Into the melting pot (Friendly vegetables by Jim Morris - part 5)

Food is part of every culture. Sharing a meal and literally getting a taste of another culture is a wonderful way of bringing people together, sharing sto-ries and increasing understanding and acceptance. To end our book on cultural diversity we want to share a recipe we have en-joyed for vegetable curry. We hope you enjoy it and will share it and eat it with friends.

Into the melting pot

Nyonya Peranakans are descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in Penang, Malacca, Indonesia and Singapore, inter-marrying with local Malays. The old Malay word nyonya, a term of respect and affection for women of prominent social standing (part “madame” and part “auntie”), has come to refer to the cuisine of the Peranakans. Nonya cooking is the result of blending Chinese ingredients and wok cooking techniques with spices used by the Malay/Indonesian community. The food is tangy, aromatic, spicy and herbal.

Tip from Carl the Carrot: The ingredients for a successful intercultural meal are an open mind, two tablespoons of ambition served with good intention and a pinch of sensitivity to taste.

About the author: Jim Morris is a senior facilitator and project manager for Schouten Global. He lives and breathes culture: English by nationality, he lives in the Netherlands and works all over the world facilitating professional learning and development. His latest book The Eight Great Beacons of Cultural Awareness (is a practical guide and will strengthen your cultural awareness) is available as e-book here.

This is chapter 5 from the book With friendly vegetables by Jim Morris. Read or download all chapters here