Thisisnotacookbook.Itistheunwrittenstoryofapeople.BetweenthevastIndianandPacificoceansliesarealmofextraordinarynaturalabundance:theMalayArchipelago,knownwidelyastheNusantara.TheseislandsofSoutheastAsiahavenourishedthelivesofindigenousMalaysthroughoutthecenturiesandnurturedthediversepeoplesthathavesetfootontheirshores.Today,theMalaysmakeuplessthanafifthofthepopulationinSingapore,acitywithancienttiestotheMalayworld.Thisbookexplorestheirfood,notjustasameansofsustenancebutasaculturalactivity.InheritingtheNusantara’srichflavours,SingaporeMalayshaveagrandculinaryheritagereflectingtheirworldviews,socialvaluesandhistoricalinteractionswithothercultures.Throughcloseexaminationoftheirdailyobjects,customs,artandliterature,thesepagesrevealhowthefoodMalaysenjoyisdeeplyembeddedindifferentaspectsoftheiridentity.FollowingthebroadsweepofMalaycuisine’sevolution-fromthe7th-centurykingdomofSrivijayatothe21st-centuryemporiumofcosmopolitanSingapore-thisbooktracesthecontinuityanddynamismofasharedculturalconsciousness.Sumptuouslyservedwithstunningphotographs,deliciousrecipesanddiligentresearch,thisisessentialreadingforanyone-gourmetsandamateursalike-hungryforadeeperunderstandingoftherelationshipbetweenpeopleandtheirfood.
