Penang Jawi Peranakan Heritage Cuisine @ Jawi House, Penang

Jawi House is located along a historical road, formerly called 'Malay Lane', in Georgetown. The early Muslim communities here were Orang Tanjung (people of the promontory) or Jawi Peranakan (locally born Malay Muslim). Peranakan means locally born or indigenous in Malay and refers to the offspring of Indian, Arab, Turkish and Persian migrants who married local Malay women. Jawi is a term used by Arabs to mean 'Muslims of Southeast Asia' n particular Malays who used the Jawi Arabised script, since the 11th to the present century.

Jawi House is restored according to UNESCO world heritage city guideline by Intersocietal and Scientific (INAS) and launched by TYT Tun Tan Sri (Dr) Hj Abdul Rahman bin Hj Abdul Abbas, Governor of Penang on June 9, 2013. The building is owned by an Indian Muslim brass and coppersmith before it was brought by the Al Iman society. It is a traditional Southern Chinese house with an eclectic Penang Peranakan Muslim interior.

 

Jawi House demonstrated the cooking method of lemuni rice during the visit.

 

Herbal Lemuni rice (Vitex Trifolia), is long grain basmati rice cooked in coconut milk, onions, garlic, ginger, lemon grass and tualang or telang flowers (clitoria ternetea), served with chicken curry, egg, cucumber, fried anchovies, sambal or chilli paste. It is a traditional postpartum or confinement food for Malay women to improve blood circulation, replenish iron in blood after delivery and increase energy. Lemuni is also an ancient 1000 years old Ayurvedic alternatives medicine for enhancing blood flow, asthma, joint pains and normalising digestive systems.

 

Jawi House specialises in Peranakan Muslim heritage cuisine, reminiscent of hybrid Muslim communities which occupied this early Muslim enclave more than 200 years ago, before British occupation in 1786.

 

That's the authentic Lemuni rice. (The picture is taken by my friend). I have been told the herbal lemuni rice is not found anywhere else other than here. It costs RM16 per dish.

 

That's my lemuni rice....it does not look appetizing as picture above...difference between professional and non-professional. xoxo

Operation time:
everyday except Tuesdays from 11:00am to 10:00pm. Last Order is at 9:00pm Website: www.jawihouse.com

Address:
85, Armenian Street,
10200 Georgetown,
Penang, Malaysia.