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Even though I grew up with Penang Nyonya food, Malacca (Melaka) is the origin of Nyonya food. Back in the old days of the Malacca Sultanate some 600 years ago, Malacca was the most important trading ports for the East and West. With trades, it came Chinese merchants to the Malay peninsula and many of them settled down and married local women. Their descendants are known as Peranakan Cina (local-born or straits-born Chinese) where female are referred to as Nyonya and men are Baba, and their unique cuisine—a fusion of Malay and Chinese cuisine—is what we refer to as Nyonya food today.
Cincaluk (Cincalok), or fermented baby shrimp, is particularly popular in the Peranakan states of Malacca (Melaka) and Penang. The main ingredient of cincaluk is geragau—little tiny shrimps found off the west coast of Malaysia. Fermented with salt, water, and sugar, cincaluk is an acquired taste even to many Malaysians.
This cincaluk omelet or telur dadar cincaluk is aromatic, with just a tint of the saltiness and pungent taste from the cincaluk. In Penang, cincaluk is mostly used in steamed eggss and not in omelet, so this is a distinct Malacca-style Nyonya dish. Enjoy!
(Click Page 2 for Cincaluk Omelet Recipe)
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That sounds good. I’m usually a big fan of fermented food but cincalok (at least, the versions they make out here in Sarawak) is too strong for me. But I guess if you use it in moderation and balance it with something sweet like the onions, then it should be fine.
Can you do the omelet with sambal belacan?
Nate – try to get the cincalok from Melaka, it’s great and not over-powering. Hmmm, never tried omelet with sambal belacan…interesting idea!
if cincalok is too strong isint blachan way stronger??
Yeah, I think belacan is stronger, but it’s all personal preference and acquired taste.
Nyonya has such a beautiful sound to it. For some reason it makes me thing of eyes( Nayan = Eyes in Bengali, east indian). I have never had fermented fish, but the omelet sounds so unique and different than what we are used to.
Hi Bee,
Isn’t it supposed to be TELUR dadar, and not TELUK dadar? Perhaps an oversight on your part ;)
You’re right. Typo. ;)
I haven’t had this in a long time. This is so god with rice!
Fantastic photos!
The key for this dish is definitely getting the pan very hot.
I’m craving for omelet for tonight’s dinner and your recipe here fits the bill nicely!
I tried this recipe, was very good, I could not find cincalok,I did find Bagoong alamang,Its very similiar.I used that as a substitute, was pretty salty, But still good. I might of used too much, will add less next time. :) I wonder if you can make it with Blachan?
Yes, Filipino Bagoong alamang is saltier. You can use less next time. I don’t recomment belacan with this omelet.
cincalok! i miss nyonya food!
Man! Simply fabulous! For me cincalok without chilli padi is like eating bread without the spread. Still to each his own.