Back at Charlie’s Peranakan last Saturday. It never ceases to amaze us how, amidst the cramped cooking area in his little stall at Golden Mile, Charlie still managed to rustle up some of the best-tasting local Peranakan dishes in town.
This time, we had:
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Hati babi bungkus - spiced pig’s liver balls wrapped in pig’s caul, deep-fried, then braised in a soy-caramel sauce. Charlie served up the little balls of deliciousness with pickled spinach & mustard.
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Sotong masak hitam - coils of squid cooked in its own ink, spiced with chilis, onions, tamarind and a secret blend of spices which only Charlie knows.
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Daging rawon - beef slivers cooked in “buah keluak”, a Javanese nut which yields a truffle-like flavour. A very different rendition here where Charlie threw in handfuls of fresh beansprouts for an additional textural crunch, besides a generous garnish of fresh parsley.
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Cendol - this is actually a work-in-progress prototype of sorts which Charlie allowed us to try. Delicious, with high quality “Gula Melaka” (palm sugar) which provided a deep, almost smoky sweet flavours to the shaved ice concoction, enriched with coconut milk. Charlie’s green, pandan-scented “cendol” noodles are more toothsome than the usual type. Stewed red beans completed the dish.
Charlie never disappoints. 
