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| The View From My Mom's Flat |
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| Our HDB Estate is very green. Many of the trees were planted over 30 years ago. |
I am sure many Singaporeans will agree with me, that aside from family; the one thing that we miss deeply when we are overseas is our local food. Singaporeans are food crazy - it defines us, it unifies us, and of course it comforts us in measures beyond anything tangible. On my recent trip back to visit my family, I was fortunate to relive many of my childhood favorites; thanks to the kind generosity of family and friends. It was a walk down memory lane in many ways. Nothing like the flavors of home.
1. Red Snapper Poached in Tamarind Broth
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| Red Snapper in Tamarind Broth (Assam Pedas Ikan Merah) |
So firstly, one of my most favorite Malay home cooked dishes ever - Red Snapper in Tamarind Broth; or Assam Fish as we lovingly call it in Singapore. The first step to this dish is finding the right seafood. We typically use a large fish - not usually a problem in SIngapore and the freshest one you can get in the market.
Aside from red snapper, one can also use the jack fish, sting ray or the mackerel - all salt water fish. Some people other kinds of fish such as catfish; this is not what I grew up with, so I will not personally recommend. The fish is usually sliced cross-sectionally with bone-in. Not the usual way it is done in the US (where fish is usually fillet) ; as I have now learnt. The cooking technique involved here is slow poaching; indeed the fresher the fish, the more delicate the meat; so be gentle and stir minimally! delimilli has the recipe for this dish here: http://delimilli.blogspot.com/2011/04/red-snapper-poached-in-malay-tamarind.html
The only difference between delimilli's recipe and my mom's is the use of candlenuts - which thicken the dish considerably such that it becomes a stew instead of a broth. Both versions are nonetheless equally delicious!
2. Malay Steamed Coconut Rice with Egg Sambal
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| Malay Coconut Rice with Egg Sambal and Deep Fried Fish (Nasi Lemak) |
The second dish is Malay Coconut Rice with Egg Sambal and Deep Fried Fish. Most Singaporeans regardless of race, grew up with this dish. It is usually eaten for breakfast or lunch. Some hawkers make a living by selling just this one dish in their menu. The key to this dish is the sambal; it has to be made just perfect to elevate the taste of the dish to a whole new level. It is spicy, slightly sweet and must have that tinge of belacan (fermented prawn) flavor and fragrance that gives body to the paste. You can put different things in the sambal - but my all time favorite are boiled quail eggs. The rice is of course also key. In the original Malay recipe, pandan (screwpine) leaves are key to enhancing the fragrance. The coconut milk gives a full flavor, and a slice of ginger cuts through the heaviness for balance. Lastly, the deep fried fish. We usually use ikan selar kuning (gold banded scad); a typical sea fish that I personally grew up with and love; seasoned with salt and tumeric then deep fried until crisp. Slices of crisp, cool cucumber accompany the meal, and gives a fresh and clean flavor to the dish. Take a look at delimili's rendition of this dish here: http://delimilli.blogspot.com/2011/02/nasi-lemak-another-favorite-dish-from.html
What makes this meal is not the individual ingredients, but how they all work together to create a wonderful synergy of flavors. Just like the Hainanese Chicken Rice, the Malay Nasi Lemak is a deceivingly simple, yet sophisticated dish. It is an honest meal, that does not pretend to be anything but homely and comforting.
3. Noodles
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| Seafood Rice Noodles with Pickled Chillies and Spicy Wings |
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| Stir Fried Flat Rice Noodles |
Noodles - we all grow up with this popular alternative to the South East Asian staple of rice. It is not indigenously Malay, but Malay households have certainly learnt to add their trademark twists to the dish. Seen above are two types of noodles we often have at home - the seafood rice vermicelli and the flat rice noodles. The second one spicy; but the first one not. For the seafood rice vermicelli, we use pickled Thai chillies to elevate the spiciness. It works well, and the acidity is a nice complement to the delicious seafood flavors infused from the cuttlefish and prawns.
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| Pickled Thai Chillies in Vinegar |
There were so many more lovely meals that I had at home. I did not manage to capture them on camera. Perhaps it is the sign of my happiness and enthusiasm on coming face-to-face again with the food I love and cherish.
Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3 in this Meal Memories from Singapore series; as I explore Singaporean snacks and various hawker meals that we so love! - Ros
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