Old Spice

MALAYSIA’S UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE TOWN WHERE FOOD AND DRINKS FLOW APLENTY, MELAKA IS THE PERFECT WEEKEND GETAWAY FOR THOSE WITH SOME ENERGY TO SPARE, FINDS NIVEDANA JALAN

- Nivedana Jalan

For centuries, the ancient town of Melaka has been famous for its strategic location along the Straits of Malacca, and it isn’t surprising that people from all over the world landed at this port. Some, like the migrant Chinese and Indians, came for better opportunities, and some, like the Portuguese, Dutch and British, came in order to conquer. In more recent years, however, it has gained popularity amongst visitors due to its addition to the Unesco World Heritage List. Eager to understand more about this heritage town, I hopped onto a bus from Singapore and decided to spend the weekend exploring Melaka myself.

After a five-hour bus journey, I reached hungry and curious. I quickly freshened up and made my way to have some of the famed Melaka chicken rice balls. While chicken rice is a common dish across Southeast Asia, in Melaka it is prepared with an unusual twist. The rice is cooked in a flavourful chicken broth with garlic and ginger and is then tightly rolled into a ball. According to legend, centuries ago, when fishermen would come to the port to load and unload boats, they needed to grab a meal quickly and conveniently, which gave rise to the concept of these rice balls.

Satiated, I walked over to the nearby Mamee Jonker House, where I had signed up for a noodle-making workshop. Mamee is to Malaysia what Maggi is to India, and this bestselling instant noodle brand had its humble beginnings right here in Melaka. At Mamee Jonker House, I learned how to make noodles from scratch, selected my choice of condiments and even got to make my own personalized pack of noodles home. The only other place in Asia that this experience can be found in Japan.