Nyonya cuisine is a unique fusion cooking style that developed when Chinese immigrants married local Malay women, creating the Peranakan culture across Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. This "Nyonya" cooking combines Chinese techniques with Malay spices and ingredients, resulting in dishes that are more complex and aromatic than either cuisine alone. Christina's family recipe uses 10 different fresh herbs and spices including galangal, lemongrass, candlenut, and Vietnamese mint - ingredients that showcase this distinctive cultural blend and create flavour profiles you won't find in standard Chinese or Malay cooking.