TIMOR COOKS
TIMOR COOKS
Tastes of Our Tradition:
Poh Poh always asked, "What did you eat?" whenever we called her. No matter if it was lunch or dinner, she was always curious about our meals. This interest in food was an important part of our East Timorese Chinese culture—food was more than just something to eat, it was a way of life.
Poh Poh and her siblings passed down recipes for dishes like lumba, bacalhau, and New Year's cakes, along with valuable lessons on living with kindness, generosity, and caring for others. Now, her children continue this tradition, making sure we also learn these recipes and keep our heritage alive.
Our family’s recipes mix Chinese, East Timorese, and Portuguese flavours, and have changed a bit since migrating to Australia. But no matter how the recipes evolve, each dish is made with love—preserving tradition, feeding both the body and soul, and enjoying the process of cooking.
These cooks are about more than just food; they reflect our culture, our way of life, and how sharing meals brings us together. Through videos and carefully saved recipes, we want to pass on these traditions to future generations—so they not only remember the dishes we love but also the way of life that keeps our East Timorese Chinese identity alive.
