We were back at Kebaya again yesterday evening for the traditional Tok Panjang, a hybrid Hokkien-Malay term which translates literally as the “Long Table”.
The concept of the “Tok Panjang”, a term used by the Straits-born Chinese in Singapore and Malacca (in Penang, it’s called “T’ng Tok”, a wholly Hokkien term meaning the same) is an elaborate, sit-down celebratory meal, usually held for birthdays, weddings or some auspicious occasion.
The concept was adapted from the traditional Malay “kenduri” or feast - all guests are seated at the same long table, but share communal dishes which would be served in sets for 4 persons. So, you might get between 7 to 10 communal dishes platters for you and three dining companions to share.
Kebaya’s Tok Panjang last night had 40 diners - the number limited due to the social distancing required by the pandemic SOPs.
What we had last night:
- Started off with dainty little Chinese tea-cups of laksa tea, a clear herbal fish consommé, flavoured with torch ginger and Vietnamese mint. A tiny piece of red snapper at the bottom of each tea-cup hinted at the broth’s “tom yum” origins.
The communal main dishes:
2) Achar fish - deboned whole mackerel, stuffed with a turmeric-scented prawn pate, topped with crispy turmeric floss. It’s served atop a creamy tahini-thickened sauce.
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Grilled beef buah keluak - charcoal-grilled tri-tip, with the traditional truffle-like Indonesian buah keluak sauce. Very more-ish, and probably the star of the show on this lavish spread.
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Itik sio is a slow-cooked tamarind-braised duck casserole, of Malaccan and Singaporean-Nyonya cooking, but atypical to Penang-Nyonya cuisine.
It’s one of Kebaya chef, Zachary Choong’s revisionist take on Penang’s local cuisine. He tends to break boundaries and throw away all the taboos - even the use of blue-and-white crockery on the table (a symbol of mourning) here was a case in point: its akin to someone deciding to deck one’s home with black buntings for Christmas.
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Belachan fried chicken - a Penang-Nyonya dish: chicken marinated in fermented shrimp paste, battered- fried till golden-crisp. These were really good when served fresh and hot from the wok.
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Gulai nenas prawns - curried prawns and pineapple, in a spicy, coconut-enriched gravy.
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Jiu hu char - a classic Penang-Nyonya dish of braised jicama with dried cuttlefish, topped with crab-meat.
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Kerabu pucuk paku - a popular Malay fern salad, dressed in sambal belacan.
Desserts are a selection of Nyonya kueh, or sweetmeats/puddings (clockwise from top): Kuuh Kosui, Onde-onde., Ang Ku Kueh, and Tapai on Mango.
Absolutely love the ambience. But am in two minds about the food - a mish-mash of non-traditional dishes, and only the “jiu hu char” is a Penang-Nyonya “t’ng tok”/tok panjang dish. It’s akin to throwing a Christmas dinner without the roast turkey or honey-baked ham & the trimmings,
