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 Malaysia is a cosmopolitan curry pot. Its ingredients being the varied cultural, religious and ethnic peoples and their heritage. Amongst this profusion and sometimes mind boggling cultural diversity are the "Eurasians" who are a blend of the occident and the orient. Hence it is but natural that Eurasian food is a blend of the East and West.
The following is from "ADOI" by Kit Lee. His close association with Eurasians especially my cousins Alan D'Cruz and Renee Kraal has given him a very interesting insight on the Malaysian Eurasians.
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THE PORTUGUESE CONNECTION
History is a most amazing and unlikely thing. Who would have believed, for instance, that Portugal - a tiny nation of fishermen and grape-growers - would have the gumption and the gall to send a flotilla of galleons halfway across the world to capture Malacca? And not only erect a famous fort there but to hold the damned thing for 130 years with just a few hundred men until the Dutch finally blasted them out of their stronghold in 1641. After which you'd imagine that would be the end of the Portuguese in these parts. But no... these hardy seadogs somehow managed to sow their wild latin oats so vigorously that today - almost 5 centuries later - they've generated a closely-knit community of Eurasians with a nation-wide network of nieces and nephews. And most of them are good looking and musical to boot.
In Malacca there is an entire Portuguese village where the elders still converse in Cristao (pronounced "Cristang") which, as it turns out, is really a species of 16th century Potuguese spoken nowhere else in the mordern world (except perhaps in parts of Goa). Today, they're excellent fishermen and sailors - but it dosen't look as if they are ready to invade and colonise anyone (though, with the number of Eurasians who've moved to Perth, I wouldn't be too sure). Just ask a Pereira or Moreira or a D'Cruz or de Silva or a Martinez or Fernandez how they got their family names - and hear all about some great-grandma who came here from Goa to marry their great-grandpa in 1842. Sooner or later you will be introduced to some great-aunt Esmeralda who raised 15 kids single handed; and even found time in the process to perfect her salt-fish pickle.
..oo00oo..
Ah! food!! That is what drives this community!!! Eurasian food is "HOT", being spiced up with fresh and dried chilies and many of their dishes are given a typical piquancy by adding tamarind or vinegar. Their curries are a mixture of Malaysian and Indian curries.
Eurasian recipies are difficult to source due to the reluctance of the women folk to pass on closely guarded secret recipes which have been handed down through the generations from mother to daughter. Surnames pass from father to son, but culinary secrets are strictly matriarchal unless there are no daughters, and favoured daughters-in laws or nieces-in-laws might be the beneficiaries.
The most popular Eurasian curries are Vindaloo and Devil curry (curry debal) both cooked with a racy blend of spices and flavoured with vinegar.
Devil curry is not devil's curry until your mouth burns and your body sweats..... thats how pungent it is! The curry is rated excellent when the chilli seasoned men strip down to their undershirts or bare torsos and start dripping from their scalps downwards like opened faucets.
Special thanks to my aunt, Mrs. Ralda D'Cruz nee Lawrence for sharing some of her secret recipies that were handed down from her mother Mrs. Ethel Lawrence nee Monteiro.
VINDALOO CURRY POWDER
(preparation time 20 minutes)
1 1/3lbs dried chillies (stems removed & cleaned)
1 1/3lbs cumin seeds
10oz mustard seeds
Clean the ingredients throughly and blend them to a fine powder. Store in airtight containers.
CHICKEN VINDALOO
(preparation time 15 minutes, cooking time 30 minutes)
2lbs chicken, pork or beef
8 tablespoons oil
Ground Ingredients
15 shallots
10 cloves of garlic
ginger
*3 tablespoons vindaloo curry powder mixed to a paste
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup water
salt to taste
Cut the chicken into small pieces. If using pork or beef, cut into 6 mm (1/4in) slices.
Heat oil in a pan and fry ground ingredients for a minute, then add the curry paste and fry until fragrant and the oil seperates.
Add vinegar, a little at a time, while frying the ground ingredients. Put meat and fry over high heat for a few minutes. Add salt and water and simmer over low heat until the meat is tender and the gravy thick
* you can use 20 fresh or dried chillies, 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds, 2 teaspoons mustard seeds blended with the shallots, garlic and ginger, if the vindaloo curry powder is not available.
DEVIL CURRY
1/2 lb pork
4 tablespoons oil
*2 tablespoons chilli powder
2 tablespoons tumeric powder
2 tablespoons mustard
4 tablespoons vinegar
salt and sugar to taste
Ground Ingredients
2 large onions
12 shallots
7 cloves garlic
2.5cm piece ginger
1 candlenut
*15 pieces of fresh chillies can be used instead of the chilli powder and blended with the onions, garlic and ginger.
Heat oil and fry the ground ingredients till fragrant.
Add pork and salt and fry over high heat for a few minutes. Mix the chillie powder and tumeric with a little water to form a smooth paste, then add it to the meat. Stir well, add a little water and cook over low heat.
When just about cooked add in the mustard, sugar and vinegar. Stir and simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve with hot rice.
SALT FISH PICKLE (PADA)
(preparation time 15 minutes cooking time 40 minutes)
1 1/3 lbs salt fish (threadfin)
1 1/2 cups oil
Ground Ingredients
15 shallots
4 whole pods of garlic
7 1/2cm (3in) ginger
Mixed Ingredients
5 tablespoons vindaloo curry powder
5 tablespoons water
2 cups vinegar
3 tablespoons tamarind paste (strained)
1/4 cup water
8oz sugar
Wash salt fish and cut into 2cm square pieces and dry in the sun for about 2 hours.
Heat oil and deep-fry the saltfish for 7-10 minutes over low heat until golden brown.
and crisp. Drain from oil.
In a frying pan, fry the ground ingredients over low heat until fragrant. Add vinegar, tamarind juice and sugar until the gravy is very thick and a layer of oil appears on the surface. Cool thoroughly before adding the fried salt fish. Store in air tight containers.
* Salt fish pickle keeps for as long as one year in the refridgerator. It goes well with rice and is delicious as a sandwich spread.
Spanish mackerel or any other fresh fish can be used in place of salt fish. Deep-fry fish slices until crisp and add in gravy.
HAPPY COOKING !!!!
 
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