LIFE
Food fiesta
RUPA GOPAL
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Singapore has a truly unique food culture, all of its own — a constant worship of flavours.
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PHOTO: RUPA GOPAL
PLENTY ON OFFER: Varied fare.
SINGAPORE has always been beckoning travellers to its insular shores. Often the attraction is so strong, the traveller puts his roots down there. The Chinese, the Malay, the Oriental, the Indian, the British, the Dutch ... have all made this unique island nation his home, permanent or temporary. Now, the Japanese and Korean has Singapore within his sights. The result of all this is a food paradise. But what is interesting is that despite this perennial bubbling, melting pot of aromas and flavours, Singapore has a truly unique food culture of its own, quite unlike anywhere else in the world. It's a nation that adores food from dawn to dawn — a constant worship of flavours, essences, soups and sauces, fries and stirfries, of wings and claws, of fillets and curries, of satays and samosas, aapams and momos.
A nation where "have you eaten?" is tantamount to "how are you?", can justly boast of food fantasmagoria, starting with the hawker centres, so special to Singapore's delightful carnival atmosphere. "Hawker" was originally said to describe vendors roaming the streets with laden mobile carts, selling food. Now they're housed in open-plan centres, in all localities of Singapore, selling Chinese, Indian and Malay food and open 24 hours a day. Most stalls specialise in a type of food, or even in one dish only, and patrons can make up their meal by ordering from various stalls. An Indian stands at a huge hot plate, shallow frying prata — deftly rolled out thin dough that he has just folded with the contents of one egg and topped with a thick slice of cheese. It's all simple, clean and authentic hot food. The ingredients used are the freshest, as the wet market is located next to the hawker centres, importing produce from all over the world.
Chinatown
Ethnic Chinatown has a grand hawker centre on Smith Street, with 18 kiosks spilling onto the road, shut to traffic at nights, except the route that goes down the throat into hungry stomachs. Nearby La PA Saut, the old Victorian cast iron filigree structure houses eateries, serving all manner of cuisine. The Maxwell Road hawker centre is one of the most beloved spots in Singapore, famed for its glutinous rice ball soup, ham chin pang [deep-fried dough snack], and the popular Hainanese chicken rice.
Food courts are air-cooled food centres, found in almost every shopping mall. With a refined atmosphere, food is slightly more expensive here than at the hawker centres. "Takashimaya", "Scotts", etc. all have plenty to offer hungry shoppers. Actually, being hungry seems to be a constant phenomenon in Singapore, with weary shoppers taking respite in food, everywhere, or at least in steaming glasses of the local tea.
With the Chinese predominating, naturally, it's Chinese cuisine that rules. There are just soup restaurants — perfecting the art of slow cooking, with meat and herbs, simmering for hours in a pot. The Tea House has old-fashioned carts filled with siew mai, fried carrot cake, barbecued pork and choice dimsums.
"The House of Mao Hunan Hut" combines the traditional Steamboat with Mao memorabilia. Double boiled shark fin, sautéed fillet of beef with garlic and pepper — sheer heaven.
"Ai Hoi's Kitchen" has an old world atmosphere redolent with timeless dishes, old tables, vintage porcelain chopstick holders, plates, bowls and spoons. Kung pow chi, mee goreng and black pepper kway teow, Laksa, prawn noodles , satay bee hom and the fried rice recipe said to have originated in Chinese royal kitchens — it's all enough to satisfy even the most demanding gourmand.
If mere Chinese is not enough, Peranakan, or Nonya Straits cuisine, with its gourmet tag, beckons — beef randang, ayam panggang, ikan chilli, and a range of colourful desserts. Chillies, coconut milk and belachan [ a dried shrimp paste] are what make Nonya food special. Chendol is a unique dessert with sago in it, a sort of local falooda, much relished by even the local Indians.
Malay food beckons all with its fantastic curries and herb-spiced flavours — lemongrass, coriander and tamarind make up much of the taste. Malay and Indonesian meat dishes, rice and breads are much sought out by all local communities, as well as adventurous tourists.
Steamboat dinner
The tradition of the steamboat dinner originated in freezing Beijing long ago, during the harsh hostile winters. With just a pot of water, charcoal and a goat to fend off hunger and the unbearable cold, a gathering of villagers would set the pot of water to boil, slaughter the goat, and dip slivers of mutton into the boiling water. Both cold and hunger were thus appeased simultaneously. This habit spread to coastal South China, and gradually seafood and vegetables were added to make up the broth. Very popular now, the steamboat has abalone, lobster, crab, scallop, clam, eel, red sea prawn and fish flesh cooked in a delicious soup, giving it a juicy sweetness. These fish are dipped one at a time into the constantly boiling soup, poached lightly, and popped into the mouth, like delectable morsels. There is waxed duck soup, Chinese herbal soup, laden with mushrooms etc., satay soup, and ginseng soup. The cooked fish are dipped into tangy sauces, including wasabi, the Japanese mustard, satay sauce and chilli soya sauce.
Dumplings and meat pieces are cooked in the hotpot, and radish and cabbage too are done similarly. A hot tasty meal bubbling away at the centre of one's table ensures constant happy dining.
Indian eateries ... .
Seafood restaurants, serving all that swims, line the busy East Coast Road, serving wok-fried pepper Calamari , flamed drunken prawns, barbecued seafood etc. Open air seafront food courts serve Hawaiian sea food — deliciously grilled fish wrapped in banana leaves, smeared with spicy marinades.
Indian food is to be had all over Little India — idli, thosai, roti prata and murtabak. "Woodlands", "Komala Vilas", "Ananda Bhavan", "Annapoorna" — vegetarian food is really no problem here. "Muthu's Fish Head Curry" has become a legend unique to the island, drawing diners like a giant magnet. Ordinary restaurants have led to fine-dining establishments like "Ganga", "Delhi", etc., attracting constant tour groups from all over the world.
Fruit and fresh vegetables fresh in from India, China and the West fill the wet market, with even rare fresh greens available. "Tekka" is hiving with early morning shoppers on Sunday, out to get the freshest produce tender okra, beans, Indian onions etc., to freshly butchered meat, and tender plump fish.
Invariably, the lady shopper ends up with a large bunch of fresh cut flowers, and last evening's fresh tied jasmine. Thus happily laden, and tired by the pre-9 a.m sapping heat, the shopper sits down at one of the cool Indian eateries, to have a hearty breakfast. It's all like home, except that here food is made and served with scrupulous hygiene.
For those on a fruit diet, kiwi, rambutan, lichi, avocado, starfruit, durian, melon, pear, apple and orange, duku, Indian mangoes and jackfruit crowd the pavements of Serangoon Road and the side roads of little India.
And if all this food were not enough, crisp snacks are ever ready at hand, honey-roasted almonds, barbecued nuts, chocolate bars, big gulps, flavoured milks and fruit yoghurts, "Pringles" and "Lays", sweet popcorn, ice-cream from "Haagen Daaz" and "Swensens" — the ever busy McDonalds says "-I'm loving it" really does say it all. Surely the paan must be absent — after all, it is a foreign country. But no, this is Singapore, where every food fetish must be met. The paanwalla doubles up as a goods delivery man, driving a convenient pickup!
A posh Indian restaurant at the high-end Esplanade — really this is too good to be true, but there you are, again, it has to be said; this is Singapore, and there it is. "Mirchi" — a rich ambience, softly piped Indian music, and the most awesome food, perhaps not even to be had in much of India — the refreshing tall cool glasses of jal jeera, lassi, perfect naans, kulchas and rotis, really tangy pickles, creamy side dishes, as well as perfect dry dishes, hot crisp samosas with the right filling, and the signature dish of "Mirchi Pakora".
Mohan Mulani has well-realised his dream eaterie. The proud and savvy owner of the thriving chain of "Harry's Pubs", Mulani came up with "Mirchi", two years ago, and has ever since served guests constantly coming back for more.
"Saffron", near Boat Quay, is also a very classy place, serving Indian dishes cooked with just the perfect blend of spice and minimal oil — a born chef's delicate touch.
Culinary tours are regularly organised by the Singapore Tourism Board, covering all aspects of the country's varied food scene, as are spice garden tours.
Food in Singapore is not just a passion, It verily borders on religion, with a fervour that knows absolutely no racial prejudices. Life is good, redolent with memories here.
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