We all know how Singapore is an amalgamation of different cultures. The same applies for their food as well. And so when a food fest was launched in the city to celebrate Singapore food, ahead of the Singapore National Day (August 9), we didn’t hesitate to try them out.
Chef Sowmiya Venkatesan from Singapore, who is also the mastermind behind this fest, took us through a culinary feast that we absolutely loved and enjoyed. We started off with Rojak, a diverse and vibrant salad, featuring sweet potato, egg, and coconut fritters as the main ingredients. The sweetness from the potato enhanced the salad, along with a spicy kick from its condiments.
As we devoured the Rojak, Chef brought the next dish to the table, which is the Pang susie. If you are a pork lover, then you would probably enjoy this one. The soft and glossy sweet potato bun was filled with minced pork, resulting in a sweet-spice combination.
Next was Epok epok. You might know it as the curry puff. This flaky, savoury, fried pastry made from dough, had light fillings of vegetables. It was subtle, yet delightful.
Equally surprising was Chwee kueh with mushrooms. The base of it, as the Chef describes is an idli, that is on its way to become the kozhukattai. This mildly sweet rice flour base was complemented by the mushrooms on the top, which is tossed in oil and seasonings.
We then moved to Otak otak. A Southeast Asian grilled fish cake dish, it’s essentially fish mousse wrapped in banana leaf, before steaming and grilling it.
For the mains, we were served Mee goreng and fragrant rice, along with Rendang. Mee goreng, the tangy-sweet-spicy noodles, was different from the normal hakka noodles that we normally eat. The combination of spices, sauces, and oil made it one of our favourites.
We paired the rice with Rendang, a delicious and mildly spicy beef curry. The slow cooked beef, along with the blend of aromatic spices simply elevated this dish.
Chef Sowmiya then introduced us to the dessert section. The Putu mayam felt a lot like home, due to its resemblance to idiyappam. This string hopper dessert with grated coconut and palm jaggery on the top was flavourful. Another dessert was the Mango sago, a mango puree with tapioca pearls and coconut milk enhancing the dish further.
Meal for two: INR 5,000++. On till August 17. From 12 pm to 11 pm. At Sky- Curated Asian Dining, The Residency Towers, T Nagar.
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