This business is about 50-60 years old, it’s from my father-in-law, Goh Twee Keng, who came here from Hainan after the war. I sell glutinous rice dumplings, Hainan coconut cake, red bean, black glutinous rice and white fungus jelly with gingko nut, all based on my father-in-law’s recipes. I used to come here when I was young, then when I got married I learned how to make them.
As far as I’m aware, and from conversations with my father-in-law, we’re the only ones in Melaka making this coconut cake. The dumplings [in a sweet ginger-flavoured syrup, also known as “Kuih Ee” by the Peranakan community] are more commonly available, used for festive occasions. We make ours with peanut filling.
I don’t know if my children will continue with this, if not, it ends with me.