Week 49: Singapore

Week 49: It's All About the Food.

"Have you eaten?" This is most likely the first greeting you will receive upon meeting someone in Singapore. It is a tiny country with a voracious appetite. On average, a Singaporean will consume five or six meals a day. Eating is a way of life and a national pastime (with shopping a close second). "So what is Singaporean Cuisine?" you might ask. I'll give you the short answer: Food you eat in Singapore.

This diamond shaped island with 5 million food-loving people lies on the southern tip of Malaysia. Modern Singapore was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819, essentially as a trading post for the East India Company. It became a British sovereignty in 1824, was occupied by the Japanese during WWII, returned to British hands in 1945, gained Independence in 1963 to form Malaysia and finally became a Republic City-State and Island Country in 1965. Today Singapore is one of the freest, most competitive and innovative economies in the world.

The second question you are most likely to face when visiting Singapore is "where are you from?". The city is home to 7000 multinational corporations, with 44% of the (highly skilled) workforce non-Singaporean. They cleverly attract foreign investment through low tax-rates, and has established itself as the 4th biggest global financial center. The World Bank named Singapore the easiest place in the world to do business. In years gone by, international businessmen would check into the now iconic Raffles Hotel (est. 1887). There used to be a saying: "If you visit Raffles, you may as well see Singapore". After an exhilarating day of wheeling and dealing in tropical climes, they would saunter into The Long Bar, rub shoulders with the likes of Kipling, Chaplin, Hemingway and Hitchcock, and order a refreshing Singapore Sling. 

And that is exactly what we did last night (well, sort of... sans  Long Bar, businessmen in light linen suits and celebrities). The Singapore Sling was invented in 1915 by the Long Bar bartender at the time, Tong Boon.
Quick recipe:
2 measures gin / one measure cherry brandy / half a measure Benedictine / fresh pineapple and lime juice / a dash of bitters. It needs to be shaken vigorously with lots of ice to create a frothy foam ( the pineapple juice...specifically tropical sarawak pineapples will achieve this). Strain, and pour into a highball glass. Important: serve straight up (i.e. no ice). Voila.  

Nine of us explored the culinary diversity of Singapore at Little Singapore on Charlotte Street in the city last night. One could hear the festive Friday night chatter from across the street. The place was packed, noise levels high with waitresses buzzing up and down the two narrow aisles of this very popular dining spot amongst Asian expats.  Singaporean cuisine showcases a diversity and variety of  food and flavours shaped by the different ethnic components of its population: Chinese noodles, Malaysian laksas and Indian curries. The cuisine is defined by what it has borrowed from the many cultural influences, hybridising it into something unique. They manage to create big flavours from humble ingredients. Plain rice obtains a vibrancy once cooked in shrimp stock, and tofu from a plastic container turns into exotic bean curd. With an ethnic maelstrom of people, there appears to be no quibbling over cultural lines. They will eat everything.

We had two very special co-diners joining us last night for the first time. My mum and my sister from South-Africa. Their debilitating jet-lag was quickly taken care of by a couple of Singapore Sling cocktails, accompanied by springrolls, curry puffs and lobak (similar to a pork sausage roll), at the same time priming them for their enthusiastic contribution to the fact-sharing to follow. Then there were all the usual suspects: All the Browns, Phil and Martina, and Hendo made another welcome guest appearance. I ordered a delicious Pork Laksa (thin but with powerful flavour), Martina had the vegetarian version, my mum had Satay Chicken, Doeks enjoyed her traditional Hainanese Chicken with buttered rice and pickles, Hendo tried the Singaporean fried rice, Phil chose the Hokien Noodles, Boet opted for the Dried Fried Beef Ho Fun, sadly Nielen really did not enjoy his Chicken Kapitan (peanut flavoured deep fried chicken pieces with rice), and Keith had no idea what he ate, as he did not receive what he ordered....but it was good!

While subliminally dissecting the taste-combinations in front of us, the obligatory fact sharing dominated conversation. Boetie started with the national animal. Singapore ( Singapura) means Lion City, named after the "lion" that The Prince of Palembang saw and named the Island after. However, his feline knowledge appears to have been quite unreliable, as what he saw was most likely a tiger.  Hendo expanded on the importance of Singapore as trading hub during the Spice Route era and Nielen informed us that the national anthem is written in micro-text on the $1000 bank note. Phil pointed out that the trees next to the motorway that connects the airport to the city are all planted in their pots, so they could easily be removed should they require an emergency runway. And Martina explained that the Raffles Hotel used to be a waterfront hotel, but because of the city's ever expanding footprint due to landfill,  Beach Rd is now a block away from the ocean!  My mum brought her facts closer to home: the Singaporean word for "banana" is piesang, the same word we use in Afrikaans (as are many other words borrowed from the Malays who settled in South Africa). Doeks' fact can be linked to the high productivity of the nation:  Singaporeans are the fastest walkers on the planet, with an average walking speed of 6.15km /h....that's the flight speed of a bumble bee. They are indeed busy little bees! About 46,000 of them now add value to Australia's economy.

The third question you are most likely to be asked when in Singapore, is "where are you going?"....

.....week 50 will take us to Eastern Europe. Please join us in Hungary. Hopefully we will be asked: "How are you?"

Week 48: Taiwan (Republic of China / Chinese Taipei)

Week 48: Made in Taiwan
Who would have thought that China is causing such a political kerfuffle over an island they once referred to as "a ball of mud beyond the sea". Taiwan did not even appear on the imperial map of the Qing Dynasty (1683). The insults continued: "Island of Dogs", "...the size of a pellet, taking it is no gain, not taking it is no loss", and "...adding nothing to the breadth of China", they even advocated to move all the Chinese to mainland China, abandoning the island. Now they want it back.


The political situation is quite confusing: After a civil war between the Nationalist forces of the Republic of China and the Communist Party of China that commenced in 1927, two de facto states emerged: The People's Republic of China on the mainland (see blog week 12), and The Republic of China on the island Taiwan (and some surrounding islands).  No-one is really sure if the war ever actually ended (a peace-treaty has never been signed), but active battle ceased in 1949. Chiang-Kai-shek and 2 million Nationalists retreated to the Island of Taiwan. Mainland Communist China still views Taiwan as its territory, and threatens military invasion should Taiwan declare independence and change its name to The Republic of Taiwan. In the meantime, Taiwan has it's own nationalist government, president, military forces and flag.


My mother and I visited Taiwan in 1980.  About the same time when everything was Made in Taiwan.  All I can recall is that it was permanently cloudy, terribly hot and stiflingly humid, but it was beautiful. No wonder the Portuguese sailors named it Formosa (Beautiful Island). With lofty mountains, remote beaches, shrines and temples and bustling cities, it resembles a snapshot of the world on an island the size of Belgium....but with 23 million people (equivalent to the entire population of Australia)!  Taipei (the capital) is famous for its night  markets where food is the main attraction. Foodies from all over the world travel to Taipei for one purpose only: to experience authentic xiaochi (street food). This style of eating (similar to Spanish tapas or middle-eastern meze) forms an important part of Taiwanese cuisine.


The food in Taiwan is heavily influenced by the cuisine form the southern provinces of mainland China, its climate (an abundance of tropical fruits: papayas, melons, star fruit and citrus) and the fact that it is an island (surrounded by oceans filled with fish: tuna, groper, sardines, anchovies and squid). There is also a notable Japanese influence, a legacy of Japanese rule from 1895 to 1945. The Taiwanese show their creativity through their spice selection and seasoning techniques: soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil act as the glue that binds all the flavours together. Pork, seafood and chicken dominate menus. Beef is not common, apart from Beef Noodle Soup, which is one of the most popular dishes in Taiwan, so that is what I had to order.


Me, my two sons and Phil and Martina were transported to a different world last night. At the back of an industrial-looking building, in an under-lit side street, away from the hustle of China-Central in Sunnybank Market Square (see blog week 18), we discovered a little bit of Taiwan and the blossoming Taiwanese sub-culture in Brisbane. Take the door to the right of the Taiwanese grocer, climb two flights of stairs and turn left. A short passage will lead you into a food court like no other in Brisbane, with at least ten different vendors selling traditional Taiwanese meals. We felt (and appeared!) a bit lost as nothing is signed in English. We took a seat and scanned our surrounds. A young trendy couple was seated opposite us. We asked him what he ordered, as it looked delicious and unusual. In manageable English he explained that it was a typical Taiwanese meal and pointed in the direction of the vendor. A woman and a young boy were sitting next to us, struggling to understand our interest in her bowl of noodles. That was the Beef Noodle Soup I had to have. I asked her where she ordered it from. After consulting her son in Mandarin, the boy answered in English and directed me to the kitchen in question. Boetie, Nielen and Phil all had different chicken dishes and Martina had the Kung Pao Spicy Fish. Everything was served with rice and pickles on the side. My Beef Noodle Soup lived up to expectation: paper thin shavings of beef, shallots and kimchi gently simmered in a delicate broth with just the right amount of spice, perfectly balanced with a zingy acidity, and enough noodles to feed a small family. We all agreed that it was the best meal for $10 one could have anywhere in Brisbane.

The number of post-1949 Taiwanese migrants to Australia exceed 24,000.  Brisbane remains the top Taiwanese settling city with Sydney and Melbourne coming in close. The number of Taiwanese people in Brisbane vastly surpasses those from Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, Korea and Singapore. This was evident last night.


While enjoying our meal in the Little Taipei Food Court, we discussed many interesting facts about this island with its fragile political climate. Martina advised us that Taiwan has the lowest birth-rate in the world. The flag and the national animal (Blue Magpie or Long-tailed Mountain Lady) were discussed by Boetie. Phil quoted from Sherlock Holmes ( "what do you know, pray, of Tapanuli fever? What do you know of Black Formosa corruption?"). And Nielen's contribution was that one of his best friends is Taiwanese. That's it. That was his fact.

We could not leave without trying  Bubble Tea, invented in Taiwan during the 1980's. Also known as Pearl Tea or Boba Milk Tea, the name "bubble" is Anglicized slang for Boba,which refers to the chewy tapioca balls or pearls added to the ice-blended milky tea-shake. Will I have it again?....not so sure.


Time to jump continents. Next week you'll find us in Bolivia!

Week 47: Laos ( Lao People's Democratic Republic)

Week 47: Land of a Million Elephants.

Which is a bit of an exaggeration.  A Lao prince named Fa Ngum, founded the Lan Xang Kingdom in the 14th century. Lan Xang translates into " a million elephants" - a deliberate name for his kingdom to inspire fear amongst his enemies at a time when elephants were the principal engines of war.

Laos has a brutal and bloody past. Landlocked between Myanmar (Burma), Thailand (Siam), Cambodia, Vietnam and China, it was never going to have it easy. It fell to Burma and to Thailand, but the Lan Xang Kingdom recovered when Sourigna Vongsa ascended to the throne in 1637. Europeans first reached the capital Vientiane in the late1600's, and Dutch merchants returned with admiring descriptions of a prosperous kingdom: the most beautiful city in Southeast Asia - a place of palaces and temples, and awe-inspiring religious ceremonies. In 1893 it became a French protectorate. It gained brief independence after Japanese invasion in 1945, but returned to French rule until it again became a sovereign monarchy in 1953. Shortly after independence, a long civil war ended the monarchy when the Communist Pathet Lao Movement took power in 1975. Today Laos is a single party communist state which espouses Marxism. It is one of the poorest countries on the planet, with a third of the population living in poverty or extreme poverty. It ranks very low on the Human Development Index, and very high on the Global Hunger Index. And since we are ranking  things, I can now categorically state that Lao food ranks first on our list of most spicy food ....or that was our experience anyway.

There is a Southeast Asian wisdom which purports that eating really hot and spicy food actually helps to cool you down. As you sit there perspiring from every possible pore on your body, the evaporation of the sweat acts like a natural air-conditioning unit. Well, the science did not work last night. Nevertheless, it did not distract from the enjoyment of the fresh, healthy and anything-but-bland Lao food.

So what differentiates Lao cuisine from it's neighbours? Firstly, Laos is the home of sticky rice. They even refer to themselves as "luk khao niaow" , or children/descendants of sticky rice. Their eating utensil is their left hand. Sticky rice is much easier to roll into a ball and dip into a sauce than fluffy steamed rice. This is why food is eaten at room temperature. For the same reason, the curries are dry, unlike Thai curries (more soup-like) rich in coconut cream. With 60% of the population living on the banks of the Mekong river, steamed or grilled fish with fresh herbs form a staple. One of the most distinctive and unique Lao food is Padek , fish rubbed with salt and preserved for up to 3 years. Their traditional dish laap or larb consists of minced chicken or pork which is boiled and then served with sticky rice and raw vegetables (undressed).  Nothing is fried, rather grilled and steamed. Sticky rice is steamed and served in a bamboo basket (huad) with every meal. Laotians prefer their food savoury, and dishes are never sweet. They find the concept of sweet and sour completely bizarre. Another distinguishing factor is their preference for bitter food. They have a saying "van pen lom; khom pen ya" which basically means "sweet makes you dizzy; bitter makes you healthy".

A meal will typically include a soup, a grilled dish (like fish) and laap. These are not served in sequence, but all together and it is perfectly acceptable to sip at your soup throughout the meal.  To indicate that you have finished eating, you close the rice basket (haud). The flavours of Laos are aromatic and fresh: Lao basil, galangal, garlic, coriander, climbing wattle, bamboo shoots, lemongrass, lime, mint, tamarind and chili. They also love kaipen, which is dried Mekong algae (similar to Japanese nori).

There were six of us experimenting with the foreign flavours and techniques of Lao food last night. You can pre-determine the level of spiciness of your meal. Louise and Finn were happy with a mild introduction; Phil, Keith and I decided on a medium approach and Andrew G bravely embraced the full-blown cultural assault. At this stage, of course, we had no idea what the Lao interpretation of mild, medium and hot was....

Thai Wi Rat is located in the China Town Mall in Fortitude Valley, 1km from the CBD. It is one of only three restaurants in Brisbane that serves authentic Lao cuisine. Despite the immediate discomfort of the chili heat, I thoroughly enjoyed my Tom Sam (green papaya) salad and pork laap. Keith said his dish was unlike anything he has tasted before. Phil (stunned into silence) nodded in agreement. Louise and Finn (the sensible two) both enjoyed their food, and Andrew G is still endeavouring to defuse his tastebuds. All-in-all a most fascinating Friday Night Out.  To enhance our experience, what other than the sharing of facts?: We all contributed to the fact that Laos is the world's most bombed country in the world, with 2 billion tons of ordnance (262 million cluster bombs) dropped during the Vietnam war. This is a huge problem, as there are large quantities of UXO's (unexploded ordnance) littering potential farmland.  Keith expanded by mentioning that many bombs landed on The Plain of Jars - an archaeological landscape dating back to 500BC claimed to be associated with pre-historic burial practices. There are 90 jar sites, with the number of hand carved stone jars varying from 1 to 400 at each site. The evidence of bomb raids can be witnessed, with displaced jars and bomb craters.

Hmong girls climbing on one of the jars.

Andrew G informed us ( while wiping perspiration from his brow) that even though Laos has no coastline, it is home to the unique Irrawaddy Dolphin resident in the Mekong river.

Finn shared the tricks of rhino beetle wrestling - a betting game popular in Laos.

Louise again had a textile fact handy, explaining how woman are empowered through craft groups and garment-making, weaving beautiful fabrics from handpicked and -spun cotton.

 

Keith jumped in with another fact (very keen last night) that the national flower is the champa. The rest of us thought it looked just like an ordinary frangipani!

And then Phil read a couple of paragraphs from a book written by his uncle, who served as a diplomat in Laos during the Vietnam War, relating first hand impressions, not only about the place and the people, but also the resulting effect of partaking in an opium ritual.

Still a place of huge mystique, Vientiane with it's golden spires of Buddhist temples, decrepit French villas and art deco Russian buildings manages to maintain the fine balance between the Buddhist calm and the new ambitious growth experienced in the capital. A destination well worth exploring.

   
   


There are more Lao people living outside of Laos than within, most of them in Thailand, The United States and France. Australia is home to 22,303 Laotians, with 1,316 living in Brisbane.


Next week we stay in Asia....Taiwanese anyone?