Years ago, the vibrant and culturally diverse atmosphere of Singapore have disputably produced dishes like Rojak and Ice Kacang. These dishes captures very well the spirit of cultural mixing and creativity, prominent in Singapore since our colonial days. Such a spirit has waned considerably today.
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Image from Rolling Writes The Rojak |
Since dishes like Chicken rice, Roti Prata, Char Kway Teow, Nasi Lemak, Hokkien Mee, Nasi Briyani and Fish Head Curry etc has been institutionalised under the Hawker Centres of Singapore, little changes have been made to these food equivalents of blockbusters enough to have notable new members among them. These dishes sit in their thrones, undisputed and unchallenged in their rank as Singapore's most well-known and well-loved food. Perhaps Singapore is clinging to them as desperate prove of our identity and history. What would the inventors of these dishes say to these foolish attitudes?
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Image from Delicious Food for You Some common hawker fares: top left, Chicken rice, top right, Fried Carrot cake, bottom left, Char Kway Teow, bottom right, Ice Kacang |
Other street food like carrot cake, curry puffs, otah-otah, goreng pisang, ice kacang, chendol, burbur chacha, to speak of a long list of these memorable fellows, which barely have a tercentenary history are now accepted as traditional food items. Imagine the creative individual setting his eyes on the banana, carrot or humble corn and making magic with them. Today, the banana, carrot and corn, among many other vegetables, are seen as plain and common, dismissed and shuffled out of sight. Instead, the new exotic imports of Avocados, Korean Strawberries, Moroccan Blueberries, Asparagus etc signals an entire new range of culinary ingredients available to Singaporeans.
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Image from HDwallpapers Stop Yawning at the Carrot! |
With supermarkets bursting with variety of fresh ingredients and almost all the world's notable cuisines readily found here, where is the "Rojak"? Where is the spirit of fusion, of creativity and reinvention? We have food inspiration from all over the world that howls to be captured to fuel the imaginative minds in creating new Singapore dishes that reflect our times better than the Char Kway Teow and Ice Kacang which speaks of our Grandfathers' time.
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Image by Miss Karen. Singapore's produce market has so much to work with! |
Perhaps this is the time to call for contests or competitions for new dishes submission, like people did for the American food fairs. If the Americans invented their "Fried Beer" and "Fried Butter" that now defines them, we could have a new Curry Puff and outshine out Malaysia's Ramly Burger (proudly invented by Malaysian Ramly Bin Mokly).
It would benefit Singaporeans to take a stroll in our neighbour's Pasar Malam (night market) in comparison to our Pasar Malam as a proof of the death of the "Rojak" spirit here.
