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Why Pie Tee Is My Favorite Nyonya Creation
It‘s fussy to make but the results are worth it
Pie Tee is a Nyonya dish that’s little cups of spicy, shredded Chinese turnips, and a sweet mixture of thinly sliced vegetables and prawns.
It was one of the most delightful dishes we discovered on our recent trip to Malaysia.
Nyonya cuisine, also known as Peranakan cuisine, is a unique blend of Chinese and Malay culinary traditions. It originated in settlements along the straights of Penang, Malacca, and Singapore.
The term “Nyonya” refers to the women of the Peranakan community. They were descendants of Chinese immigrants who came to work in the tin mines. They settled in the Malay Archipelago and intermarried with the local Malays.
The cuisine developed as a result of the blending of Chinese ingredients and cooking techniques with Malay spices and flavors.
How to make Pie Tee Shells
The delightful little shells are made using a metal mold on a stick. You prepare the batter, then heat the mold by dipping it into the hot oil.
Next, you carefully dip the hot mold into the batter, making a little hat-shaped cup. The cups are deep-fried in oil and then set aside to cool.