In his spotless kitchen, Daniel Khaw is frying up a batch of his family’s famed Penang lobak (five-spice meat rolls). His wife Angeline Khaw meanwhile painstakingly places each cooked lobak into plastic containers to be sent out for delivery to loyal customers who have become devoted fans of Daniel’s Penang staples like curry kapitan (a rich chicken curry) and Nyonya chap chye (a mixed vegetable dish).
The husband-and-wife team have a steady, unbroken rhythm, a clear division of labour and a genuine sense of purpose and joy in doing their tasks well. Which is why it is fairly surprising to discover that their home food business is barely a year old and was birthed as a result of a difficult situation.