Tony Johor Kaki Travels for Food · Heritage · Culture

Shilin Night Market is the most famous of all Taipei night markets. It is a tourist destination but is also popular with locals. Shilin cannot be beaten for its sheer size and variety of food and goods for sale. There are some 3,000 stalls and shops here, both above and below ground level.

Shilin has all the Taiwan street food that Taiwan has to offer - from fried chicken cutlet, oyster rice noodles, oyster omelette, grilled pork intestines, fried stinky tofu, bubble tea, papaya milk, anything and everything - you just have to come here to see to believe.

Shilin has three stalls in the Taipei Michelin Bib Gourmand Selection which you may want to look out for.

😋Chung Chia Sheng Jian Bao 鍾家原上海生煎包 (Yellow T-shirt) is a must try traditional Shanghai pan fried bun stall. Everything is handmade at the stall from kneading to stuffing the meat to frying. These Shanghainese pork buns are unique as they are fried in a shallow pan with water inside. They are fried till all the water evaporates and the base of the bun is browned. The sheng jian bao here is as good as those sold in restaurants and in Shanghai.

😋Good Friend Cold Noodles 好朋友涼麵 is popular because of its delicious blend of sesame seed paste / oil, garlic and mala chili spices over tender springy noodles.

😋Hai Yu Pork Ribs 海友十全排骨 is like Malaysian herbal bak kut teh or herbal pork rib soup.

🚆The easiest way to come here is by MRT - the nearest stations are Shilin (Red Line) and Jiantan (Red Line)

More details on Shilin Night Market 👈 click

Raohe Night Market is the second largest night market in Taipei. Like Shiliin it is very crowded with locals and tourists. There are four Michelin Bib Gourmand Selection stalls here.

😋Fuzhou Ancestor Black Pepper Bun 福州世祖胡椒餅 is probably the most famous stall at Raohe. You can't miss it. It is right at the entrance arch and there is always a very long queue. But, the queue clears quickly as they have an efficient factory-like mass production system. The tennis ball size pepper cake has a not-too-thin, slightly crisp and chewy crust. The meat ball inside is tender, juicy, savoury sweet and slightly peppery. There's lots of aromatic spring onion inside. (Please note if you don't eat spring onion 😜 )

😋A Kuo Lu Wei 阿國滷味 serves savoury herbal stewed meats like pork, duck and offal. The popular items are stewed duck wings, tongue and pig uterus (yes, you read correct, uterus for its unique soft crunch to the bite).

😋Beef Noodles and Beef Entrails Soup is the only night market beef noodle stall in the Michelin Bib Gourmand Selection. It serves beef and offal stewed with fermented bean paste and mild herbs. The beef and offal are served in a beefy savoury mildly herbal soup with noodles.

😋Chen Tung Pork Ribs Medicinal Herbs Soup 陳董藥燉排骨 serves pork ribs cooked to fall-off-the-bone tenderness with herbal savoury sweet soup in a paper bowl.

🚆 Raohe Night Market is at Songshan MRT station exit 1 (Green Line)

More details on Raohe Night Market 👈 click

Nanjichang Night Market is a busy local favourite relatively free of tourists. It is a foodie's night market with these four food stalls with Michelin honours. Many of the food stalls here are over three decades old. Prices here are more pocket friendly as there is no tourist premium.

😋A Nan Sesame Oil Chicken 阿男麻油雞 serves tender juicy chicken drumsticks in a full bodied full flavoured soup made of pork and chicken bone stock with sesame oil. It is not overly greasy but you can taste the sesame oil with natural sweetness of the fresh pork and chicken. They also have pork kidney and bee hoon (if you need carbs).

😋Stinky Tofu Boss 臭老闆現蒸臭豆腐 serves steamed bouncy spongy fermented tofu in a shallow pool of tangy savoury spicy sweet soupy sauce. The steamed tofu is firm outside by soft inside. Topped with soy beans, julienned ginger and mushrooms. Eaten with plain boiled white rice. This stall is vegetarian and use no eggs. They have vegetarian "lou rou fan or braised pork rice" made with beans.

😋Sung Ching Taiwanese Burrito 原松青潤餅 serves Taiwanese style popiah. Lots of ingredients like carrot, cabbage, bean sprout, fried pork, crushed peanut, sesame seed, fried tofu, fried egg, char siew, cilantro, dried seaweed powder, etc., and sauces rolled in house made daily fresh tissue thin flour wrap. Layers of savoury sweet flavours with mix of soft, tender, crunchy and crisp textures. Pro-Tip. If you are coming to Nanjichang night market, come to this stall first. It opens at 3:30pm and often sold out within 2 hours.

😋Unnamed Clay Oven Roll is a push cart stall serving hand rolled bread pan fried or baked in a small charcoal fired oven. They have 4 breads - sweet, red bean filled, savoury meat filled and spring onion filled. The breads are well browned, crisp outside and chewy inside. The outside is sprinkled with toasted sesame seed.

🚆 Nanjichang Night Market is at Longshan MRT station (Blue Line). About 15 minutes walk (1 km distance).

More details on Nanjichang Night Market 👈 click

Image credit

Linjiang Street Night Market is relatively small, just ½ km long but it has 4 stalls in the Michelin Bib Gourmand list.

😋Liang Chi Lu Wei 梁記滷味 serves around 60 types of savoury herbal soy sauce braised items like duck wings, duck tongue, chicken feet, chicken heart, chicken intestine, beef tripe, pork intestine, pork blood curd, seaweed, tofu, chicken eggs etc. Humble dishes but every piece is well infused with savoury herbal flavour. Fans also like Liang Chi Lu Wei's stir fried pickled vegetables, and house made chili sauce.

😋Lo Chi Hsiao Chao 駱記小炒 is a tiny zhi char (stir fry) stall. They have stir fried beef slices with kang kong and garlic. Chef has good wok hei skills (heat control skill with the wok). They also have stir fried lamb, clams and snails. Yay! Must try the snails 🐌 The quite robustly savoury stir fried dishes are eaten with plain boiled white rice.

😋Tien Hsiang Stinky Tofu 天香臭豆腐 serves deep fried stinky tofu with pickled cabbage and savoury spicy sauce. The stinky tofu is fermented at the stall and pickled cabbage is also made in house. The stinky tofu is deep fried twice, in different pots at different temperatures for extra crispness outside. They also have a ma la spicy soupy version of stinky tofu which is very popular too. Try also their famous beef steak on spaghetti with house made black pepper sauce.

😋Yu Pin Yuan Iced and Hot Tangyuan 御品元冰火湯圓 is a must try. It's hot sesame seed paste or peanut paste filled mochi balls laid on a mound of shaved ice. We can drizzle in sweet fragrant osmanthus syrup or sour lime juice as desired.

🚆 Linjiang Street Night Market is at Xinyi Anhe MRT station on the Red Line.

More details on Linjiang Night Market 👈 click

Gongguan Night Market is not big but it is the favourite of National Taiwan University students as it is right at its doorstep.

😋Hsiung Chi Scallion Pancake 雄記蔥抓餅 serves pan fried flat bread which is crispy and fluffy outside while inside it is chewy and moist, filled with chopped scallion and egg. There's a ham and cheese option. Fans say this the best scallion pancake in Taipei.

😋Lan Chia Guabao 藍家割包 serves a comfort dish of steamed hinged bun with stewed pork, crushed toasted peanut and pickled vegetables inside. They offer a choice of fatty and leaner stewed pork.

🚆 Gongguan Night Market is at Gongguan MRT station on the Blue Line (exit 1).

More details on Gongguan Night Market 👈 click

Daqiaotou Yansan Night Market 延三夜市 is another small local people's favourite blessed with several popular food stalls serving old school Taiwanese dishes. It is not really a night market in the sense that there are no pedestrianised streets here but there is a row of food shops, so this is more a foodie than shopper's haven.

😋Cabbage Rice and Pork Rib Soup 高麗菜飯. 原汁排骨湯 serves ultimate comfort dishes of savoury sweet cabbage rice with stir fried shredded cabbage and julienned carrot boiled in the rice. Eaten with pork rib and radish soup. The rib meat is tender and juicy while the chunks of radish are tender and saturated with savoury sweet juices.

😋Da-Qiao-Tou Tube Rice Pudding 大橋頭老牌筒仔米糕 is famous for their steamed glutinous rice with soft savoury sweet marinated pork. It is eaten with a splash of sweet spicy chili sauce and a dab of chopped chai poh (preserved turnip) with chili. Layers of Savoury sweetness with spiciness, tender softness and turnip crunch here and there. Eat the rice with a both of pork liver and oyster soup. Yummaey!

😋Shih Chia Big Rice Ball 施家鮮肉湯圓 shop serves many Taiwanese comfort dishes but is most famous for their pork meat filled mochi (glutinous rice) balls in a mildly savoury sweet pork bone soup. Each serving also comes with wantons i.e. minced pork in a thin dough wrap. The sweet soft gummy chewy mochi ball skin complements the savoury sweetness of fresh pork fillings inside perfectly.

🚆 Daqiaotou Yansan Night Market is at Daqiaotou MRT station on the Yellow Line (exit 1).

More details on Daqiaotou Yansan Night Market 👈 click

Ningxia Night Market 寧夏夜市 is a little 300 metre stretch of food stalls with three stalls with Bib Gourmand honours.

😋Fang Chia Shredded Chicken on Rice 方家雞肉飯 is exactly as described. Fans love the chicken shreds' savoury sweetness which tastes great. The rice is drizzled with chicken grease and a savoury sauce which makes the dish delicious. Get also their stewed tofu which is soft like custard.

😋Rong's Pork Liver 豬肝榮仔 is a comforting savoury sweet tangy clear soup with smooth soft crunchy pork liver and pieces of tender soft pork inside. The pork liver and pork slices felt smooth from the thin coating of starch outside.

😋Liu Yu Zi 劉芋仔 is the busiest stall at Ningxia Night Market with long queues every night for their deep fried taro (yam) balls. There are two flavours - just pure yam or with salted egg yolk and pork floss filling. Crisp outside while inside it is tender and moist. Savoury sweet fried snack can't go wrong one.... .

🚆 Ningxia Night Market is at Zhongshan Green Line MRT station on the Red Line.

More details on Ningxia Night Market click

Huaxi Street Night Market 華西街夜市 is one of the oldest in Taipei. Mostly locals here, nothing glitzy or exciting to brag home about, except that one of Taipei's best lu rou fan or stew pork rice stall is here 😋 They also have a snake soup place, if you are game for it lah.... . I actually find the place quite charming.

😋Hsiao Wang Steamed Minced Pork with Pickles in Broth 小王清湯瓜仔肉. Savoury sweet greasy fatty stewed pork over rice or lu rou fan paired with a minced pork and fish cake soup boiled with canned preserved radish and bone stock. They call the stewed pork with gummy greasy slick over rice "black gold". The comforting robust savoury and mildly sweet combination packed in generations of regulars since 1975.

I was so inspired by Hsiao Wang's soup that I tried to make a version of it myself. It's simple and nice - savoury sweet with subtle underlying tangy flavour. Very easy recipe with readily available supermarket ingredients. I made it a few times at home already👈 click

If you love lu rou fan, then this stall alone is reason enough to come to Huaxi Street Night Market.

🚆 Huaxi Street Night Market is at Longshan MRT station on the Blue Line.

Image credit

Date: 27 Jun 2020

Image credit: The Bute Archive at Mount Stuart

This was the Singapore which Raffles saw when he landed at the mouth of Singapore River on 28 Jan 1819. We take a walk with him using the Bute Map*, the earliest map of Singapore River (published in 1820, a year after Raffles landed here).

*The Bute Map now in The Bute Archives at Mount Stuart in Scotland is attributed to Lieutenant Henry Ralfe of the Bengal Artillery, who was then the Assistant Engineer of Singapore.

Raffles landing site 1819. Image credit: Wikipedia

Raffles' landing site in 1819 is commemorated by a statue (on Singapore River's north bank).

Image credit: Screen grab from Google map

The spot is at the doorsteps of today's Asian Civilisation Museum.

Raffles' landing site was a fishing village near the palace of Temenggong Abdul Rahman.

At that time, Singapore (Singapura in Malay) was the capital of the Johor Sultanate whose span of control included Johor and the Riau islands. The Temenggong was part of the nobility responsible for administration, security and defence. Temenggong Abdul Rahman was the Sultan's brother-in-law.

Sultan Hussein Shah. Image credit: Wikipedia

The monarch was Sultan Hussein Shah (reign 1819 - 1835).

The Sultan's Palace (Istana Kampung Glam) was inland from the southern shoreline where there was a seaside village (2 km east of the Singapore river).

Istana Kampung Glam. Image credit: Wikipedia

Today, Istana Kampung Glam houses the Malay Heritage Centre.

Realising Singapore's potential as the British Empire's bastion commanding the east-west trade route, Raffles audaciously signed an agreement with Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdul Rahman to set up a trading post at the Singapore River just 9 days after stepping foot on the island. The trading post was a (3 mile) strip of land "the distance of a cannon shot" centred at the mouth of Singapore River.

Paperwork done, let's take a walk with Raffles while he makes plans for Singapore's future. (During his first visit here, Raffles remained in Singapore until Mar 1819 when he left for Aceh in Sumatra.)

Raffles ordered a bridge to be built just upriver from his landing site to link both banks of Singapore River.

Elgin Bridge 2015. Image credit: Wikipedia

A wooden bridge was built in 1822 named Presentment Bridge (also known as Jackson Bridge and Monkey Bridge). The bridge was demolished and expanded three times over the years. In 1862, it was replaced a third time with an iron bridge and renamed Elgin Bridge. Today's Elgin Bridge made of concrete is the fourth edition built in 1929.

Northeast of Raffles' landing site (his statue is looking in that direction) was Singapore Hill (which was eventually developed into Fort Canning).

At the foothills, there were gambier plantations operated by Chinese settlers (believed to be Teochews) with the Temenggong's approval. Gambier leafs were used to wrap betel nuts for chewing and also as a leather tanning agent. There were 20 such gambier plantations when Raffles arrived in 1819.

On Singapore River's south bank across from the fishing village where Raffles landed, there were Chinese settlements (believed to be Teochews).

The trading post which Raffles envisioned will be here on the south bank directly across from the fishing village on the north bank.

However, the south bank was blocked by a swamp making it unsuitable for berthing boats, so earthworks had to be done before it could be opened for business.

The Singapore River mouth was guarded by two promontories known as Rocky Point.

At the entrance of Singapore River off Rocky Point, there was a 3 metre tall by 3 metre wide sandstone slab erected in the water. It narrowed the entrance to Singapore River and was invisible at high tide. It might have been erected as a defensive measure.

Singapore Stone. Image credit: Wikipedia

Considered a navigation hazard, the British blew the ancient sandstone slab into pieces and removed it in 1843.

Only a single fragment remained today - it is known as the Singapore Stone. It is considered a national treasure and kept at the National Museum of Singapore. Believed to date back to the Tenth Century, the inscriptions are indecipherable.

Raffles ordered the hill at the promontory flattened, and its soil used to fill up the swamp and build embankments at the south bank. The Chinese settlers at the south bank called the promontory hill 山仔頂 or "Little Hill Top".

Raffles Place. Image credit: Wikipedia

The flattened hill was redeveloped into Commercial Square and later Raffles Place (of today). So, if you ever wondered about the perfectly flat square in Singapore's Central Business District, it was Raffles who flattened it in 1822. And, once upon a time it was "Sua Kia Teng" 山仔頂 or "Little Hill Top".

Boat Quay 1842. Image credit: National University of Singapore Museum Collection

Reclamation works started in 1822. When opened for business, the south bank was simply called Boat Quay, a name it retained till today.

In this watercolour sketch by Charles Dyce of Singapore River in 1842, we can see many small boats berthed at the embankment and shophouses lining Boat Quay. The quay workers wore pigtails meaning they were subjects of the Qing dynasty in China.

Across the river from Boat Quay was a settlement of boat houses meaning they were probably Orang Laut or Sea Gypsies.

On the horizon were huge sailing ships anchored in Singapore's harbour off Rocky Point. We can see the battery of cannons at Rocky Point pointing towards the sea.

Boat Quay 1860. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Boat Quay quickly attracted many Chinese traders who saw Raffles' free port as a great opportunity. The shape of Boat Quay looks like the "belly of the carp" which is considered auspicious in Fengshui (Chinese geomacy). Believing that the "belly of the carp" promised luck and wealth many came to seek their fortunes here.

By the 1860s, Boat Quay was handling 3⁄4 of Singapore's trade.

Boat Quay 1980. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Boat Quay and the Singapore River remained an important shipping hub until the Pasir Panjang container terminal opened in 1983 (which made the bumboats obsolete).

Boat Quay 2006. Image credit: Wikipedia

The bumboats were cleared from Boat Quay, the Singapore River cleaned up, century old shophouses and godowns gazetted for conservation and were restored. In 1995, Boat Quay re-opened as a world class recreation and entertainment destination with upmarket clubs, bars, restaurants, cafes, etc., catering to international audiences.

We are not sure if Sultan Hussain or Temenggong Abdul Rahman hosted Raffles to any banquet. If they did, Raffles didn't write home about it 😅

We do know that the Sultans of the Malacca Sultanate (which were predecessors of the Johor Sultanate) did host banquets, thanks to the research of Professor Shaharudin and Chef Norzalina. It was probable that Johor Sultanate cuisine was similar as they came from the same court as the Malacca Sultanate.

Some probable dishes using ingredients harvested or hunted from the surrounding land and sea, cooked with spices from Indonesia 👉

Spicy Johor rendang made with meat from deer hunted in the Singapore and Johor forests, and spices from Indonesia.

Chicken soup made with sweet potato garnished with chili pepper.

Heart of coconut bud cooked with coconut milk, garnished with chili pepper.

Curry made with mussels harvested from the beaches of Singapore and Johor cooked with coconut milk and spices.

Seaweed salad with julienned young mango, torch ginger flower, lemongrass, raw onion, chili pepper, etc dressed with a drizzle of zesty calamansi.

Boiled rice with turmeric powder mixed with ghee.

Side dish of crunchy long beans, French beans, winged beans, fried grated coconut pulp, chili padi, aromatic greens etc.

Hand pounded fresh sambal chili with calamansi juice.

Boiled banana topped with grated coconut pulp eaten with dribbles of sago palm sugar.

I've tried these once and couldn't ever forget them.

References:

On Paper: Singapore Before 1867 by National Library Board

An Old Teochew Oral Account Sheds New Light on the 1819 Founding of Singapore

Date: 27 Jun 2020

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

While researching the origins of Singapore food, I stumbled upon a little known or forgotten episode in Singapore history - the Hokkien-Teochew riots of 1854. It was the deadliest riot in Singapore history with over 500 people killed in 10 days of fighting.

I had thought that Chinese immigrants from Guangzhou and Fujian in the mid-1800s were only fleeing chaos and poverty in the Qing dynasty's dying days. This was correct in most cases - the majority were just ordinary folks seeking a better life in British Malaya. But, there were also some political refugees such as members of Short Sword Society 小刀会 (known also as Dagger Society or Small Knife Society) after their failed rebellion against the Qing dynasty.

The Qing dynasty violently ended the Ming dynasty in 1644 but Ming loyalists had never given up resistance to Manchu rule (the Qings were Manchurians).

The Small Sword Society 小刀会 (Dagger Society) was founded in Xiamen (Fujian, China) in 1850 by Singapore born, British subject 陈庆真. The Small Sword Society was one of many similar anti-Qing organisations formed by Ming dynasty loyalists since the Ming fell to the Qing nearly 200 years before (in 1644). So, the Small Sword Society was affiliated or at least supportive of brethren organisations like Heaven and Earth Society 天地會, White Lotus Society 白蓮會, etc.

Small Sword Society joined the Taiping Rebellion (1850 - 1864) led by God Worship Society 拜上帝会 to oust the Qing dynasty to establish a Taiping Heavenly Kingdom 太平天国. About 20-30 million people lost their lives during the Taiping Rebellion.

Yu Gardens. Image credit: Wikipedia

In 1853, Small Sword Society captured Shanghai and declared 大明国 Great Ming State based in Yu Gardens. In 1855, the Qing army supported by French, British and American troops destroyed the Small Sword Society forces and re-captured Shanghai.

The founder of Small Sword Society, 陈庆真 was killed in Xiamen in 1851. Some of the Society's remnants fled to Singapore between May and Dec 1853 - about 20,000 came in a fleet of 22 war junks.

Pepper plantation. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The Small Sword Society came to Singapore at a time when tensions were already high between Hokkiens and Teochews over control of gambier and pepper plantations as well as in commerce. The Teochews who had long been established in gambier and pepper plantations even before the arrival of Raffles (in 1819) found themselves edged out by newly arrived Hokkiens who were outnumbering the Teochews. Hokkiens were about to eclipse Teochews in the economy and influence.

Image credit: Wikipedia

The spark was a dispute between a Hokkien shopkeeper and a Teochew customer on 5 May 1854. At that time, there was a shortage of rice due to reduced imports from Java (Indonesia). The Teochew customer accused the Hokkien shopkeeper of cheating on weight. Hence, the riot was also called the Five Catties of Rice Riot.

Bystanders jumped in on the dispute according to their dialect identities and matters quickly got out of hand. Hokkien and Teochew factions within the Ngee Heng Society 義興會 took sides. So did fresh off the boat Small Sword Society 小刀会 members. The fighting quickly spread from the city to rural Singapore including Bukit Timah, Paya Lebar and Siglap.

As the situation was widespread and grave, the British authorities mobilised the sepoys (Indian troops under British employ), Royal Marines, and Special Constables (i.e. European volunteers) to support the Police. The Temenggong of Johor also provided 200 soldiers. It took more than 10 days before order was restored. By then, at least 500 people were dead.

After the riots, the British introduced laws to bring societies such as Ngee Heng etc under greater control. The Peace Preservation Act (known also as the banishment act) of 1867 gave the colonial government the power to deport Chinese immigrants convicted of crime. In 1869, the Dangerous Societies Suppression Ordinance required societies to be registered. This ordinance gave the colonial government power to investigate any society that was deemed dangerous to public peace.

The Volunteer Rifle Corps was formed to reinforce the Police.

The Office of the Chinese Protectorate was established in 1877. The job of the Chinese Protector was a difficult, onerous one. He was responsible for matters relating to coolies, prostitution, gambling, venereal diseases, street hawkers, and served as mediator between societies, and between the government and societies. The first Chinese Protector William Pickering narrowly escaped assassination for "interfering in Chinese affairs".

Reference:

Opium and Empire: Chinese Society in Colonial Singapore, 1800-1910

Date: 28 Jun 2020

Image credit: Wikipedia

In 1822, Lieutenant Philip Jackson drew up a Singapore town plan according to Stamford Raffles' instructions. The resulting Plan of the Town of Singapore is also known as the Jackson Plan or Raffles Town Plan.

It is amazing that taking a walk in Singapore today (2020) we can still see the unmistakeable imprint of the Jackson Plan, drawn up just 3 years after Raffles first stepped foot on Singapore in 1819.

Before leaving Singapore in 1819, Raffles left instructions on his town plan with William Farquhar, the first British Resident and Commandant of Singapore. When he returned in 1822, Raffles was displeased that Farquhar had not followed his plan.

So, Raffles set up a town committee comprising Alexander Laurie Johnston (a merchant), George Bonham (civil servant), Captain Charles Edward Davis of the Bengal Native Infantry, and Lieutenant Philip Jackson of the Bengal Artillery.

Broadly, the drawn up plan had administrative, commercial, and ethnic zones (or enclaves). John Crawfurd succeeded William Farquhar as Resident and Commandant in 1823, and began work shaping Singapore's development faithfully according to the Raffles Town Plan.

First thing first, Singapore River at the heart of it all. There will be a "Public Quay" on the south bank backed with a row of "Mercantile Establishments" right behind it.

Boat Quay 1930. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Boat Quay was opened for business in the 1820s with a row of shops and godowns behind it. By the 1860s, Boat Quay was handling ¾ of Singapore's trade.

Boat Quay today (I shot this, today afternoon). The bumboats were gone since 1983 after the container port at Pasir Panjang opened. They cleaned up the river which was like an open sewer with the constant stench of rotten eggs and rotting meat hanging in the air. Now they conduct water sports in the river. The century old shophouses were gazetted as heritage buildings for conservation. They were restored and re-opened in 1995 as glitzy bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes. Boat Quay is now an upmarket entertainment and dining hub catering to tourists. Singapore's food heritage isn't represented here today.

Just to the west of the "Public Quay" is "Commercial Square". There used to be a hill here. In 1822, the hill was flattened on Raffles' orders to fill up the swamp fronting the south bank and make embankments for the "Public Quay".

Commercial Square 1900. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The flattened hill area developed into the thriving "Commercial Square".

Commercial Square was renamed Raffles Place and this is how it looks like today (29 Jun 2020). All that remains of Commercial Square are 2 facades now used for entrances to Raffles MRT (subway) station.

Just to the east of the Singapore River would be the Town Hall buildings.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The Singapore Town Hall in 1940. Dalhousie Obelisk (foreground, left), Empress Lawn, Victoria Theatre and Memorial Hall (with clock tower, was former Town Hall), Supreme Court (with dome), Singapore Cricket Club (centre, right) and the Cathay Building (background, right). In the foreground right is Anderson Bridge spanning the Singapore River.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The "Open Space" became the Padang which means big field in Malay, with the Supreme Court in the background. This "Open Field" witnessed many historic events - the Japanese army paraded here, so did the Indian National Army, the Japanese surrender was signed here, and Singapore celebrated its most memorable national day parades here.

One of the features of the Jackson Plan is the ethnic zones or enclaves. From west to east, Raffles settled the Chinese, Europeans, Indians, Malays and Arabs in their respective zones. Within these ethnic enclaves, the respective communities would take care of their own affairs with limited oversight from the British authorities. Needless to say, these zones are no long too clear today after years of living together happily in a true melting pot of cultures and heritage.

But, it is still possible today, to take a fascinating culinary journey from west to east or east to west, walking and tasting the roots of Singapore's multicultural food heritage

(There are infinite numbers of options and ways to do this historical food walk, so this is only just one illustrative example to give you an idea. There are so many, many other ways to do this in my mind now, even day and night walks are different. A happy problem 😄 )

Let's go. For this post, I am doing a day walk from west to east. It'll just take half a day at a leisurely pace.

Starting at the Jackson Plan's "Chinese Campong" which is around Teluk Ayer - today's Chinatown.

Smith Street 1959. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Smith Street was the good food headquarters of Chinatown, known then as 牛车水 which literally means "water carrying bullock carts" because drinking water was ferried around town from the well using bullock drawn carts. In Malay, Chinatown was known as Kreta Ayer.

History of Chinatown food

In 1983, all Smith Street hawkers and those from surrounding areas were cleared off the streets and moved into Chinatown Complex food centre. With nearly 200 food stalls, this is Singapore's largest hawker centre.

Heng Ji chicken rice

It's been nearly 40 years, most of the original Smith Street hawkers have already retired. But, we still have remnants of the original food stalls like Heng Ji chicken rice, Pang Ji sak kei ma, 115 Chinese dessert, Lian He Ben Ji Claypot chicken rice, Yuet Loi, Cooked Food & Clay Pot, etc.

As Kreta Ayer is a Cantonese enclave, most of the oldest stalls in Chinatown Complex serve Cantonese dishes. Yes, inside the "Chinese Campong" there are sub-enclaves like Teochews at Boat Quay, Tew Chew Street, Ellenborough Street etc, and Hokkiens at China Street, Hokien Street, Amoy Street etc.

Hawker_Chan_Singapore_Soya_Sauce_Chicken

Hawker Chan before Michelin knew him

The most famous stall here is a relatively new one, Hawker Chan soya sauce chicken, because it was the first hawker stall in the world that was awarded a Michelin Star, back in 2016.

History of Maxwell Food Centre

Alternatively, we can start at Maxwell Food Centre - on the Jackson Plan it is the "Chinese Burial Ground" but it has come a long way from that. Today, Maxwell Food Centre is one of Singapore's most popular hawker centres, even though it is not a large one.

Most of the hawkers came from the Hokkien enclave of Hokien Street, China Street etc. Some of the original stalls still here include the lowly but historic rickshaw noodles, Fuzhou oyster cake, Heng Heng ondeh ondeh, Tian Tian chicken rice, etc.

Hong Lim Food Centre - Curry Chicken mee central of Singapore

A good place to start in "Chinese Campong" is Hong Lim Food Centre. You can check out Outram Park char kway teow, Hill Street Tai Wah pork noodles, Teo Heng Teochew porridge, Dong Fang Hong seafood soup, etc.

A Noodle Story

Another good place to start in "Chinese Campong" is Amoy Street food centre.

Now, we take a walk eastwards which takes us to Lau Pa Sat. It's the "Markets" in the Jackson Plan which is by the sea. There are three editions of "Markets".

Teluk Ayer Market in 1847. Image credit: Wikipedia

The first edition was a wooden seaside structure built in 1824 in accordance with the Jackson Plan. It housed the fish market which was originally at the south bank of the Singapore River (where Boat Quay is today).

Ten years later in 1834, the wooden market was replaced by the Teluk Ayer Market (i.e. edition two). In the picture above of the Teluk Ayer Market dated 1847, the first edition of the "Markets" was still visible in the background.

From 1879 to 1897 and 1910 to 1932, Teluk Ayer Bay was filled up by two Teluk Ayer Reclamation Projects. Soil taken from flattening Mount Wallich, Mount Palmer and Mount Erskine were used to fill up Teluk Ayer Bay. If you ever wondered how some road names at Shenton Way came about - they were hills that no longer exist today.

Lau Pa Sat 1950. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

In 1894, a new market made of iron was built on land reclaimed by the first Teluk Ayer Reclamation Project - this is the third edition of Teluk Ayer Market.

Known to locals as Lau Pa Sat 老巴刹 which literally means Old Market in Chinese, it was a fresh produce market and street food haven. Inside it was a labyrinth of market and food stalls - dark, humid, with paddles of dirty run off water here, there, everywhere on bare cement floors.

Lau Pa Sat in the 1990s. Image credit: Wikipedia

Lau Pa Sat was closed for restoration in the late-1980s and re-opened in 1991 as a food court.

Lau Pa Sat in 2018. Image credit: Wikipedia

Since then, Lau Pa Sat went through several restorations and makeovers. Food wise, it never reclaimed the atmosphere, flavours and aromas of its heydays, but it is still a good place for a coffee stop. Take your time to admire the lovingly restored Victorian era ironworks, and reminisce about or imagine its old, dark, wet and dingy market and food stall days.

After Lau Pa Sat, we head east passing Boat Quay, cross the Singapore River via Cavenagh Bridge, pass the Town Hall and stop at the Jackson Plan's European Town.

Saint Andrew's Cathedral in 1950. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus in 1903. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Several churches and schools were built in European Town. Today, some are re-purposed into museums and others, entertainment hubs.

Image credit: Wikipedia

For example, Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) has been converted to an entertainment hub of upmarket bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes. It was rebranded CHIJMES - the added MES has no meaning except to make the name sound like "chimes". You can stop here for drinks or dinner as most businesses at CHIJMES open in the evening but there is no heritage Singapore food here.

Raffles Hotel 1925. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Raffles Hotel built in 1887 is right at the eastern edge of European Town.

When you continue east from Raffles Hotel you will come to three streets - Seah Street, Purvis Street, and Middle Road. You are in the Hainanese enclave.

Of all the Chinese provincial language groups, the Hainanese were the last group to arrive in British Malaya as Haikou port (in Hainan) was opened for travel only in 1870. By that time, the Hokkien, Teochew, and Cantonese were already well entrenched in their respective enclaves and also trades.

With no room for them west of the Singapore River, the Hainanese latecomers set themselves up across the river in "no man's land" between European Town and Arab Campong.

As all professions and trades were jealously guarded domains of respective provincial language groups, the Hainanese were left with working as domestic servants, cooks, waiters, bartenders, and seamen. Despite the initial disadvantaged start, the Hainanese thrived against all odds.

The Hainanese gifted Singapore many legacies, especially in our cuisine. Examples of Hainanese Singapore dishes are Hainanese chicken rice, Hainanese curry rice, and Hainanese Western food. They also created the iconic Hainanese kopitiam culture featuring the trinity of kopi (coffee), kaya toast and soft boiled eggs.

Singapore Sling. Image credit: Wikipedia

On a hot day, you might want to cool off at Raffles Hotel's Long Bar with an iconic Singapore Sling created by Hainanese bartender Ngiam Tong Boon 嚴崇文 in 1915.

Yet Con Chicken Rice

The iconic Singapore Hainanese chicken rice is founded here on these streets. The first Hainanese chicken rice hawker plied Middle Road, Purvis Street and Seah Street with 2 baskets on a bamboo pole across his shoulders before setting up his hawker stall in a coffee shop in Purvis Street in the 1940s.

Check out Yet Con. It was also founded in the 1940s and is the oldest existing chicken rice shop in Singapore (how cool is that?). You may have had better tasting chicken rice but Yet Con is historic and may not be around that much longer.

Chin Chin Eating House

Check out also Yet Con's neighbour at Purvis Street - Chin Chin Eating House. You can try their Hainanese chicken rice or their Hainanese style pork chop with signature crushed biscuit batter and Hainanese style brown sauce.

Walking further east, we will soon arrive at the Arab Campong, Bugis Campong, Sultan's Palace and the Sultan Mosque.

Istana Kampung Glam 1982. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Istana Kampung Glam was the residence of the Sultan of Johor. First constructed in 1819 by Sultan Hussain Shah, it was rebuilt and expanded in 1843 by his son Sultan Iskandar Ali Shah.

Image credit: Wikipedia

Today, the former palace houses the Malay Heritage Centre.

Sultan Mosque in the 1940s. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The Sultan Mosque was built in 1826 by Sultan Hussain Shah of the Johor Sultanate (when Singapore was its capital).

The area surrounding the Sultan's palace and Sultan Mosque was designated in the Jackson Plan as the Muslim enclave flanked by the Arab and Bugis Campong.

The Bugis originally from Sulawesi in Indonesia arrived in Singapore in 1820, just a year after Raffles. They were fleeing from Dutch control and Singapore Resident William Farquhar welcome them. The Bugis brought goods and trade networks to Singapore, and were an ally against the Dutch.

The Muslim enclave of the Jackson Plan is a haven of Halal Muslim cuisine brought to Singapore by Arab and Indonesia traders, as well as Singapore Malay food.

Warong Nasi Pariaman

There are many nasi padang shops here serving the iconic Indonesian dish. It is a good place to taste beef rendang.

There are many ways to explore Singapore's architectural and culinary heritage using the visionary Jackson Plan as a guide. I have just shared but one example as an illustration. This walking tour is very flexible with so many good food to eat, beautiful buildings to explore, and fascinating facts about Singapore to know in a fun way.

I will share more in the future but first let me go eat at more places one by one 😋

👆 Get to know Singapore through its food. Image credit: Wikipedia

Date: 30 Jun 2020

When I was a child in primary (elementary) school in 1960s Singapore, I remember my teacher told us about the legend behind you cha kway 油炸粿. It scared me a little when I was small.

I cannot remember much except that you cha kway got its name from an ancient Chinese story about a pair of husband and wife traitors who were punished by throwing them in boiling oil 😱

So, though I always refer to Chinese deep fried crullers as you cha kway, I never quite knew the details of its history.

Then recently, I noticed that the name you cha kway is less used and is replaced by the Mandarin name youtiao 油条. Over time, the story of you cha kway is fading away and may soon be forgotten.

So, I decided to find out more about the story of you cha kway.

Yue Fei. Image credit: Wikipedia

During the Southern Song dynasty (1127 - 1279), there was a loyal general Yue Fei 岳飛 (1103 - 1142) who led many successful battles for emperor Gaozong. When nearly victorious in the decisive battle against the arch enemy Jin dynasty, Prime Minister 秦檜 Chin Hui (who was a traitor secretly working for the enemy) instigated the emperor to pull back his troops and recall Yue Fei.

The foolish emperor fell for Prime Minister 秦檜's ruse and ordered Yue Fei to return to the palace immediately. The traitor Chin Hui thus succeeded in preventing Yue Fei from defeating the enemy.

When Yue Fei arrived at the palace, the foolish emperor Gaozong executed him for charges trumped up by 秦檜.

Song emperor Gaozong. Image credit: Wikipedia

In another version of events, emperor Gaozong wasn't naive at all. Gaozong's predecessor was captured by the Jin dynasty when the enemy captured Song dynasty's capital Kaifeng in 1127.

Should Yue Fei succeed in defeating the Jin army, he is likely to rescue and bring back emperor Gaozong's predecessor, thereby putting his own reign in jeopardy.

So, for the sake of his own reign as emperor, the shrewd Gaozong played along with Chin Hui's scheme and made the latter, the villain for eternity.

When news of Yue Fei's betrayal and death by the traitor 秦檜 Chin Hui reached the common people, they were so sad and angry. To express their anger and grieve, a fried pastry hawker in Hangzhou city put two dough sticks together and fried it in boiling oil. He called his creation you char Hui 油炸檜, meaning oil fried Hui. The two dough sticks represent traitor Chin Hui 秦檜 and his wife 秦王氏.

When Prime Minister 秦檜 Chin Hui heard about you char Hui, naturally he was furious. So, he took his bodyguards with him to confront the you char Hui hawker at the market. A big crowd gathered. They were not intimidated by Prime Minister 秦檜 and his guards. Instead, the people shouted:

"油炸檜勸君切莫做佞人
奸惡誰逃地獄門
民間遍食油炸檜
未死已遭油火焚"

"You cha Hui reminds us to never be traitors,
Traitors cannot escape the gates of hell,
Everyone is eating you cha Hui,
Traitors already cooked in oil before they are dead."

Seeing the defiance of the peasants, Chin Hui and his bodyguards quietly melted away.

The fried pastry you char Hui spread all over China and is eaten wherever there are Chinese communities around the world today. It reminds people of Yue Fei's loyalty and Chin Hui's treachery.

Chin Hui & wife kneeling at Yue Fei gravestone in Yue Fei's shrine in Hangzhou. Though not encouraged, some visitors cursed and spat at these statues. Image credit: Wikipedia

秦檜 and his wife 秦王氏 lived till old age. In cahoots with emperor Gaozong, they were never punished for their evil deeds while alive. But, they are eternally punished by peasants and future generations who symbolically fry them in oil - their treachery immortalised by the dish you char Hui.

Yue Fei's mother tattooed "精忠报国 Loyal and Patriotic" on his back with a needle. Yue Fei lived by these virtues till his death. Image credit: Wikipedia

The honour of Yue Fei was rehabilitated in 1162 by Emperor Xiaozong, 20 years after his death.

There are a few variations to the name of the fried pastry. The original is You Cha Hui 油炸檜 or Oil Fried Hui (as the traitor is Chin Hui). In Cantonese, it is Yau Cha Kwai 油炸鬼 or Oil Fried Devil. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is You Cha Kway 油炸粿 or Oil Fried Pastry.

So, you char kway is in memory of the great loyal general Yue Fei and his betrayal by Chin Hui. The name you char kway reminds us of the virtue of loyalty and the evil of betrayal.

In Taiwan, they still have the annual ritual of frying 秦檜 to commemorate his betrayal of Yue Fei.

The name you char kway is a form of intangible cultural heritage and when we replace them completely with another name like youtiao which simply means "oil stick", we are losing something of intangible value.

You cha kway is just flour, salt, egg and water dough deep fried till golden brown. It has a light crisp outside and slight tender chewiness inside. It is mildly savoury with subtle underlying sweetness.

There are many different ways to eat you cha kway, depending on the region. In China, it is often eaten as breakfast with bean curd and soy bean milk. In Hong Kong, it is sometimes wrapped inside steamed rice rolls (chee cheong fun). In Malaysia and Singapore, many people like to eat their you cha kway by dipping it into coffee. The savoury fried dough soak up the bitter sweetness of local Nanyang coffee to make a delicious breakfast or tea time snack.

Hainanese porridge in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

In Singapore and Malaysia, you cha kway is also cut and eaten with porridge or bak kut teh (meat bone tea which is actually a soup).

Of course, you cha kway can be eaten by itself, which I like.

But, my favourite way is to eat my you cha kway with bak kut teh. You cha kway soaks up bak kut teh soup like a sponge but still retains a bit of crispy chewiness. The fried cruller's savoury sweetness combines well with the savoury herbal sweet taste of bak kut teh soup.

Try to say you char kway or yau cha kwai instead of youtiao next time. You will be playing your part to preserve an intangible cultural heritage.

References:

民間傳說: 油炸檜 - 油條的來歷傳說

Date: 1 Jul 2020

Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre is one of the most famous in Singapore with many popular food and market stalls here. It is also one of the oldest and historic of Singapore hawker centres.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Tiong Bahru is the oldest public housing project in Singapore, built in the 1930s by SIT (Singapore Improvement Trust) which is a British colonial agency. SIT is succeed by HDB (Housing & Development Board) in 1960 (which continues to this day).

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Before redevelopment, Tiong Bahru was a mix of sprawling squalid, squatter settlements, swamps and cemeteries.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The grave of Tan Tock Seng, founder of Tan Tock Seng Hospital in 1844, main sponsor of Thian Hock Keng temple in 1839, and numerous other philanthropic projects was at the junction of Outram and Seng Poh Road.

Block 55 is Singapore's first public housing flat. It was the first SIT public flat completed in 1936. During this period, Tiong Bahru estate was nicknamed 二奶村 or "Concubine Village" as wealthy businessmen kept their mistresses here. In Cantonese, it was known as "Yi Lai Kai 二奶街" or "Concubine Street".

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

By the late 1930s, the dark clouds of war were looming menacing on the horizon. Air raid shelters were incorporated into the design and construction of the Tiong Bahru flats.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Twenty such pre-Second World War blocks were gazetted for conservation in 2003 by URA (Urban Renewal Authority).

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

After the Second World War ended in 1945, there was a huge increase in street hawkers as many people were jobless due to the poor economy. In 1950, the colonial authorities revived the "hawker shelters" scheme started in the 1920s to house street hawkers.

Tiong Bahru was one of the areas where the government decided to build "hawker shelters". The chosen site was at Seng Poh Road where there were a couple of shophouse. These were demolished to build the "hawker shelter". Originally called Seng Poh Road Market, the shelter was a wood and zinc structure opened in 1951.

(The other "hawker shelters" were at Whampoa, Red Hill, Cambridge Road and the Esplanade.)

Known as Seng Poh Road Market, there was a section for vegetable, fruit, flower, meat, poultry, and seafood stalls. Fresh meat hung on hooks as there were no chillers then. Housewives would go to the market almost everyday to buy ingredients for the day's cooking.

Another section for cooked food stalls but everything (market and food stalls) conveniently under one roof.

The market survived the Friday the Thirteen Fire of Kampung Tiong Bahru on 13 Feb 1959 which left over 12,000 people homeless. Fires big and small broke out sporadically in squatter villages around Tiong Bahru up to the 1970s until everyone was resettled in HDB flats.

The old wood and zinc Tiong Bahru served over half a century till the new Millennium.

Image credit: Wikipedia

The 1950s structure was finally demolished in 2004 and replaced by the present 2-storey building built in 2006. Renamed Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre, the "wet market" is at the ground floor and food stalls on the upper level.

The food stalls at Tiong Bahru food centre are very popular, so it can get quite busy during peak hours like lunch.

Queuing is the norm at the famous stalls, but it is very orderly and efficient, so it doesn't feel uncomfortable nor take too long. The trick is to have folks in your party spread out and queue at different stalls and come back with food together at one table. Go ahead and share your food - absolutely no one will bat an eyelid 😄

There are even spacious umbrella zones for chilling out under the sun or moon in the evenings.

Everything has changed to neat and squeaky but thankfully, some of the vibes, old flavours and aromas remained.

Lor Mee 178 @ stall #02-23 is one of the last places in Singapore where they still serve fried shark meat nuggets with their lor mee. Shark meat (not shark fin) is a part of traditional Teochew diet. The shark nuggets here are small and contain little shark meat. Lor Mee 178's lor mee comes dressed with fried fritter cracklings which add interesting texture highlights to the tender-soft yellow noodle and savoury gooey sauce.

Tiong Bahru Lor Mee @ stall #02-80 has a lower social media profile than their competitor but I observed that they are more popular with people who eat here regularly. Tiong Bahru lor mee has relatively more robust flavours in the lor (gooey sauce) and more ingredients like fried fish and fried wanton but they do not have shark meat.

Jian Bo Shui Kueh @ stall #02-05 founded as a push cart stall in 1958 made its name in Tiong Bahru before becoming a household name with nearly 20 outlets islandwide. Made with watery rice gruel steamed in small aluminium cups, the tender-soft mildly sweet rice cakes are eaten with savoury preserved turnip and savoury spicy sambal chili. A throwback from leaner times, now made in Jian Bo's central kitchen, it still is a pretty good rendition of this old Teochew staple.

Tiong Bahru Teochew Kueh @ stall #02-02 hand makes traditional Teochew steamed snacks on site. Png kueh is a snack of glutinous fried rice flavoured with fried shallots, dried shrimps, soy sauce and pepper all wrapped in rice dough and formed by pressing in a leaf shaped mould. They hand make other steamed snacks like tau sar kueh (with savoury bean paste filling), ang ku kueh (with sweet bean paste filling) etc.

Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee @ stall #02-01 serves a dish more commonly known as fried Hokkien mee. Hong Heng's rendition is the relatively wet kind. The yellow noodles and bee hoon (rice vermicelli) are well infused with savoury sweet prawn, sotong (squid) and pork stock. The taste of prawn umami is pronounced. In each serving the noodles are topped with pieces of squid, prawn and pork belly.

Koh Brothers Pig's Organ Soup @ stall #02-29 (a 1950s vintage stall) serves traditional clear pork soup with pork offal like intestines, liver, lean pork slices, and pork balls. The clear soup tastes slightly savoury salty from preserved mustard leafs (kiam chye) and sweet from all the pork bones and well cleaned offal. Eat it with their specialty glutinous rice and chestnut stuffed in pork intestine (like a kind of rice sausage). This traditional glutinous rice dish is rarely found in Singapore now.

Teck Seng Soya Bean Milk @ stall #-02-69 is famous for their smooth and light bean curd. I like to eat my bean curd with grass jelly. As bean curd is white in colour and grass jelly is black, this combination is often called "Michael Jackson" referring to his hit song "Black or White".

Tow Kwar Pop @ stall #02-06 is a disappearing traditional snack. Fried bean curd, slit and stuffed with bean sprout and cucumber slices grilled till slightly charred, crispy outside. It has a nice toasty taste with natural sweetness from the juices in the crunchy bean sprout and cucumber slices. A dribble of hae ko (fermented prawn paste) sauce adds a savoury umami accent.

Zhong Yu Tuan Wei Wanton Mee @ stall #02-30 serves a 1960s vintage style of wanton mee. It is famous for their premium char siew (roast pork) which uses the so-called arm pit cut for its ratio of fat and extra tender lean meat.

238 Coffee Stall @ stall #02-81 serves an old school relatively good brew of bitter Robusta caffeine made palatable with a choice of sweeteners - condensed milk, evaporated milk or sugar. Old Nanyang kopi (coffee) is never meant to be savoured - it is a cheap pick me up for the day's drudgery or hard labour ahead. But, nowadays Nanyang coffee is relatively mild like here at 238 Coffee.

Kopi Museum @ stall #02-03 is the other favourite coffee stall of Tiong Bahru kakis (regulars). Not much tell their kopi apart, so it all boils down to personal preference.

Hui Ji Fish Ball & Yong Tau Foo @ stall #02-44 has been in Tiong Bahru since the 1970s. They have a loyal following for their chewy springy handmade fishballs. Their lardy savoury spicy sauce laced with aromatic fried shallot oil and subtle zing enveloping the flat ribbon noodles (mee pok) is delicious. The noodles come topped with fish cake slices, lean pork slices, and lard cracklings.

Tiong Bahru Char Kway Teow @ stall #02-11 in the second generation now is an over half century street food stall plying Seng Poh Road since the 1960s. It serves a Singapore style sweet-savoury fried kway teow (rice ribbon noodles fried in savoury soy sauce, lard, aromatics like garlic and simple ingredients like bean sprouts, blood cockles and Cantonese sausages).

Hwa Yuen Porridge @ stall #02-74 serves Cantonese style congee that is smooth and gooey with a mild savoury sweet flavour. My favourite way is to enjoy it with crispy crackly chewy deep fried pork large intestines. (The stall number is microscopic, so look out for its immediate neighbour, stall #02-73 😂 ).

Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice @ stall #02-82 is one of the most popular stalls at the hawker centre. The chicken meat is tender and juicy with a gentle natural chicky sweetness. The not too greasy rice is flavourful and aromatic.

Ru Yi Vegetarian Food @ stall #02-26 is a stalwart of Tiong Bahru that has been here since the 1950s. Their loyal fans like them for their vegetarian fried bee hoon (rice vermicelli) and noodles. Tiong Bahru has good options for vegetarians.

Loo's Curry Rice 👈 for details. Though not inside Tiong Bahru hawker centre, if you are a heritage foodie who made it all the way here, it would be so wrong not to stop at Loo's for their famous Hainanese curry rice. It's a unique blend of Hainanese and Peranakan cuisine combining all the flavours of the two traditions. Savoury salty sweet Hainanese dishes and sauces, overlaid with spicy savoury sweet Peranakan dishes and sauces. Curry squid, stewed pork belly, curry chicken, stewed cabbage, and then there is an Anglo twist in Hainanese style fried pork chop. Must try.

No Signboard Bak Chor Mee inside Loo's Curry Rice coffeeshop. While you are at Loo's, save a bit of tummy space for this over 60 year old traditional Teochew noodle stall. It's flat ribbon noodles (mee pok) tossed in a lard laced savoury spicy sweet tangy sauce. The noodles are topped with prawn, lean pork slices, fish dumpling, stewed mushroom etc. (Stall is known as Sixties Chaozhou Traditional Minced Meat Noodle.)

Old Tiong Bahru Bak Kut Teh is another iconic shop at Tiong Bahru (outside the hawker centre). Fresh meaty pork ribs cooked in peppery garlicky soup. Wash it all down with traditional Nanyang tea - bak kut teh (meat bone tea) and Nanyang tea pairing is a Singapore food experience you need to check off before leaving.

Please share your Tiong Bahru stories with us in the comments 😊

References:

History of Singapore hawker centres

👆 Get to know Singapore through its food. Image credit: Wikipedia

Date: 2 Jul 2020

Most people know where is the Singapore River mouth* - it is at the heart of Singapore's Central Business District and a world class entertainment hub. Fewer people know where is its riverhead, where is its source.

Curious?

Let's look for it together.

👌 I made an unexpected discovery that proves that Singapore River and Pandan River were once, one single water system.

*Technically, with the damming of Singapore River with the Marina Barrage in 2008, there is no river mouth as it is now a reservoir.

Singapore River is about 5km long from Marina Barrage to the start of Alexandra Canal today (where the water goes underground).

Kim Seng Bridge at Great World City is considered the start of Singapore River, so the official length of Singapore River is 3km.

Image credit: Screen grab from Google Map

From Kim Seng Bridge, the river runs into Alexandra Canal which goes for another 2km before going underground (beside Tanglin Regency condominium and across the road from Masjid Jamek Queenstown mosque, near the intersection of Tanglin Road and Alexandra Road).

Map of Singapore in 1918. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Looking at a map of Singapore dated 1918, we can see that where the Alexandra Canal starts (marked by > ), it was swampland around it.

The area south of the start of "Alexandra Canal" which was a stream were cemeteries and a few small hills.

So, this is the elusive source of Singapore River.

Image credit: Screen grab from Wikipedia

Today, the start of Alexandra Canal is covered. Judging from the 1918 map, its starting point would roughly be at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Queensway.

The visible stretch of Alexandra Canal now starts near the intersection of Alexandra Road and Tanglin Road (centre, left of map).

Map of Singapore in 1918. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

There were two hills here known as Hong Hin Sua and Hong Lim Sua. There was a large Hokkien Chinese village here known as Boh Beh Kang 无尾港 which literally means "No End River" or "No Tail River" as the stream running near the village (surrounded by swamps) actually had no visible source (disappearing into the swamps). Boh Beh Kang village was prone to flooding because of the swamps.

This stream at No End River village was canalised to Alexandra Canal (probably as a flood control measure) which fed into the Singapore River.

Around 350 families lived in Boh Beh Kang village. Most of the villagers were from Tong’An 同安 District, Fujian with the surname Ang. They moved here upriver in the 1920s, looking for farmland as the lower reaches of Singapore River had become overcrowded. There were also some Teochew and Hakka villagers.

The villagers planted vegetables, fruit trees, rubber trees and reared pigs and chicken on Hong Hin Sua which stretched from Mei Ling Heights to Tanglin Halt.

Hong Lim Sua was then a cemetery of over 9,000 graves bounded by Stirling Road, Alexandra Road and Queensway.

The villagers worshiped at Tiong Ghee 忠义 Temple which was founded in 1931. It was an altar in one of the Boh Beh Kang village houses which grew into a temple over the years. Tiong Ghee Temple at Hong Hin Sua was demolished in 1968 to make way for Mei Ling Estate and moved to its present location at Stirling Road in 1973.

Air photo of Buller Camp & Boh Beh Kang Village in 1945. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The British colonial government built Buller Camp just beside Boh Beh Kang village in 1938. When the Japanese came (1942 - 1945), they occupied Buller Camp and used it to house Indian and Australian prisoners of war.

Buller Terrace at the junction of Commonwealth Ave and Alexandra Road in 1959. These flats were demolished. Today, it is Princess House. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

In 1952, Buller Camp was demolished for the development of Queenstown, Singapore's first satellite town. The first public housing flats in Queenstown were completed in 1953. Queenstown was named to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

As development of Queenstown continued, Boh Beh Kang villagers were resettled. By 1970, everyone from Boh Beh Kang village was moved. Hong Hin Sua and Hin Lim Sua were flattened and their soil used to fill up the swamps. The area was used to expand Queenstown where around 53,000 people lived (in the 1970s).

Alexandra Canal in 2011. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Pandan River mouth in 1986. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

I made an unexpected discovery that proves that Singapore River and Pandan River were once one single water system.

It is likely that both the Pandan River and Singapore River riverheads were fed by the same swamps near Boh Beh Kang Village. Pandan River and the stream of Alexandra Canal were, once upon a time, one continuous stretch of water i.e. Singapore River and Pandan River were co-joined twins from the same parent.

Alexandra Canal before it was widened in 1963. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The streams of Boh Beh Kang were widen to build Alexandra Canal in 1963.

Singapore in 1963. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

In the Singapore map dated 1963, the Alexandra Canal ran from the Singapore River to the intersection with Clementi Road at top left corner. I've marked the Alexandra Canal V where it intersects major roads from east to west - Tanglin Road, Queensway, Buona Vista Road and Clementi Road.

Google Map screen grab

Today (2020), the stretch of Alexandra Canal between Tanglin Road and North Buona Vista Road is covered up (invisible from the surface). The stretch of canal to the west of Bouna Vista Road (marked V ) is now named Pandan River.

So, yes indeed, I believe that it is beyond reasonable doubt that Pandan River and Singapore River were once co-joined and one water system.

References:

Hidden Waters Blog
My Mind is Rojak Blog

In this map of Singapore dated 1905, Alexandra Canal began at the intersection of Singapore River and Delta Road. Alexandra Canal ran till the intersection with Tanglin Road and further to the west, it became a stream. The stream disappeared at the top left of the map around today's Commonwealth Ave and Queensway junction. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Date: 3 July 2020

The site where the gleaming Central Mall @ Clarke Quay now stands over the shimmering ripples of Singapore River, once stood the heart and soil of the river. Boat Quay and Clarke Quay were where people make money. But, here at Teochew Market or Ellenborough Market was where most people of the river eat, sleep, and live their daily lives.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Ellenborough Market which opened for business in 1845 was the second market the British built in Singapore - the first was Teluk Ayer Market in 1825 (known today as Lau Pa Sat which literally means Old Market).

Image credit: Wikipedia

The market was named after Edward Law, the 1st Earl of Ellenborough, who as the Governor-General of India (1841-1844) was responsible for Singapore (as well as Malacca and Penang under the British Straits Settlements).

Ellenborough was quite a mouthful to pronounce so most people called it Teochew Market as this was in the Teochew enclave. It was also known as Pasar Baru which means New Market in Malay. The Old Market was, of course, Lau Pa Sat over at Teluk Ayer.

In 1899, the market was expanded with additional cast iron structures added to the old building (which was showing cracks due to poor construction blamed on its builder Captain Charles Edward Faber).

The cast iron structure was from the Edinburg Exhibition of 1897, dismantled, shipped here, and reassembled at Singapore River. It was a precursor of modern day grand World Expo, so it must be pretty impressive inside but I have not found any pictures of it so far.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

In this 1957 map of Ellenborough Market, it was flanked on its west by Fish Street and Tew Chew Street. On its east was Ellenborough Street and Board Quay.

Ellenborough Street was earlier named Tocksing Street after Tan Tock Seng, the wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Malacca who contributed greatly to the construction of Thian Hock Keng temple and Tan Hock Seng Hospital.

Google Map screen grab

Today (2020), the Ellenborough Market site is occupied by Central Mall @ Clarke Quay. Only Tew Chew Street remained. Boat Quay Road is now a pedestrianised mall. Ellenborough Street and Fish Street are no more.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

During its heydays, Teochew Market was throbbing with life like the buzz all along Singapore River. People come here for fresh fish, seafood, meat, vegetables, dried seafood, and other dried goods. There were both retail and wholesale markets. There were also many food stalls.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Sadly, Ellenborough Market was destroyed during Chinese New Year on 30 Jan 1968.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

After the debris from the destroyed market was cleared, a complex of public flats by HDB (Housing Development Board) was built at the site in the 1970s.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The complex had 2 residential blocks and a 3 storey market podium named Ellenborough Market (the third edition). It had 235 market stalls and above them there were 72 cooked food stalls at the hawker centre on level 3.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Beside Ellenborough Market edition 3, there were fish, vegetable and dried goods wholesalers operating from surrounding shophouses. In 1979, there were 382 vegetable wholesalers around this area. In the 1980s, most of the vegetable and dried good wholesalers were relocated to Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre.

In the 1995, the HDB flats and Ellenborough Market were demolished to make way for Clarke Quay MRT station and Central Mall @ Clarke Quay which opened in 2003.

The remaining dried good wholesalers were moved to Victoria Street Wholesale Centre.

I would like to trace the cooked food hawkers at Ellenborough Market level 3 hawker centre. Please share, if you have any insights on where they are now. It would be very well appreciated 🙏😊

Date: 5 July 2020

Pulau Saigon 1905. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Can an island disappear in Singapore? Well, one did - Pulau Saigon 浮罗西贡 (in Chinese). Have you heard of such an island in Singapore River?

Map of Singapore 1945. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Pulau Saigon was a small heart shaped island in Singapore River with Robertson Quay to its north and Magazine Road / Havelock Road to its south. The island was connected to the banks of Singapore River by Clemenceau Bridge, a foot bridge and a causeway.

When the channel on the west of the causeway was filled in 1972, Pulau Saigon ceased to exist. The channel on the east was filled in 1991.

Google Map screen grab

Today, the island is redeveloped into condominiums (River Place Condo), shopping malls, hotel and entertainment hub of trendy bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants.

Kampong Saigon 1878. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

In this map of Singapore dated 1878, the heart shaped island in Singapore River was marked Kampong Saigon.

The island was so-named possibly because goods from Saigon (Vietnam) such as rice were stored here. But, there is no verifiable source on the origin of the name.

In 1871, the British authorities acquired Kampong Saigon from its owner Hoo Ah Kay (better known as Mr. Whampoa - Whampoa being Mr. Hoo's hometown in Guangzhou, China).

Pulau Saigon 1893. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The British developed Pulau Saigon to site warehouses, the municipal rubbish incinerator and Singapore's first abattoir which opened in the 1880s. Pigs from farms located around today's Amoy Street area were brought here for processing.

Pulau Saigon 1923. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The British later added a railway line with a station on Pulau Saigon in 1906 but demolished it in 1932. In this map, they moved Kampong Saigon off the island onto Robertson Quay area.

Pulau Saigon Bridge No.1 in 1985. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Pulau Saigon Bridge No. 1 (in the north) was built in 1890 and Pulau Saigon Bridge No. 2 in the south (which later became a causeway) in 1891. The causeway fused with the mainland when the channel between the island and the south bank was filled up in 1972.

Bridge No.1 was demolished in 1986 to make way for CTE (Central Expressway) construction. Clemenceau Bridge was built in 1940, expanded, demolished, rebuilt in 2000 and still in use today.

Pulau Saigon Bridge No. 1 in 1974. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The Pulau Saigon footbridge (demolished 1986) was also known as Butcher Bridge because of the abattoir on Palau Saigon island and perhaps also most people living in the village across the bridge were butchers and their families.

Google Map screen grab

Pulau Saigon is no more. Today, it's River Place Condo, hotel and F & B businesses. Clemenceau Bridge is still there spanning the old river but rebuilt and much bigger and wider.

Recreating the original bak kut teh

The origins of Singapore bak kut teh was never recorded, so we can only theorise and speculate. The original bak kut teh contains just 3 key ingredients, bak kut, Chinese medicinal herbs and dark soy sauce.

Bak kut literally means meat bones (which were discards or were available cheaply). They were random bones with little scraps of meat in and around the crevices - not ribs which is used in bak kut teh today. That's why the dish is named bak kut teh 肉骨茶 not pai kut teh 排骨茶.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Pulau Saigon Abattoir, a stone's throw from Boat Quay where coolies worked, was a good source of bak kut (meat bones). So, the poor coolies cooked bak kut teh with these discarded or cheap meat bones by boiling them in water with Chinese herbs and dark soy sauce. The concoction was probably devised by a Chinese physician or travelling medicine man as an affordable health fortifying tonic and energy booster for coolies. This theory puts the creation of bak kut teh at around the 1880s with the opening of Pulau Saigon Abattoir.

The present day peppery Singapore Teochew bak kut teh with prime pork ribs came about later, perhaps in the 1930s, when Singapore became more prosperous.

But, what is the "teh" in bak kut teh then? Find out here👈 click

I tried to recreate the original bak kut teh👈 click

The history of Singapore bak kut teh👈 click

References:

Pulau Saigon map dated 1979. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Date: 6 July 2020

The Mid Autumn festival, also called the Mooncake festival, is one of the most important festivals celebrated by Chinese communities around the world. The Mid Autumn festival is the second most important Chinese festival after Chinese New Year.

How did the Mid Autumn festival and the practice of eating mooncakes on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month come about?

By NASA/SDO (AIA) - http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/assets/img/browse/2010/08/19/20100819_003221_4096_0304.jpg, Public Domain, Link

Moon worship in China, goes back as far as the Xia 夏 dynasty in 2070 BC (that's over 4,000 years ago 😱 ). Ancient moon worship is surrounded by myths and mysticism. The mythology most associated with today's Mid Autumn festival is the legend of Chang Er 嫦娥. (There are numerous variations in the details though the basic storyline is similar.)

Once upon a time, there was a severe drought in ancient China. Ten suns in the sky, their blazing rays beating down mercilessly on earth, dried up lakes, rivers and paddy fields. The people were starving and there was no water to drink.

Hou Yi 后羿, a skilled archer, climbed to the top of Kunlun mountain and shot down 9 out of 10 suns. The remaining sun, fearing that it would suffer the same fate, agreed to Hou Yi's demand that it rises in the morning and sets in the evening at the same time everyday. This agreement between Hou Yi and the sun brought great benefits to the people's lives.

Heavenly Queen Mother pleased with Hou Yi's deed awarded him 2 pills - one is the elixir of eternal youth and, if the two pills are eaten together, he will turn into an Immortal.

Hou Yi handed the 2 precious pills to his wife Chang Er 嫦娥 for safekeeping. One day, while Hou Yi was away, an evil disciple of his who overheard Hou Yi talking to Chang Er about the 2 pills came to rob her of them.

In order to prevent the 2 special pills from falling into the wrong hands, Chang Er had no choice but to swallow them herself. She immediately turned into an Immortal, ascended to heaven and found herself in front of the Heavenly Queen Mother.

Chang Er pleaded with the Heavenly Queen Mother to let her stay as close as possible to her husband Hou Yi. Heavenly Queen Mother agreed and let Chang Er live on the moon, the nearest heavenly body to Earth.

By Tomruen - English Wikipedia, original upload 7 September 2005 by Tomruen [1], Public Domain, Link

That's why on a full moon night, if you look carefully, you can see a beautiful lady with long hair and flowing robes. That is Chang Er.

Hou Yi was, of course, very sad that his wife Chang Er now lives on the moon. So, on full moon nights, Hou Yi would sit outside his house and gaze at Chang Er on the moon while drinking tea and eating cake.

The villagers followed Hou Yi in eating cake, sipping tea while moon gazing. The custom spread and eventually became the Mid Autumn festival on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.

Tong Huat Bakery in Kluang, Malaysia

For the story about those traditional big, round, thick mooncakes we see during Mid Autumn festival (known also as Mooncake festival), we have to go back 652 years to 1368.

That year, the mooncake played a crucial role in the final defeat of the Mongols who ruled China for 97 years from 1271 to 1368.

Mongol warriors 1300s. Image credit: Wikipedia

Since time immemorial, there was a constant ebb and flow between the nomadic nations and agrarian nations of China. To keep out the nomads, southern agrarian nations began building the Great Wall of China around 700 BC and joined the parts together into one continuous wall in 220 BC.

Great Wall of China. Image credit: Wikipedia

The Great Wall kept the Mongols at bay but only for 1,500 years.

Kublai Khan, emperor of China 1271 - 1294. Image credit: Wikipedia

The Southern Song dynasty fell to the Mongols in 1271. That year, Kublai Khan proclaimed the founding of the Yuan dynasty.

Throughout Mongol rule, there was deep seated enmity and distrust between the Mongols and their southern subjects which were mainly Han Chinese.

The Mongols implemented many measures to keep Han Chinese under control. For example, they were not allowed to have iron or steel implements. Even kitchen knives were controlled - five families had to share one chopping knife. Bamboo was banned, in case the Han Chinese used them to make spears or bows and arrows. Lamps were not allowed at night, gatherings were banned, families were grouped together with every 20 family grouping headed / overseen by a Mongol.

Needless to say, there was great resentment and discontent among Han Chinese under Mongol rule. Rebellions broke out throughout the realm during the entire period of Mongol rule. But, they always failed because the rebels were uncoordinated and easily put down by Mongol forces.

Zhu Yuanzhang, the emperor of Ming dynasty. Image credit: Wikipedia

In 1637, rebel leader Zhu Yuanzhang 朱元璋 (with the help of his adviser Liu Bowen 刘伯温) came up with a plan to coordinate the disparate uprisings. He ordered 圆饼 round cakes be distributed as widely as possible among Han Chinese but this had to be done without alerting the Mongols. (The round cake was a common small pastry with lotus seed paste filling popular since the Song dynasty, before its fall to the Mongols.)

Dainty small mooncakes from East Bistro, Singapore

The idea was to spread a rumour that a deadly plaque was coming in the winter and the only way to save oneself was to eat a 圆饼 round cake on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month (Mid Autumn festival) to receive blessings and protection from the gods.

When people ate their round cakes on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month of 1368, they found a slip of paper inside which said 起義 or uprising in English.

They understood that it meant, the time has come.

Numerous uprisings broke out simultaneously all over China on 15th day of the eighth lunar month in 1368, taking the Mongols by surprise. The rebels advanced on the palace in Peking forcing the last Mongol emperor of China, Toghon Temür to flee for Mongolia.

With the Mongols finally banished from China, Zhu Yuanzhang 朱元璋 declared himself the first emperor of the Ming dynasty. (The Ming dynasty lasted from 1368 to 1644 when it fell to the Manchurians, another nomadic nation from the northeast).

To commemorate the successful uprising, Zhu Yuanzhang decreed that Mid Autumn festival on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month shall be celebrated with round cakes. As round cakes are round like the moon, they became known as mooncakes. As celebratory food, the small dainty round cake became big and thick.

Handmade mooncakes in Singapore

Celebrating Mid Autumn festival on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month continues to this day in all Chinese communities around the world and it is synonymous with mooncakes, hence it is also called Mooncake festival.

Date: 7 July 2020

Imperial_Treasures_Steamboat_Somerset_Singapore

Today, met up with buddies at Imperial Treasures Steamboat @ 111 Somerset for lunch. This was my first dining out since Circuit Breaker* was imposed on 7 Apr 2020.

*Circuit Breaker was a set of social distancing measures the government implemented on 7 Apr 2020 to stem the spread of COVID-19 pandemic infections. CB entered phase 2 on 18 Jun 2020 with some measures eased including dining in allowed at restaurants (with necessary precautions).

The interior of Imperial Treasure was neat and simple with a touch of minimalist, utilitarian, understated class. The heavy well padded chairs were very comfortable. The steamboat pots were heated by smokeless, flameless tabletop induction stoves embedded flush in the tables. I like this set up.

Imperial Treasures is a popular steamboat restaurant. Nearly a month since Circuit Breaker phase 2, business was only just picking up slowly.

Three of us, we had this $68++ lunch set for two, plus a few add on dishes.

The set came in a lacquer serving tray with live prawns, Soon Hock fish, squid, chicken thigh, pork balls, fish balls, shrimp dumpling, dried beancurd stuffed with Hong Kong dace fish paste, Enoki mushroom, Shitake mushroom, sweet corn, cabbage, etc.

Everything was of good quality and very fresh.

Fried fish skin and fried beancurd skin in the set.

The set came with free "free flow" of good quality slender egg noodles.

Like most people, we opted for a yuan yang pot of spicy mala and chicken stock. The rich chicken stock had smooth milky full body with sweet savoury taste.

For the spicy section, the same rich chicken stock was spiced up with house blended hot and aromatic spice paste. The spicy stock was richly aromatic and spicy hot but without the mala mouth numbing sensation. I like Imperial Treasures' spicy paste's gentle mala level.

In the past at Imperial Treasures, we helped ourselves with their extensive sauce and dip tray but during Circuit Breaker, the staff blended the sauce for us based on our preferences. Actually, I prefer it this way (though I know some people will miss the fun of mix-it-yourself dips).

Additional order of USA Kurobuta pork belly slices.

Australian beef brisket slices.

Good quality stock and fresh ingredients, everything tasted great - I can taste the natural sweet flavours of the beef, pork, fish and prawns complemented with a mild overlay of sweet savouriness or aromatic spiciness.

Pan fried lotus root and pork patty. Savoury sweetness in the tender ground pork patty with bits of soft-tender sweet lotus root.

Sautéed beef with julienned ginger and spring onion. Tender-soft beef slices smothered in a salty savoury sauce infused with ginger and spring onion tastes. The sauce was a touch heavy handed, slightly overpowering the beefiness in the tender juicy meat.

I like crispy crackly fried fish skin.

Service was immaculate. The staff, all with masks on, were friendly, attentive, sincere and responsive. They helped us with the cooking, offered to shell our prawns, and poured tea, keeping our cups full all the time while we enjoyed chatting over fragrant tea and delicious food.

Prices are slightly premium at Imperial Treasures Steamboat but I feel it was value for money as the service, quality of ingredients and tastes of dishes were all excellent.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tony Johor Kaki (@johorkaki) on Jul 9, 2020 at 5:07am PDT

☝Follow me on Instagram

When I want a no frills, no gimmicks, steamboat with good quality ingredients, nice environment, convenient location, and top notch service, Imperial Treasures Steamboat is among those at the top of my mind.

Restaurant name: Imperial Treasures Steamboat @ 111 Somerset
Address: 111 Somerset Rd, #02-14, TripleOne Somerset, Singapore 238164 (steps from Somerset MRT station)
Tel: +6562353882
Hours: Lunch 11:00am – 3:00pm Dinner 6:00pm – 11:00pm

Non Halal

Date: 9 July 2020

FHM wrapped in Opeh Leaf to keep it hot, hot, hot

When I was a child, hot hawker food was often sold wrapped in a light brownish wrapping known as opeh leaf or opeh hak.

Char kway teow, fried Hokkien mee, chai tow kueh, char hor fun, fried crab bee hoon, orh luak, etc. Can you name more?

Opeh leaf is an excellent hot food wrapping as it insulates heat very well with lots of small air pockets inside its sheet, like organic bubble wrap. As an organic product it is earth friendly too.

But, opeh leaf or opeh hak is a lot more than just a traditional food wrapper. When the brown sheet wrap around steamy hot food and its sauces, they all interact with each other, infusing the food with a nice woody fragrance. The opeh hak was more than just a wrapping - it was like one of the essential ingredients for the best fried Hokkien mee, fried hor fun, fried kway teow etc.

It is hard to describe that smell and taste but anyone who grew up in that era (Malaysia and Singapore up to the 1980s) will know it.

In recent years, opeh leaf has made a come back, not as a wrapping but an underlining or decorative tray for nostalgic reasons. Used in this way, it imparts little if any fragrance to the food 😔

Where do opeh leaf or opeh hak come from?

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Opeh leaf or hak comes from the betel nut palm (scientific name, areca catechu).

Image credit: Wikipedia

Betel nut palms are found in tropical India, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. You are able to see them in Singapore parks today (if you look out for them lah).

Image credit: Wikipedia

The young betel nut fruit is green and turns reddish brown to light brown when ripe.

Image credit: Wikipedia

Betel nut chewing is popular in India and Taiwan. It was also popular in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia until it was banned as its red juice spat on pavements was hard to clean and it was later found to have negative side effects like oral cancer.

Image credit: Wikipedia

The Malaysian state of Penang was named after the Malay word for the betel nut palm, pinang. The betel nut palm is featured on the flag of Penang since 1949 when it became a British Crown Colony.

Image credit: Wikipedia

When the betel nut leaf dies, it falls from the palm together with the sheath at its base. These are collected for opeh wrappings.

Image credit: Wikipedia

Although commonly referred to as opeh "leaf", the wrapping is actually the base or sheath which attaches the leaf to the palm trunk.

Image credit: Wikipedia

So, the more accurate term is opeh "hak" which is Hokkien Chinese for wrap.

Image credit: Wikipedia

The betel nut palm leaf sheath is made into plates, bags and other products in India. Using opeh for food wrapping is probably started by south Indians in Malaysia (though I have not seen Indian food in opeh wrap myself yet). If you know, please share 😊

I love all forms of natural wrappings as they make the food taste and smell better. Equally, if not even more important, natural food wrappings do not damage our planet like plastic and styrofoam wrappings.

Please share where in Singapore and Malaysia can I get food fully wrapped in opeh hak, the old way.

Take a photo of opeh "leaf" and email it to 📧 johorkaki@gmail.com

Thank you.

Reference:

Palm morphology and anatomy
Betel nut palm

Date: 10 Jul 2020

The best part of a chicken, duck, goose or turkey is supposed to be its oyster.

Recently, I asked my Facebook buddies what is their favourite part of a chicken. Of course, everyone has a different preference - some like wings, others like thigh, a few like breast and so on. Clarence and Wai Kuan mentioned chicken oyster.

The location of the "oysters" in a chicken from r/Damnthatsinteresting

The oyster is located just above the hip socket bone of a fowl i.e. chicken, duck, turkey or goose. There are two pieces, left and right in each bird.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tony Johor Kaki (@johorkaki) on Jul 10, 2020 at 6:48am PDT

👆Follow me on Instagram

It's a roundish piece of dark meat that pops out easily from the shallow bone depression where it sits. Its texture is firmer and finer than breast and tastes a little like thigh meat.

Not exactly my favourite blend of texture and flavour, but this is many people's favourite part. (My favourite part is the wing mid joint 😄 )

The French call the chicken oyster, "sot-l'y-laisse" which literally means "fools leave it" (at 1:20 minutes in the video).

The phrase "sot-l'y-laisse" (pronounced solly-less) is a French insult for people who couldn't recognise the best things or is a dimwit 😝

The French even have chicken oyster dishes - here's a pan fried chicken oyster dish briefly stewed with carrot, onion and tomato.

Traditionary, Peking duck is carved into exactly 108 pieces. The head is presented to the most senior person at the table as the brain is considered a delicacy. The tail (butt) is given to the youngest man at the table to wish him success in his career.

The duck oysters are offered to the youngest lady at the table as a sign of respect, affection and well wishes.

But, nowadays I haven't come across any duck carver who is conscious of this tradition. Sot-l'y-laisse as the French say.... .

I am making a collection of chicken, duck, goose, turkey oyster pictures which I will post in updates of this article.

Can you help me take photos of oysters from your next chicken, duck, goose or turkey meal and email them to 📧 johorkaki@gmail.com please.

I will appreciate your help very much. Thank you.

Date: 10 Jul 2020

Scroll straight down to the pink section below for recommended food stalls 👇

Old Airport Road Food Centre is one of Singapore's most popular and famous hawker centres with over 100 hawker stalls open at anytime.

Kallang Airport terminal building 1937. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The story of Old Airport Road Food Centre starts with Kallang Airport, the first civilian airport in Singapore. Built by the British in 1937, it was considered the "finest airport in the British Empire".

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Kallang Airport was capable of receiving the most advanced airplanes of the time. This is a Dakota from KNILM (Royal Netherlands Indies Aviation Company), the predecessor of today's KLM Dutch airline.

The iconic Douglas DC-3 or Dakota, first flown in 1935, was the most advanced airliner of its time. Dakota MRT station (the nearest station to Old Airport Road Food Centre) is named after this aeroplane.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Kallang Airport can even receive seaplanes which land on the water at Kallang Basin. There were wharfs for mooring seaplanes and slipways for passengers to disembark dry and comfortable.

Image credit: Wikipedia

During the Second World War, the British Royal Air Force fought the Japanese from Kallang Airport. These were Brewster Buffalo fighter planes. Unfortunately, the British planes were outclassed by the Japanese Zero fighter.

During the Japanese Occupation (1942 - 1945), Kallang Airport became an Imperial Japanese Army Air Force base. Ki-45 Toryu 屠龍 (Dragon Slayer) heavy fighters operated from Kallang Airport.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Life returned to normal at Kallang Airport after the Second World War. This was a state-of-the-art Lockheed Constellation airliner from the Australian Airline QANTAS.

Kallang Airport map dated 1953. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

To accommodate ever bigger airplanes and more air traffic, the Kallang Airport runway was extended. The extended runway cut across Mountbatten Road. Every time an aeroplane took off or land at Kallang Airport, they closed Mountbatten road to motorcars by traffic lights and let the airplane pass 😮

Obviously, not a very good arrangement.

Scroll straight down to the pink section for the 10 best food stalls 👇

Kallang Estate 1962. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

When Kallang Airport could not be expanded further to accommodate bigger airplanes and more air traffic, it was shut down in 1955. Singapore's international airport was shifted to Paya Lebar Airport (now a Republic of Singapore Air Force base).

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The land of Kallang Airport was used to build Kallang Airport Estate by Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) which is the precursor of today's Housing Development Board (HDB). The extended portion of the Kallang Airport runway was named Constellation Road (marked V ).

Hawker stall balloting 1963. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Kallang Estate Fresh Market & Food Centre was built in 1958 to serve the residents of Kallang Airport Estate. It had 172 food and market stalls but was inadequate to cope with the demand for stalls.

Kallang Estate Fresh Market & Food Centre was expanded with hawker pitches (hawker shelters) in 1963 to house more street hawkers in the area. Even so, there was overwhelming demand for hawker stall space and many hawkers still did not manage to get a space.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

As a final solution to accommodate more hawkers, the market and hawker pitch was replaced by Old Airport Road Hawker Centre in 1971. This huge two storey building has 176 food stalls and 136 shop units on the upper level.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

*Four 3-storey Singapore Improvement Trust flats (circled orange) were demolished to make way for Old Airport Road Food Centre. Constellation Road which was once the runway of Kallang Airport was renamed Old Airport Road.

*Thank you Richard Lincoln for the insight.

So here we here today, Old Airport Road Food Centre and Shopping Mall, still one of Singapore's largest and most popular hawker centres.

It is regularly voted people's favourite hawker centre by a wide margin.

OK! now let's dive into the good food of Old Airport Road Food Centre 😋

With at least 100 stalls open at anytime, it can be quite bewildering for new and even not so new visitors. This guide will help you narrow your search to the tried and tasted stalwarts at Old Airport Road Food Centre.

The trick here or at any large Singapore hawker center is for the party to split up to queue and buy food from different stalls. Pick only the best items from the top stalls. Then come back together at one table and share everything. In this way, everyone has a chance to taste all the best dishes in one go.

Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee 南星福建炒虾面 @ stall #01-32. Serves Singapore style fried Hokkien mee which is yellow noodles and thick bee hoon stir fried and briefly stewed in a rich pork and seafood stock. Their's is a relatively dry variety with all the pork and seafood savoury sweet flavours infused in the noodles and bee hoon. Tastes relatively mild or meek and not as lardy greasy as other popular Hokkien mee.

To-Ricos Guo Shi (Blanco Court kway chap) @ stall #01-135. Popular stall serving pork belly, skin, intestines, eggs, fried beancurd etc stewed till soft in a dark savoury slightly herbal stock. Eaten with kway chap which are squares of thin rice sheets that are slurpy smooth and slick with savoury subtly herbal stock clinging to its sides and folds. New to offals? Try these as To-Ricos scrub their offals really thoroughly till they are pretty much stripped of any natural pork flavours.

Freshly Made Chee Cheong Fun @ stall #01-155. Tissue thin rice rolls with traditional shrimp or diced char siew in the folds. They also have pork liver, otak otak and century egg fillings. Made and steamed on order and served steamy hot. Comes topped with fried shallot, splashed with light soy sauce, dribble of sesame seed oil and sambal chili at the side. (They have a branch outlet in Marsiling Mall.)

Ru Ji Kitchen @ stall #01-37. Famous fish ball noodles stall serving handmade fish balls and fish cake. The tenderly springy, subtly sweet hand made fish balls are eaten with noodles tossed in a savoury spicy tangy sauce laced with lard and cracklings. Ru Ji parent stall is in Holland Drive, this is the daughter's stall.

Dong Ji Fried Kway Teow @ stall #01-138. There are two char kway teow stalls in this hawker centre. This is the no Michelin Bib Gourmand award stall. But, everyone I know including regulars of Old Airport Road prefer this stall. Dong Ji char kway teow is drier, more savoury, less sweet, more toasty from caramelised sauces i.e. has more wok hei. The rice ribbon noodles are stir fried together with blood cockles, slivers of fish cake, slices of Cantonese wax sausage, bean sprouts, and egg. Wait is long as the kway teow is fried one plate at a time.

Matter Road Seafood Barbecue @ stall #01-63. If you are bringing friends from overseas, let them get a taste of Singapore chili crab here. The thick sauce is mildly spicy, peppery with sweetness from fresh tomatoes which also gave it a slight tangy zest. Their white pepper crabs are also popular. They use live crabs from Sri Lanka.

Wang Wang Curry Puff @ stall #01-126. Curry chicken, egg and potatoes in a crispy flaky layered shell. Everything handmade at the stall - a true curry puff. They also have black pepper chicken, yam, and sardine fillings.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by life is a journey not a race (@starintheskymag) on Jul 31, 2019 at 5:05pm PDT

Chuan Kee Satay @ stall #01-85. Hainanese style satay - chicken, pork or lamb in thin wooden skewers grilled over charcoal embers till the edges are slightly charred. The juicy sweet spice marinated meat is eaten with a spiced peanut dip laced with a dollop of sweet zesty pineapple puree.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by JOE YANG (@mightyfoodie) on Aug 8, 2019 at 7:09pm PDT

Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee @ stall #01-116. Yellow noodles smothered in thick savoury, slightly sweet sauce. Famous for their generous pulled fish meat topping. Fold and stir that heap of fish meat into the sauce and noodles for a tasty blend of savoury sweetness. A bit of sambal chili and cut chili add spicy accents in the dish.

Toa Payoh Rojak @ stall #01-108. Chopped cucumber, sliced yam bean, pineapple, bean sprout, kang kong greens, you char kway etc., tossed in a nutty savoury spicy sauce with fermented prawn from Penang, crushed toasted peanut, and chili paste. Its a nice mix of crunchy and crispy textures with a blend of savoury sweet spicy flavours. The rojak here is not soggy as their cut vegetables and fruits don't leak juices too much. If you are from overseas, this is one salad you have to try.

Hock Street Popular Beef Kway Teow@ stall #01-22. Yes, this is the legendary century old Teochew beef kway teow of Hock Lam street. Run by the founder's grandson Francis, the Teochew recipe has been tweaked slightly with Hainanese touches as Francis used to run his beef noodle restaurant at Purvis Street (the Hainanese enclave). It's noodles / kway teow topped with boiled beef, tripe, tendons, liver, beef balls etc half submerged in a brown beefy stock. Francis has a "dry" version with his beef stock thicken with starch. There's shredded salted vegetable and crushed peanuts in the Hainanese way. Eat with savoury salty cincalok which is fermented shrimps.

Fried Pig's Intestines - Old Airport Road Hawker Centre

Xin Dong Fang 新东方 @ stall #01-112. Traditional fried ngoh hiang i.e. meat roll, prawn roll, intestines etc marinated in Chinese 5-spice powder. Signature here is their fried intestine which are cleaned, stewed, and the deep fried to a crisp while the inside remains moist and soft. Flavour is 5-spice savoury with natural pork sweetness.

Roast Paradise @ stall #01-21. Roast pork belly and char siew stalls are everywhere in Singapore. Randal and Kai started here at Old Airport Road in 2015 and quickly stood out for their Kuala Lumpur style char siew. They invested in premium cut of pork and tedious roasting technique but it pays off in tender juicy full flavoured savoury sweet char siew. Today, Roast Paradise is one of the bigger names in Singapore char siew and they started here at Old Airport Road.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @jiamtaorotee on Jun 19, 2020 at 8:50pm PDT

Whitley Road Big Prawn Noodle @ stall #01-98. One of the vintage stalls from underneath the Whitley Road flyover. Nice blend of quite robust pork and prawn savoury umami sweetness in the watery broth. The blanched fresh prawns come halved with shell and head intact. The prawn flesh stays sweet and springy to the bite. They also have tender pork ribs, tail, and liver options. Served with yellow noodles and/or bee hoon (rice vermicelli).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steph (@stefisap) on Dec 28, 2018 at 8:54pm PST

132 Claypot Rice @ stall #01-132. The rice is cooked in claypot over gas stove from scratch, so waiting time can be long. They are generous with pieces of chicken which come out tender juicy and sweet savoury. The Cantonese wax sausage and well marinated chicken infuse the rice with savoury layers of flavour which is boosted by dribbles of dark sauce sauce. Add pieces of salted fish and salted egg yolk for more savoury umami flavour at nominal addition cost. Remember to scrape the bottom of the claypot for crunchy hard rice crust, mix and enjoy it together with the soft fluffy rice.

Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway Teow 老夫子炒粿条 @ stall #01-12. The only stall in this hawker centre that made it to the Michelin Bib Gourmand honours list. Tried it several times over two decades but still feel the flavours are a little meek and lacklustre. I like my char kway teow noodles well infused with robust savoury flavours in layers with underlying taste and smell of caramelised sauces plus lard. This one doesn't have these. But, don't take my word for it - give it a try yourself.

Selera Rasa @ stall #01-42. Probably serves the most affordable nasi briyani in Singapore at $3.50 a serving (2020 price). The long grain basmati rice is well enveloped and infused with spice flavours and aroma. Their mutton is tender, juicy and not too gamey. Eat with their fried chicken which are well marinated with aromatic spices.

Fu Xin Cooked Food福兴熟食 @ stall #01-142. Traditional Teochew kueh (steamed dumplings) handmade with rice flour and various vegetables from scratch. The skin is a little thick but they are generous with fillings. My favourite is the chives dumpling which is bugling with crunchy green and bursting with flavour from inside. They also have rice and bean fillings.

Old Airport Road Food Centre & Shopping Mall
Address: 51 Old Airport Rd, Singapore 390051

I am sure I missed some good stalls. Please share your Old Airport Road stories with us in the comments 😊

References:

Air photo of Kallang Airport 1953. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Wikipedia

Roots Singapore

History of Singapore Hawker Centres

👆 Get to know Singapore through its food. Image credit: Wikipedia

Date: 11 Jul 2020

Cockles, see hum 螄蚶 (in Chinese) or kerang (in Malay) have a special place in Singaporean tummies, and therefore our hearts.

See hum or ark clam. Image credit: Wikipedia

Actually, the blood cockle which we are familiar with is not a true cockle. The blood cockle of our hearts is a clam from the Arcidae family of mollusks.

A true cockle. Image credit: Wikipedia

True cockles are from the Cardiidae family of mollusks.

What's the difference? I heard you say. I also asked.

Clams come in many shapes including those that are flat and look like fans. The blood cockles we enjoy so much are ark clams which just happened to look like true cockles. (Frankly, this explanation isn't quite convincing. Any cockle experts here, can help?)

Harvesting true cockles in Wales in 1951.

True cockles are found mostly in sandy beaches of temperate climes like northern Europe while ark cockles are found in warmer climates like south China and southeast Asia.

Both true and ark cockles are enjoyed as food.

People living along China's southern coasts have been eating blood cockles since time immemorial.

So, when the Guangzhou and Fujian Chinese arrived in Singapore en masse in the 1800s, they must be glad that its shores were rich with many types of seafood, including the familiar blood cockle.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Collecting blood cockles at Tanjong Pagar beach at the foot of Mount Palmer in Singapore in 1880. Mount Palmer was flattened as part of the Teluk Ayer Reclamation Projects (from 1879 to 1897 and 1910 to 1932) to fill up Teluk Ayer Bay. Palmer Road today is at the location where the little hill in the photo once stood.

Ark cockle cultivation and farming have long been a lucrative industry in Malaysia.

But, in recent years, its fortunes has dimmed. The supply of cockles have dwindled due to overfishing and pollution. We are close to eating it to extinction 😱

History of char kway teow

In Singapore (and Malaysia), see hum (ark cockles) is a must have ingredient in char kway teow (stir fried rice ribbon noodles). Some of the older generation actually call the popular dish, see hum kway teow i.e. ark cockles and rice noodles, are the two defining ingredients of the iconic dish. The blood of ark cockles impart a certain briny taste which add to the savoury layers of caramelised flavours that no other ingredient can in char kway teow.

Ulu Tiram laksa

Ark cockles is also an essential ingredient in curry laksa for many people, including myself. Like in char kway teow, blood cockles impart its distinctive briny flavour into the dish. Their crunchy, soft, chewy texture is also fun to bite.

But, Peranakan people do not use see hum in their Nyonya laksa👈 click

Blood cockles can also be a side dish or a dish itself.

Zhen Wei Seafood Restaurant in Johor Bahru

At Zhen Wei seafood restaurant, they lay the raw see hum on a wiry nest of fried julienned ginger. Then, they smother the meaty mollusks with their signature chilled savoury sweet sauce. Garnished with some chopped raw garlic and a squeeze of fresh calamansi.

Nasi padang stall at Qin Garden coffee shop in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Blood cockles stir fried with sambal chili (paste of blended hot spices). I generally don't really prefer this as though it is flavourful, the blood cockle meat tend to be stiff, chewy and rubbery from overcooking.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TehsiBoon (@tehsiboon) on Jul 8, 2018 at 8:27am PDT

Simply blanched and eaten with a dipping sauce, usually savoury, spicy, sour and aromatic, so it is some combination of chopped raw garlic, cut chili, julienned ginger, chili sauce, lime, cincalok (fermented krill), dark soy sauce, toasted sesame seed, cilantro etc. Each stall have their own secret recipe for the dip.

Goldleaf Taiwan Restaurant Singapore

Raw and chilled blood cockles enveloped in a light savoury sweet sauce, eaten with a savoury spicy dip or simply dunked neat into hot porridge. I actually prefer just the raw cockle like sashimi (but I've stopped eating raw ark cockles nowadays).

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Blood cockles skewered with a slender wooden stick like a kebab. It is either grilled or boiled. Eaten with a spicy hot sauce.

There used to be many Singapore hawker stalls selling blood cockle dishes. I remember having it at Old Airport Road Food Centre in the 1970s. The number has dwindled over the years. Demand has dropped due partly to concerns with potential hepatitis infection.

Cockle fishing at Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia

Supply is also throttled due to over fishing and pollution of blood cockle habitats.

As you saw, blood cockles have long been pleasing Singapore palates, filling tummies and warming Singaporean hearts.

It warms the cockles of our hearts to be able to work for the people of Sengkang and for all Singaporeans. We hope that we’ve inspired all of you to believe that the dream of an alternative future is only as far away as the courage to seize the opportunities that come your way
— Jamus Lim (@jamuslim) July 11, 2020

So, when newly elected Member of Parliament, Jamus Lim tweeted: "It warms the cockles of our hearts to be able to work for the people of Sengkang and for all Singaporeans", there was a spontaneous bloom of warm cockle jokes and memes on social media.

Tell us how you like your cockles 💗

Though we eat a lot of cockles, and it warms our hearts, it is not a phrase we often use. If you like to know the origins of this phrase👈 click

Date: 13 July 2020

Singapore_Food_History_Kingdom_of_SIngapura

I try to sketch out the possible food of Singapore during the 99 year reign of the The Five Kings of Singapura (1299 - 1347). This is just the beginning of an exploratory culinary journey to our long past.

👑 Sang Nila Utama (1299 - 1347)
Seri Wikrama Wira (1347 - 1362)
Seri Rana Wikrama (1362 - 1375)
Seri Maharaja (1375 - 1389)
Parameswara (1389 - 1398)

The year was 1299, the Srivijaya Empire (650 - 1377) that ruled much of the Indonesian archipelago had passed its prime. The more audacious princes were setting up their own kingdoms at the waning empire's fringes. Sang Nila Utama, a prince from Palembang in south Sumatra, attracted initially by its white sands, landed on an island known then as Temasek.

Chancing upon a fast and ferocious looking animal which disappeared quickly into the forest, Sang Nila Utama was told that it was a "singa", a lion. Feeling that his sighting of "singa" (a symbol of power in Srivijayan culture) as a good omen, Sang Nila Utama decided to establish his kingdom on the island and named it Singapura, the Lion City. He would rule Singapura for 48 years till his death in 1347.

Sang Nila Utama was also named Seri Teri Buana or "Lord of Three Worlds" ruler of the three realms of gods, people, and demons. The legitimacy of Sang Nila Utama and his descendants was based on this divine concept of Seri Teri Buana.

Under Sang Nila Utama, Singapura prospered quickly as a port city. Ships from China, India, and Arabia brought their goods to trade. The Chinese brought silk, tea, porcelain, ceramics; the Indians brought gold, silver, elephants, spices; Arabs brought glass and crystals. Singapura offered indigenous goods like hornbill casques (hornbill ivory was valued more than jade), turtle shell, lakawood (fragrant wood for incense making), tin, sea cucumber etc.

There were two groups of inhabitants in Sang Nila Utama's realm. The land based inhabitants farmed in an area called Pancur (Malay for spring) which was likely the foothills of today's Fort Canning Hill. They also made sea salt and brewed rice wine.

The second group who were probably Orang Laut lived by the sea in an area called Long Ya Men (around today's Batu Berlayar, Labrador Park). They were fishermen by day and pirates by night. They pledged their loyalty to the kings of Singapura to provide good service like pilotage and protection to trading ships bound for the port.

There were Chinese settlers in Singapura in the 1300s living near the Orang Laut at Long Ya Men. They were perhaps seamen and traders waiting for the next change of monsoon to take them home to China or the next destination. Stopovers in those days can take up to months. There were probably some longer term Chinese settlers providing support services to sailors and traders.

Sang Nila Utama (1299 - 1347)
👑 Seri Wikrama Wira (1347 - 1362)
Seri Rana Wikrama (1362 - 1375)
Seri Maharaja (1375 - 1389)
Parameswara (1389 - 1398)

Sang Nila Utama's eldest son Seri Wikrama Wira ascended the throne in 1347 after his father's death. His 15 year reign was marked by 2 major attempted invasions, by the Siamese in 1349 and the Javanese Majapahit empire in 1350, both which he repelled.

Little else was known about Seri Wikrama Wira's reign after the two successful defences. Singapura was probably left in peace, allowing trade to flourish and the kingdom continued to prosper.

Sang Nila Utama (1299 - 1347)
Seri Wikrama Wira (1347 - 1362)
👑 Seri Rana Wikrama (1362 - 1375)
Seri Maharaja (1375 - 1389)
Parameswara (1389 - 1398)

When Seri Wikraman Wira died in 1362, his son Seri Rana Wikrama took over the crown.

Seri Rana Wikrama formed an alliance with Samudera Pasai Sultanate based in today's Aceh (north Sumatra) to unite against the Javanese Majapahit empire.

Legend of Badang & the Singapore Stone

During his 13 year reign, Seri Rana Wikrama had a legendary hulubalang or general named Badang.

Badang was from nearby Pulau Karimun island. According to legend recorded in the Malay Annals, Badang was trapping fish in the river but was frustrated that his fish were often stolen, leaving only their scales and bones. One day, Badang caught the long haired, long bearded demon stealing his fish. Badang tied the demon by its long hair to a rock. The demon pleading for his life offered to grant Badang any wish he wanted. Badang wished for great strength. The demon agreed but said that Badang had to eat whatever he vomited first. Badang accepted and ate the demon's vomit.

Badang became a strongman and he used his power to help villagers. When Seri Rana Wikrama heard about Badang's feats of strength, he sent for him to join his court as a raden (a royal title) and later hulubalang (general).

During his service, Badang defeated many foreign challenges against Seri Rana Wikrama. In one of the challenges, Badang threw a large boulder into the mouth of Singapore River. This rock guarded the river mouth till it was blown up by the British in 1843 to widen the river entrance.

Image credit: Wikipedia

A fragment of this boulder remained, kept in the National Museum of Singapore, and is today known as the Singapore Stone.

Sang Nila Utama (1299 - 1347)
Seri Wikrama Wira (1347 - 1362)
Seri Rana Wikrama (1362 - 1375)
👑 Seri Maharaja (1375 - 1389)
Parameswara (1389 - 1398)

Seri Maharaja succeeded his father Seri Rana Wikrama when he died in 1375.

Legend of Hang Nadim and swordfish

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

According to the Malay Annals, there was a swordfish plaque during the reign Seri Maharaja. Shoals of swordfish were spearing and killing villagers at their seaside village.

The king and prime minister were at a loss as to what to do. A boy named Hang Nadim suggested making a fence of banana tree trunks between the sea and the village. When swordfish attacked the banana tree trunks thinking they were humans, their sharp beaks pierced and got stuck in the trunks.

The village was saved and the grateful villagers renamed their village Tanjong Pagar or Cape of Fences in honour of Hang Nadim.

The prime minister embarrassed that he was outsmarted by a boy, sent his men to kill him. Hang Nadim lived on a hill. After he was stabbed and died, his blood flowed down the hill, hence the hill was named Bukit Merah or Red Hill.

Sang Nila Utama (1299 - 1347)
Seri Wikrama Wira (1347 - 1362)
Seri Rana Wikrama (1362 - 1375)
Seri Maharaja (1375 - 1389)
👑 Parameswara (1389 - 1398)

Parameswara. Image credit: Wikipedia

When Seri Maharaja died in 1375, his son Parameswara assumed the throne of Singapura.

Parameswara was to be the last king of the Lion City.

In 1398, the Majapahit empire of Java finally caught up with the kingdom of Singapura. It sent an armada of over 300 large warships and 200,000 soldiers to lay siege on the walled city of Singapura. After one month of resistance, the Majapahit soldiers broke through the city gates. A terrible massacre ensued.

Parameswara escaped to Muar and continued on further north to the mouth of Malacca River. There Parameswara re-established his rule and founded the kingdom of Malacca. He converted to Islam and became Sultan Iskandar Shah of the Malacca Sultanate.

The Javanese left after sacking Singapura. Sultan Iskandar Shah based his kingdom in Malacca and let Singapura languish as a neglected backwater of his newfound Malacca sultanate.

For the next 400 years, the once prosperous port city faded into obscurity, reduced to a bystander to the great power struggles that raged around it. It was the proverbial fishing village until the arrival of Raffles in 1819.

More on the lost years between 1389 & 1819 in the next episode of Singapore food history (drafting in progress).

Map of Singapore 1823. Image credit: The Bute Archive at Mount Stuart

The palace of the kings of Singapura was on Bukit Larangan or Forbidden Hill. There was a wall around the palace.

According to Hikayat Mushi Abdullah, Temenggung Abdul Rahman told William Farquhar (first Singapore Resident 1819 - 1822) that, "According to the story, on top of the hill was where the ancient maharaja's palace was built. It's prohibited for people to ascend unless they were summoned by the maharaja." He also added, "At the back of the hill there's a spring. It's called Pancur Larangan (marked V ), where the queen and the maharaja's concubines bathed. No one is allowed to go there."

The kings and queens of Singapura were buried here.

The people lived and tilled the land from the foothills to the left bank of Singapore River marked V (today's Empress Place).

Only ruins remained of the palace of the kingdom of Singapura on Bukit Larangan or Forbidden Hill when Raffles arrived in 1819. John Crawfurd, Singapore's second Resident (1823 - 1826), reported sighting brick platforms and sandstone blocks around Forbidden Hill which were foundations and/or platforms for wooden buildings.

The British built Raffles' bungalow, Fort Canning and a cemetery for European settlers on Bukit Larangan.

All traces of the ancient kingdom of Singapura were erased except for Keramat Iskandar Shah, the sacred tomb of the last king of Singapura. However, this is probably symbolic as Sultan Iskandar Shah died in Malacca and was buried there.

Singapura Food 1299 - 1398

As there are no documents, food history during the kingdom of Singapura period have to rely a lot on guesswork, estimates, inferences and circumstantial evidence.

What might be in the kitchen?

Cloves - these are dried to make the fragrant spice brought in by traders from the Moluccas. Image credit: Wikipedia

Spices from India like cinnamon, Indonesian spices like cloves, indigenous pepper, ginger, sea salt, rice wine.

Barking deers were common in Singapura's forests. Image credit: Wikipedia

Wild jungle fowl. Image credit: Wikipedia

Meat would be deer hunted from the forests, wild jungle fowl (chicken), eggs, fish, shellfish, clams, snails, crabs, prawns.

Coconuts were abundant in Singapura. Image credit: Wikipedia

Vegetables, fruits, coconuts, bananas, papayas, sweet potatoes, mangoes, seaweed.

The following are some dishes recreated by Professor Shaharudin and Chef Norzailina for their book Air Mata Raja or Tears of the Sultan. These are Malacca Sultanate banquet dishes recreated by Chef Norzailina based on historical records. As the Malacca royalty were descended from the kings of Singapura, Malaccan royal banquet may provide some hints on food in the Singapura palace. (Note: This is speculative, merely circumstantial evidence. Meanwhile, the search for more concrete evidence continues.)

Deer stewed in coconut and spices would likely be a delicacy served in the palace. It would probably be a rendang (spicy stew) as the Singapura royalty were originally from south Sumatra (adjacent to Minangkabau territory). There would be no chili pepper in the Singapura version as chili came our region only in the 1500s, brought here by the Portuguese who in turn took it from the Caribbean.

Heart of coconut palm cooked in coconut milk. It is the sweet crunchy core of budding coconut palm.(Again, no chili pepper for the Singapura version.)

Chicken soup made with wild jungle fowl and sweet potato.

Siput Barai or barai snails dug up from the beach, cooked with coconut milk and spices.

Seaweed collected from the sea made into a salad with torch ginger flower, lemongrass, calamansi juice.

Turmeric rice - rice boiled with turmeric powder and mixed with ghee before serving (wrapped in a cone with banana leaf).

Boiled banana eaten with grated coconut and sago palm syrup.

Next episode, Singapore food from the end of the kingdom of Singapura in 1389 to the arrival of Raffles in 1819.

Date: 15 Jul 2020

Image credit: Hockkien Huay Kuan

Singapore was in the early 1900s, the world's largest cannery and exporter of canned pineapples. If you go to Clarke Quay by the Singapore River, you can still see two historic pineapple cannery buildings which are conserved 🍍

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Pineapple was grown as a catch crop in rubber plantations. As rubber trees need at least 5 years to mature, planters grew fast growing pineapples in the meantime.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Pineapples fetch good money, so they soon became the main cash crop itself. But, pineapples were hard to export as they don't keep or travel well. Some enterprising pioneers began experimenting with canning pineapples.

Seah Eng Kiong Pineapple Cannery at Bendemeer Road 1900. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

A Frenchman named Laurent started a cannery in 1875 but it was short lived. Another Frenchman Bernado also started a cannery. The most successful was Joseph Pierre Bastiani, a Corsican Italian who was renowned for his canning skills.

Clarke Quay 2003. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Pineapple canneries sprouted all over the island with several at Clarke Quay by the Singapore River. Canned pineapples were sent across the world from here.

J P Bastiani's cannery still stands at Clarke Street at Clarke Quay. In the 1890s, Bastiani bought over a rubber warehouse from Howarth, Erskine & Co. and converted it to a pineapple cannery. At its peak, Bastiani's cannery was producing 5,000 cans of pineapples a day.

Conserved and repurposed as upmarket restaurants, pubs and cafes, there is little today here that reminds anyone about the heritage of this historic building.

Tan Tye Place 1960. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

A few prominent Singapore pioneers made their early fortunes in pineapple canning and were known as Pineapple Kings.

One was Tan Keng Tye 陈清泰, born in Tong'an District, Fujian province of China. He arrived in Singapore in 1860 at age 21, working his way up to own pineapple plantations in Nee Soon and canneries at Clarke Quay.

Harvesting pineapples in 1910. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Tan Keng Tye's Istana and Hin Choon brands of canned pineapples were exported around the world including Great Britain, the United States, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

One of his canneries at Tan Tye Place at Clarke Quay is conserved and repurposed to house food & beverage and entertainment businesses. There is little today to remind anyone that this was once a pineapple cannery of the legendary Pineapple King, Tan Keng Tye.

Pineapple cannery 1912. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Another Pineapple King was well known pioneer Tan Kah Kee who found his early breaks in Singapore in pineapple canning in the 1900s. Tan Kah Kee was also born in Tong'an District, Fujian in 1874 and came to Singapore in 1890.

Pineapples on their way to the cannery, Singapore 1900. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Tan Kah Kee was forced to switch career at age 30 when his rice trading business, Chop Soon Ann (which he inherited from his father) failed in 1903. One of his first ventures was Sin Lee Chuan pineapple cannery in Sembawang. Business prospered and he bought over Jit Sin, one of Singapore's largest pineapple canneries at that time. When business continued to grow, he set up his third pineapple cannery at Rochor River.

Lim Nee Soon 1916. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Singapore born (1879) Peranakan Lim Nee Soon was another prominent pioneer and Pineapple King. Lim Nee Soon owned huge tracts of land in Sembawang, Chong Pang, Nee Soon, and Bah Soon Pah where he planted rubber and pineapple in the early 1900s.

Image credit: Wikipedia

Today's Yishun town (one of Singapore's largest public housing estates with over 220,300 population) was built on his estates and his name Nee Soon pinyinised to "Yishun" in Mandarin Chinese (thus some future generations of Singaporeans may become unfamiliar with this legacy).

Lee Pineapple 1930s. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Lee Kong Chian was the fourth Heavenly King of canned pineapples. He came to Singapore from Na'an county in Fujian in 1903 at age 10. Lee Kong Chian made his early fortune in rubber. In the 1930s, he established pineapple plantations in peninsula Malaya and in Indonesia. His pineapple cannery in Skudai (Johor) opened in the 1930s is still in operation to this day.

Sin Heng & Co Pineapple Factory in 1950s. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

A lot of the work in the cannery was by hand in the 1950s. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Students visiting Lam Huat cannery in 1951. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

After the Second World War in 1945, more Singapore pineapple plantations and canneries moved to peninsula Malaya. Pineapple canning declined in Singapore and by the 1960s, there were none left.

What are your memories of canned pineapples?

References:

🖋Bukit Brown: Living Museum of History & Heritage
🖋 Tan Kah Kee Foundation

Date: 16 Jul 2020

Lau Ah Tee Bak Kut Teh

In Singapore, idle men chilling over Nanyang tea and bak kut teh, sometimes argue over whether it was Hokkien first or Teochew first, especially on slow news days.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Conventionally, most people assume and agree that bak kut teh was created by coolies at Singapore River. That's where agreement ends. There's no end to arguments on whether it was the Hokkiens or Teochews who first created it.

Legend has it that a poor coolie picked up spices dropped here and there at the Singapore River quay side and used these to make pork bone soup. And thus, an iconic Singapore dish was born.

If you believe bak kut teh is Hokkien, then the coolie picked up some Chinese herbs like dang gui etc. If you believe the Teochew version, it was peppercorns that the coolie picked up.

I am now going to muddy the murky bowl of pork bone soup a little further. Give you more fodder for idle bak kut teh talk 😝

Whether it is Hokkien first or Teochew first, it is assumed that bak kut teh was created after the founding of Singapore by Raffles in 1819 (thus kicking off the development of Singapore port).

Whether it was Hokkien or Teochew bak kut teh - it was born of the Singapore River. But, was it?

In 1819, Stamford Raffles signed an agreement with the Sultan and Temenggong of Johor (who ruled Singapore) which allowed him to operate a port on a strip of land "the distance of a cannon shot (i.e. 2 miles)" centred on Singapore River.

Of course, Raffles wasn't the first foreigner to come to Singapore.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

There were already Chinese settlements in the 1700s in Penang and the Riau islands. They were gambier planters who exported their produce to China. Gambier was in demand to make dyes and as a leather tanning agent. Malays used gambier as a medicinal plant.

(There were also Peranakan Chinese in Malacca since the Ming dynasty in the 1400s, but that's another story.)

Pepper plantation 1890s. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Pepper and gambier were usually planted together. Waste from gambier processing (e.g. boiling leaves to extract tannin) were used as fertiliser for pepper plants. The vast majority of Chinese planters and workers were Teochews, and a small handful of Hokkien and Hakka.

From the 1730s, the Yamtuan Muda (ruler) of Riau would issue Surat Sungai (River Letters) to the Chinese headman to permit him to cultivate gambier and pepper at a defined plot of land at the river bank known as a "Chu Kang" 厝港. The Chinese headman "Kang Chu" 港主 paid taxes on profits from the gambier - pepper plantation, and the "Chu Kang" tenure was renewable via Surat Sungai.

The Surat Sungai was the precursor and similar type of agreement which Raffles signed with the Johor Sultan and Temenggong nearly 100 years later (in 1819).

Map of Singapore 1825. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Some "Chu Kang" settlers migrated to Singapore in the early 1800s, and by the time Raffles arrived in 1819, there were some 20 gambier - pepper plantations under Surat Sungai terms. By 1850s, there were some 800 gambier - pepper plantations in various "Chu Kangs" all over Singapore.

The British abolished the "Chu Kang" system in 1917. The legacy of "Chu Kang" remains in place names today like Lim Chu Kang, Choa Chu Kang, Yio Chu Kang - the prefix being the surname of the headman or "Kang Chu". Sengkang and Hougang were also "Chu Kangs" in the past. There were also Lau Chu Kang, Tan Chu Kang, Chan Chu Kang etc which no longer exist.

Image credit: Wikipedia

So, before the establishment of the Singapore port in 1819, the basic ingredients of Teochew bak kut teh - garlic, pepper and pork - were already readily available in the many "Chu Kangs" of Singapore.

Lau Ah Tee Bak Kut Teh

Chinese have been boiling pork in water to make soup since time immemorial. Did one of the pepper plantation workers in a "Chu Kang" boiled pork bones, garlic and threw in some peppercorns, and thus created Teochew bak kut teh? There is no written record, so it remains only a possibility.

That's the thing about early food history. It is harder to pin down than even antiquities as there are no documents or even artefacts. Hence, they are open to endless debates and occasional "food wars" over opposing claims of ownership.

If bak kut teh was a child of Singapore River - Hokkiens and Teochews have equal claim to its origin. If bak kut teh was born in a gambier - pepper plantation (i.e. in a "Chu Kang"), then the Teochew claim is considerably strengthened.

Hokkien or Teochew?

Son of Singapore River or son of Chu Kang?

If you got nothing better to do, discuss.

Reference:

Surat Sungai

Date: 17 Jul 2020

👆 Get to know Singapore through its food. Image credit: Wikipedia

Mimi_Chinese_Restaurant>Riverhouse_Clarke_Quay

We had a nice dinner at MIMI *秘密 Chinese restaurant at historic Riverhouse which is the oldest restored building in Clarke Quay by the Singapore River.

*秘密 means secret in Chinese.

The dishes were creations of chef Sam Chong's 26 years of culinary experience. Chef Sam brings insights from his stints at Nanjing Impressions (Singapore), Jumbo (Bangkok) and Crystal Jade (San Francisco) into his modern interpretations of classical Huaiyang cuisine and iconic Singapore dishes (like chicken rice and chili crab).

Come, taste with me.

First dish Escargot Spring Rolls.

Crispy fried spring rolls filled with moist soft chopped snails imported from France. The chopped escargot felt and tasted like soft spongy mushrooms stewed in a robustly savoury soy sauce.

Chef Sam showed us the escargot before they were chopped up to stuff the spring rolls.

I like this appetiser. (It is not a menu item. If you like to try it, got to order 2 days in advance.)

Mala Fried Carrot Cake.

I like this appetiser. The savoury gently spicy crisp outside wrapped sweet diakon (radish) inside which was warm, juicy and soft like tofu. (Needs pre-order.)

Chef Sam turned the iconic Huaiyang Lionhead classic on its head.

Instead of the usual minced pork, chef Sam used Aussie Angus beef. Swee lah... the large beef ball was cooked to just the right doneness, so it almost melts in the mouth to release its sweet beefy flavour and aroma.

Must order this Angus Beef Lionhead 清炖牛肉狮子头 in Superior Beef Soup. Price $18++.

Flambe Dry Bak Kut Teh 火焰肉骨茶. $18++.

Took one bite.

Wow. Fall off the bone tender. The tender meat falls off cleanly like peeling a banana.

Tender and juicy with visceral fat, it was sweet inside and infused with a gentle delicate blend of savoury herbal spiciness. Really tasty, I like it.

Truffle Mushroom Filo Pastry.

Various mushrooms sautéed with truffle wrapped in a crispy flaky layered shell. Spongy mushrooms with layers of savoury flavours overlaid with prominent truffle aroma and taste. (Needs pre-order.)

Saucy Crab & Egg Affair 鸳鸯蟹肉配馒头. $18++.

Actually nowadays, I like to eat my chili crab this way 😄 The meat extracted and mixed into the sauce. No need to fight the crab claws with my fingers 🦀

But, I am picky lah - the crab must be very fresh.

This is good. Fresh crab meat in chef Sam's interpretation of chili crab - the sauce is well balanced mild savoury, sweet, tangy, spicy flavours which allows us to taste the crab's natural sweetness. There was a bit of pleasant gentle spicy heat on the palate that lingered briefly.

The yang (white) section was also savoury sweet with more crab flavour but sans tangy and spicy taste. The little browned fried bun (mantou) was sweet and good enough to eat on its own.

Matsutake mushroom, carrot, water chestnut etc in a tofu pocket 松茸素珍袋. 2 pieces $16.00++.

The Unsubtle Truffle Mein 黑松露鸳鸯米. $20.00++.

Bee hoon (rice vermicelli) and glass noodles stir fried with white button mushroom, prawns and crab. Dressed with black truffle sauce and aromatic oil.

Robust unsubtle truffle flavour and aroma over savoury sweetness of the two types of noodles and bits of mushroom, prawn and crab.

Hainanese Black Chicken Rice 海南黑鸡饭. $17.00 ++.

Chef Sam's noir interpretation of the old classic white chicken and white rice. Does it work?

If I were to taste this poached chicken blindfolded, I may have a hard time telling that it was a black chicken. So, in that regard, the chicky sweet taste is about the same. But, the black colour does make the dish a bit more interesting.

It was a small free-range bird, with little visceral fat and rather thin skin. So, people who are not big fans of fat birds will appreciate this more.

I like this rice. It is a Spanish rice boiled in chicken stock coloured by squid ink.

Tasted exactly like white chicken rice (the squid ink contributed colour but I didn't detect its inky taste). The Spanish rice grains were relatively heavy, tender, had a bite like boiled barley. The grains were well infused with chicky taste which complemented the rice's sweetness. Moist but not greasy.

Thank you chef Sam for a nice dinner. I like the creative twists in all the delicious dishes. I enjoyed every dish, particularly memorable were the mala carrot cake, bak kut teh, beef lionhead, and chili crab. Makan kakis were raving about the black chicken rice, unsubtle truffle bee hoon, escargot spring roll etc.

Disclosure: Please note that this was a media tasting.

River House 1993. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

River House was a property belonging to Tan Hiok Nee who was a powerful businessman, gambier& pepper plantation owner, Major China of Johor 1870 - 1875 and Leader of Ngee Heng Kongsi (a chapter of Tiandihui Society) 1864 - 1885. He was close to Johor royalty.

In 1875, Tan Hiok Nee recused himself from Johor affairs and moved to live in Singapore. River House was one of several mansions he built. It was known then as 涟漪轩 or "House of Ripples". Tan Hiok Nee retired to his hometown in Chaoshan, China where he passed away in 1902 at age 75.

After his death, the once grand River House went through a few transformations. In 1913, it was the grounds of Tuan Mong School. In 1918, it was converted to Ho Ho Biscuit Factory. River House went from a grand mansion to godown for gambier, school grounds, biscuit factory, a warehouse and later languished for decades in disrepair. Salvation came in 1989 when it was gazetted for conservation by Urban Renewal Authourity of Singapore. Restored in 1993, it was re-purposed to house upmarket F & B businesses.

Today, there is a Jalan Tan Hiok Nee in Johor Bahru in his memory. Known also as 文化街 "Culture Street", it is a busy heritage food hub and venue for civic events in Johor Bahru's old quarter.

There's another theory that River House started life not as one of Tan Hiok Nee's mansions but was actually the unofficial (read secret 秘密) headquarters of the Ngee Hok Society. In the 1880s, the powerful Ngee Hok Society had some 15,000 members in various vocations from street hawkers to coolies. They ran gambling dens, opium dens, brothels and often clashed with rival societies.

Wu ya bo? (Is it true?) It's a secret 🤫

Ah... that's why this restaurant is called MIMI 秘密 which means secret in Chinese.... .

Restaurant name: MIMI 秘密
Address: 3A River Valley Road, #01-02 Clarke Quay, Level 2, 179020
Tel: +65 8879 0688 📞 +6562611189
Hours: 5:00pm - 9:30pm

Non Halal

Date visited: 17 Jul 2020

Bollywood Biryani Singapore

Growing up in Singapore, I am accustomed to and very fond of the briyani here. While tracing the origins of Singapore hawker food, I was surprised that briyani in Singapore is connected to the Singapore River and birth of the Port of Singapore.

For the history of biryani in Singapore, we have to go back to the Chola dynasty, a maritime superpower of its time which ruled southern India from 300BC to 1279. The Cholas were great seafarers and warriors whose influence reached Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula.

Image credit: Wikipedia

After the Chola empire fell in 1279, their base in the Coromandel Coast of India (marked < ) became part of a succession of empires until it came under the British East India Company in 1757.

The British referred to the people from the Coromandel Coast of India as Chulia from their illustrious ancient name Chola.

In 1819, Raffles of the British East India Company signed the river agreement with the Sultan and Temenggong of Johor to permit him to set up a free port based on the Singapore River. As soon as the ink dried, Raffles quickly got into action to develop the port. He urgently needed two things (among others) - lightermen to serve the ships at harbour and labour to built the quays and other port infrastructure.

Naturally, Raffles looked to India which was ruled by the British East India Company (his employer).

Image credit: Wikipedia

Chulias from Marakayar on the Coromandel Coast of India was the natural choice.

The Chulias from Marakayar were proud and respected seafarers. They were descended from Arab seafarers who married coastal Indian women and settled on India's Coromandel Coast around 600AD (i.e. during the Chola dynasty). They were Tamil Muslims and spoke Tamil.

Chulias were already working with the British East India Company in the British ports of Madras (today's Chennai on the Coromandel Coast) and Penang, and were thus the ideal workforce to kick start Raffles's vision of the Singapore free port.

Image credit: Wikipedia

From 1819 to 1900, lighterage on Singapore River was mostly handled by Chulias from Marakayar of Coromandel Coast of India.

The Chulia lighter craft is the huge tongkang. The tongkangs were large craft and no one but the Chulias had the skill to manoeuvre them safely in the narrow confines of Singapore River.

Jackson Plan 1823. Image credit: National Archive of Singapore

By 1822, there were 1,000 Chulias in Singapore. Most were traders and money changers, while 330 were lightermen on the Singapore River. The number of Chulia lightermen grew to 1,750 in 1837. By the 1840s, 500 Chulia tongkangs were plying the Singapore River. The Chulias were settled in Chuliah Campong (village) on the right bank of Singapore River at Clarke Quay.

Today, this area is a shopping, F & B, and entertainment hub.

A Chuliah Street ran through the enclave, linking it to a "Kling chapel" which is today's Chulia Mosque built in 1826.

With the advent of steamships, opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and new harbour at Tanjong Pagar Dock Company in 1864, the demand for relatively large tongkang craft slowly declined.

Twakow 1960. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

From around the mid-1800s, the smaller twakow operated by Chinese (Teochew and Hokkien) gradually took over the role of tongkangs in Singapore River. By the early 1900s, Chulia tongkangs no longer operated in Singapore River.

In addition to Chulias (and Chettiars), early Indian settlers in Singapore included convicts brought here in the 1820s - 1870s. They were deployed in municipal works and construction.

Many of Singapore's land reclamation works, early roads, bridges and grand colonial buildings like Istana, St. Andrews Cathedral, etc were built by Indian convict labour. Indian convicts built the Boat Quay embankments and performed maintenance work at Singapore River like road sweeping etc. The day's work done, the convicts returned to their cells in Bras Basah jail.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Many Indian convicts married local women and settled down in Singapore after serving their term. The British developed a settlement along Serangoon River to house these new migrants. The area became known as Little India.

After the tongkang's heydays passed, the Chulias gradually moved out of Chuliah Campong and joined their Indian compatriots in Little India. Chuliah Campong no longer exists today, but their food legacy remains.

One of them, Tamil Muslim style biryani.

Tamil Muslim Biryani - A Chulia Culinary Legacy

This is how Tamil Muslim biryani is cooked at the Coromandel Coast of India today.

Ghee is boiled in the large pot. Ground spices like chili pepper, ginger, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, mint, coriander, shallots, etc., are then poured inside the pot and stir fried in the hot ghee to release their flavours. Then, the chunks of goat meat are added. The goat meat is stir fried with the spices and ghee in the pot.

After the goat meat is partially cooked and well coated with spices, water and yogurt are added to the pot. Cashew nuts followed. Then, the pot is covered and the contents allowed to simmer. Rice is then poured into the pot and stirred in the spice, meat and curry. Some salt is added, and the pot covered to cook the rice.

When nearly done, more mint, coriander and ghee are added. The pot is covered again and this time red hot embers are heaped on the cover.

When fully cooked, the rice is rich with flavour and aroma. The spice infused meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. The Tamil Muslim biryani is served on banana leaf.