather unfamiliar to my southern counterpart’s cuisine aside from the usual Pongteh and cencaluk. Yes, we all may come from the Straits Settlement states but the fare differs in terms of name, taste and ingredients. Hence, an invitation to join a foodie group to a specially cooked lunch at a Malaccan home was quickly accepted without hesitation.

So one weekend, I found myself at Baba Ee. No, you can’t pop by when you feel like it because like all Peranakans, the chef requires ample time to prepare for the meal with the strictest requirements. Dishes served will be based on availability of the freshest ingredients procured. For example, gragao shrimps to make cencaluk are only available during certain periods of the year. Moreover, the chef’s mother (who is still hale and hearty at over 90 years old) constantly checks on the quality of what comes out of the kitchen. God forbids if she finds a dish that falls short of her exacting standards!

Stepping into this humble home of 4 generations, I can see Baba Ee’s passion for cooking. He loves feeding people and provides his 2 cents on the intricacies of his dishes. Everything is cooked from scratch without MSG, as what we eat is what he would serve his own family. Neither has he any desire to expand his labour of love beyond his home.

A simple round table is set outside in the garden as dish after dish is laid out until the table heaves from the weight. Counting 7 dishes in total, we cautioned our tummies for the onslaught ahead.

First up is the itik tim which is salted vege duck soup, also known as kiam chye ark to northern Peranakans. The broth is boiled overnight and the soup bursts with flavor. Great to warm up the appetite and cleanse the palate. Next is the ayam pongteh which is chicken stewed in tau cheow sauce, shallots and gula Melaka. Baba Ee also noted that pork belly can be sinfully added to this dish. There are potatoes to soak up the sweet sauce which goes great with rice. The Sey Ark is superb, which duck slowly stewed in herbs and spices and slathered with thick homemade chilli sauce. The meat is deliciously tender without any typical gamey taste. The chilli sauce is a perfect accompaniment to spice up the meat. Fresh cucumbers provide a cooling respite if you’re not used to the spiciness.

"Fresh fish and chillies, this dish has oomph!"

My favourite is definitely the Ayam Buah Keluak. As this was my first time eating keluak which is supposedly poisonous when raw, a friend commented it tasted like olives and I must agree. It has a black mushy texture with a strong, unique taste and rich aroma. Goes very well with rice and sambal belacan indeed. However it is an acquired taste; either you love it or hate it! Most of us couldn’t get enough of it and polished off the dish in no time.

Ikan Cili Garam is a spicy dish of dried chillies and shallots pounded and fried to produce a rich spicy sauce that is cooked with the fried ikan gelama. The fish is fresh and the chillies provide a nice oomph. Sweet potato shoots stirfried with garlic and acar complete the hearty meal, and also provide a good balance to the heavier meat dishes. Baba Ee also provides plenty of fresh sambal belacan and cencaluk (a yummy sauce of fermented gragao shrimps mixed with shallots, cabai and fresh lime) on the side.

Needless to say we were stuffed to the brim. Portions could easily feed 15 people and Baba Ee was more than happy to pack the remainders for us to take home. We also got some of his homemade belacan, cencaluk and kaya to go.

For such quality and quantity, the price definitely justified our sumptuous meal. Now the sound of that melt in the mouth pork belly pongteh does deserve another weekend pilgrimage hmmm?





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