It took me 20 years to pin down my mother’s Singapore Chilli Crab recipe – I spent years watching her in the kitchen, but never knew the actual quantities to anything until this week, when I pinned down the recipe for my weekly Periscope! It was a great time hanging out with my mum and learning a bit more about our national dish, and even getting exact instructions on how to quickly kill a live crab (because that’s the best freshness seal!).
It’s hard being a non-drinker. You get constant shocked looks every time you tell someone that you don’t drink, and entire destinations like the Hunter Valley – which plays host to beautiful vineyards and wineries – always seem just out of reach. Cause what are you going to do if you don’t drink wine, amirite?
Well, not exactly.
Christine and I – both “fuddy duddy” non drinkers – went on a girls’ weekend out to the Hunter, and had a TON of non-alcoholic fun along the way.
Two, actually, but what a productive two nights/three days that was!
If you’re the type of person who loves eating new foods that you don’t know the name of, Thailand’s definitely the place for you.
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And yes, that IS a Carpenters’ song reference, and I’m back from Singapore!!
The holidays are never long enough I swear. So here’s a mammoth recap, because om nom nom nom…
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As if doughnuts weren’t an indulgence enough, Big Lou’s Donuts in Fitzroy has got one that’s AS BIG AS YOUR FACE.
Need I say more?
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It always boggles my mind that in Australia, yum cha – which literally translates to “drink tea” – has not very much to do with tea. Instead, it’s used synonymously with dim sum – the little plates that come around in endless trolleys and steamer baskets.
But differences aside, there is always one constant: you never only order just one dish.
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When friends used to ask me about what they should do when visiting Singapore, I would draw a complete blank. After all, growing up in a country doesn’t necessarily enable you to look at it through tourists eyes. To me, eating has always been the only thing worth doing, and I would always make my recommendations accordingly.
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Whenever I mention that I’m from Singapore, I inevitably get asked about Chilli Crab and Chicken Rice. And while they might be our most popular exports, Singapore is so much more than that. Yes, go to your Tian Tian Chicken Rice if you absolutely have to, but trust me, you’ll wanna hit up a few other dishes that you won’t get a chance to try otherwise. Here’s my list of Singaporean foods that will get you eating like a local!
Ah Singapore. I think I have a love/hate relationship with it. After all, it’s where I spent my best childhood years, and my worst teenage ones. And despite my distaste for the humidity that poofs my hair into the worst version of a 70’s afro (blessed with sleek Asian hair, I was not) and the heat that makes me sweat like a criminal on trial, I do have a fondness for the people and the food – because you can find nothing like it in any other part of the world. So once in a while I visit. And when I do, it’s a whirlwind.
It can be very hard to explain to a non-Singaporean the concept of Kway Chap – after all, how do you describe what is essentially a Singaporean version of haggis, except that it’s all chopped up and not stuffed into a sheep’s stomach.
Well, I’m sure going to try, because this local delicacy is not only worth the explanation, it’s worth the effort.