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Food can change you. Yes it’s about deliciousness but there also larger things at play: It codifies history, culture and in my case that morning, the story of migration. My own heritage snapped into focus last week in Yogyakarta as I dived headlong into the cultural heart of Java. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There, I visited 72-year-old Mbah Satinem who has sold lupis — or kueh lopes as we know it in Singapore — all her life, from when she was helping her mother as a child. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ From my little stool by the roadside, I watched her move gracefully from slicing the rice cakes to sprinkling grated coconut, to ladling on the thick caramelised gula jawa. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And even though I was in a city surrounded by people I know to be my cultural make up, I was still a foreigner. I’ve been told all my life that we’re of Javanese ancestry, yet being 4th or 5th generation Singaporean means we don’t have access to the cultural knowledge of our forefathers. We’re talking about thousands of years of history here with a different language and a different written script altogether. Java is always mentioned like a distant motherland, and we are her forgotten children. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But the first bite of Mbah Satinem’s lupis felt like I was jolted home — except it was a far more expressive rendition. Hers was complex; the texture of the rice stained green from its banana leaf wrap was simply perfect and the sweet lashings of gula jawa had a dark, savoury undertone. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ These ingredients were procured with sensitivity to terroir. The gula jawa is from Kulon Progo while the rice is from Purworejo. Have we become so far removed from our roots that we slap on whatever ingredients available at the nearest supermarket not knowing the origins of the food and the importance of provenance? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This was affirmation that despite hundreds of years living on a different trajectory, the DNA expressed through a common palate remained. Food can indeed change you. In this case, it showed me who I am.

#uglydelicious: Dreamt of KL’s Hokkien Mee a few days ago and I’ve been craving for it since then. There is something truly sublime about Restoran Ahwa’s al dente noodles tossed in a searing hot, charcoal-fired wok. Does anyone know where I can get a decent version of this in Singapore? (Decent being the operative word 😂)

Random #throwback to the first Bali trip this year, when the days were long and languorous, the food was spicy and the air had the scent of the sun-kissed beach.

I've been reporting on food professionally for close to seven years now, and while excellent restaurants deserve more visits, part of the job is to prioritise new spots. I limit myself to three restaurants a week for health reasons and that means, dining for my own leisure takes a back seat. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The visit to Les Amis this week required planning more than a month ahead. It's been four years since I last had a meal there and that was when chefs Sebastien Lepinoy and Cheryl Koh made their Singapore debut. I'm reminded once again of how, despite the excitement of our dining scene, it is the classic stately restaurants that form our gastronomic spine. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Les Amis has and still will play one of the most important roles in our country not just because so many names have sharpened their knives in these storied kitchens. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The food here is still far more sophisticated, polished and executed with a finesse that's lightyears ahead of some of these newfangled try-too-hard restaurants. So many dishes made an impact on my party of four; the langoustine wrapped with thin sheets of courgette, topped with a generous dollop of caviar was one, as did the pairing of sea bass with verjus sauce and (gasp) grapes. Who would've thought that those flavours could sing in such harmony together? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And just before the meal ended, the dessert course delivered an elegant repartee on a pear tart, where slices of Williams pear poached in star anise was arranged like a closed palm around a tiny ball of puff pastry. At its centre? A caramel cream that held the elements in the perfect embrace. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The meal was a timely reminder that despite living in a world of rockstar chefs working hard to push the envelope on gastronomy, classic is still timeless. Thank you @lesamisrestaurant for the evening.

If you’ve eaten one, you’ve eaten 10. That’s one of the pitfalls of luxury ingredients like caviar, sea urchin and foie gras, simply because very little needs to be done to make them shine. Maybe it’s because I’m jaded but one spoonful of any of these is enough (“okay thanks next!”) The foie gras semifreddo at one-Michelin-starred @braci.sg though, was a pie in my face. It’s a terrine that arrives beautifully presented looking almost like a giant Lego brick; an odd cross between a dessert and a starter. And oh boy does it work. The entire slab is covered with a thin crust of white chocolate while drops of fig vincotta, each larger than the next, lend a sticky sweetness to the assembly. On its side? A mini quenelle of kumquat that lifts the dish with a fresh burst of citrus. I thought I was bored of foie gras and the million permutations I’ve had the misfortune of eating. But this one, this one was special.

In #Tokyo right now in the midst of a heatwave that’s seeing 34 degree afternoons. Cooling down with a mango ice cream.

So I finally went ahead and did it: I documented my grandmother’s laksa Siglap recipe (link in my profile 👉🏽) This is Singapore’s forgotten laksa I’ve longed talked about; a Malay dish that originates in Kampung Siglap. I’ve been thinking about writing out and refining the recipe for over a year now but the thought of going through the paces put me off. I went the whole nine yards making kerisik and noodles from scratch, not to mention the broth itself. That said, it isn’t a difficult recipe — just time consuming, especially when it comes to pounding the toasted coconut and deboning the ikan parang (wolf herring). If you want to give this recipe a shot, allocate three hours, and if you do, take a pic and tag me. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Until then like I said yesterday on IG stories, heritage isn’t just meant to be preserved, it’s meant to be shared. Nothing would delight me more than seeing this humble dish travel from my home to yours. ❤️

Haven’t been updating as much since life’s been a whirlwind and I’ve been kept occupied with a personal project after work hours. Still, it’s only Tuesday and it’s been a great week of dining so far. Lunch today was plate after plate of sin. I’m talking about that bone marrow butter in the centre of the picture that had me going back for more bread than I should have. Then there’s that grilled provolone cheese with almonds and a luscious drizzling of honey — by far the main reason that draws me to Argentinean restaurant @bochinchesg all these years. Thanks @jillyeats for the laughs!

Stumbled upon this incredible heritage bakery in JB’s old town that’s still powered by a giant wood-fired oven. It’s been been running since 1937 and specialises in Bengali curry puffs, or just karipap, as they’re locally known. These are thin sheets of pastry wrapped around fillings like curried potatoes, lamb or beef. I went a little after lunch but locals tell me the aroma of bread baking over coals and wood in the morning is simply irresistible. I also bought some kaya buns and wholemeal bread — and I can’t wait to tear into them with my bare hands.

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Recent Posts

Behind Javara’s tireless work in elevating Indonesia’s farmers and artisans
A recipe for Laksa Siglap – Singapore’s forgotten laksa
Nasi ulam: A herbed rice recipe that’s easy, nutritious and delicious
Modern Malaysian cuisine blooms in the kitchens of Beta KL
Photoessay: Saturday morning at a Malaysian Farmer’s Market

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Dining dispatches from Southeast Asia, and beyond.

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Recent Posts

Behind Javara’s tireless work in elevating Indonesia’s farmers and artisans
A recipe for Laksa Siglap – Singapore’s forgotten laksa
Nasi ulam: A herbed rice recipe that’s easy, nutritious and delicious
Modern Malaysian cuisine blooms in the kitchens of Beta KL
Photoessay: Saturday morning at a Malaysian Farmer’s Market

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