Desserts From The Nyonya Table: For Washing The Mouth... "Chuchi Mulut"

Young *nyonya lady with a BAKUL SIAH [auspicious basket]

for transporting food and sometimes clothing.

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I am not certain if this after dinner *Peranakan phrase has been discussed before but I was always wondering why older family members do not say, "PERGI CHUCHI PIRING..." [go wash your plates] after a meal at home but instead mention, "UNTUK CHUCHI MULUT..." [for washing the mouth] and places a bowl of fruits, cakes and ice desserts on the dinner table.

I realised that the phrase itself explains the reason for the dessert. We need to 'wash' our mouths with lovely Peranakan desserts after dinner. So instead of going to the kitchen sink to wash the plates, the child would ask cheekily, "MAMA, MANA CHUCHI MULUT?" [mum, where's the mouth wash?]. And he gets a huge stare...

So if you are told after a Peranakan dinner, "UNTOK CHUCHI MULUT," it means, "Have your dessert." And they are probably on the table. 👦

Some of these desserts are below...

"Untuk chuchi mulut": [For washing the mouth].

Fruit desserts.

Delicious Peranakan Cakes made of shredded coconut,

glutinous rice and cassava [ubi kayu].

Bo Bo Cha Cha [Bubur Cha Cha]

The best Peranakan dessert ever. Sweet potato pieces with yam cuts and colourful jelly tots. All covered in sweet creamy coconut milk with added pandan leaves for flavour.

*NB:

The term “Peranakan” generally refers to a person of mixed Chinese, Malay and Indonesian heritage. Many Peranakans trace their origins to 15th-century Malacca, where their ancestors were thought to be Chinese traders who married local women who may not necessarily be Malay or Indonesian Malays but speak the language. The language used above is in Bahasa Indonesia.

A nyonya is a Peranakan lady and is usually dressed in a sarong [wrap around batik] and kebaya [colourful embroidered blouse.]

Nyonya Coconut Milk Dessert | Bo Bo Cha Cha 

 Bubur Cha Cha | 摩摩喳喳 [Nyonya Cooking]

YouTube Video by: Nyonya Cooking

Peranakan Sayang Song on Hawker Food 

In Singapore Shanghai Tan SG 🎶 Guitar 

YouTube Video from: Singapore Travels Rapture! 

[The song on video is not related to Peranakan desserts.]

Images: Google.