Geylang sipaku Geylang

Geylang, sipaku Geylang, Geylang, si rama rama.
Pulang, marilah pulang, marilah pulang bersama-sama.
Mari pulang, marilah pulang, marilah pulang bersama-sama.

Lyrics from a Malay Folk Song.

Translation:

Geylang, sipaku Geylang, Geylang, si rama rama.
Home, come home, come home together.
Come home, come home, come home together.

Every balek kampung or home coming trip I have taken since I left Singapore nearly four decades ago, has always being a nostalgic journey to my past. My recent visit to my island home was no different except it was a double whammy. I was back to attend the 135th Anniversary of my alma mater and visited the house where I was born. Although my old house is insignificant and beyond any comparison to my former school, which holds a rightful claim of having three past presidents of Singapore as its former students, I could hardly hide my thrill to learn that it is under the preservation and heritage listing like my old school building. In this ever changing and land hungry city, not many Singaporeans can boast about of having their old house and old school to be protected from the demolishing hands of the city planners.
Early one hazy morning, last month I took a crowded MRT train packed with workers and students which stopped at every station to allow more passengers to join the morning rush. I travelled along the East- West line, passing stations with familiar sounding names like Bedok, Eunos and Paya Lebar in the direction of the city. As the train passed Joo Chiat and heading towards Aljunied, I had not been along this way in a good while but now on impulse, I decided to venture into the area, curious to see for myself, how much the district had changed at hands of planners as well as the influx of new migrants and residents, especially from China. So instead of continuing my journey to the city, I alighted from the train at Aljunied Station and I strolled towards Geylang Road.
I stopped and stared at the now empty space in front of the Aljunied Station. Just an empty space, but memories came flooding back. Gone was the Lorong 25 Market. It was a hub of the open air and wet market era, where the housewives, hawkers, fruits and vegetables sellers came to congregate, hustle and bustle every morning.
Here’s Geylang, I used to live, spending an uneventful childhood playing marbles, flying layangs(kites), fighting spiders and Siamese fish, sprinkled with occasional forays against the Lorong 27 kids who were foolhardly enough to venture into our territory. It appeared to me at that time our street gang had a fearsome reputation, though I suppose that by today’s standards we were not really at all fearsome. At the very most, we only had to explain or lied to our teachers or mother what caused the black eye or the tear at the back of our shirt was due to a game of catching at the school yard.
Bear with me, if I am rumbling like an old uncle for the next few postings but I promise to share some of the signature street hawkers recipes that I have collected during this balek kampong trip.

Topsy Turvy Tomatoes

The Hanging Tomato Planters on the clearance counter in a shop at the local mall caught my eyes and instantly reminded me of a special Planter advertisement I have seen on TV that allows you to grow a tomato plant upside down. Upside-down gardening has become quite popular in the last few years with upside-down planters and its concept is nothing new, but it is totally new to me. Thanks for the topsy turvy reminder; this is exactly what I am planning to do this spring.

Although the advertisements for products that grew vegetables upside down have had me convinced that they would be a great idea for my garden, I wondered how successful this would be in my frugal way of doing things. Instead of buying the commercial product, I have planted some tomato seedlings with cheap plastic buckets that I have bought for 85 cents each at the local shop.
To start my upside-down tomato garden, I simply cut a 50mm hole at the bottom of the pail and I filled it with planting mix, added organic fertilizer, planted a tomato seedling in the opening on the bottom and hung it in a sunny spot.
I am looking forward to growing tomatoes and chillies hanging up in the air in our pergola and veranda. Not only it saves space and adds decorative interest to my backyard, but it also eliminates the hassles of weeding, pests and digging.

It's Springtime Downunder...

Springtime! Beloved of many, especially the home gardeners, when the mild weather is here and sky is blue; and when everywhere around us is the sweetness and fragrance of flowering plants and trees. Even our potted wisteria in the veranda just couldn’t wait to show off its mauve and white flowers and throws its perfume around. Today, as if on cue, it has burst open many of its flowering buds to welcome the first day of spring in Australia.

This old fashioned bread pudding recipe to make at home.

As I watched the final stages of a popular cooking show which attracted a large following across the country, competitors were plating up dishes with the help of mentors from fine dining restaurants not only to impress the judges but bringing their collective culinary skills to a different level. The competitors were no longer satisfied of cooking a simple dessert, they conjured up more exotic creations using all manner of fancy ingredients and all generously laced with a variety of spices and liqueur.
For a lot of us watching the show, it's far beyond our means to duplicate the dish at home. I do not mind fine dining whereas food portions are smaller but more visually appealing and unless it rises to its occasion, I would rather eat simply. Instead I have a yearning for a simpler time when dessert was made from a few common kitchen ingredients. This bread pudding recipe, from an old English neighbour is absolutely incredible and simple to make.

Bread Pudding
Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups stale bread, torn into small pieces (Brioche works best)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, over medium heat, heat milk just until film forms over top. Combine butter and milk, stirring until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm.
2. Combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat mixture for 3 minute. Slowly add milk mixture.
3. Place bread in a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole.
4. Sprinkle with raisins if desired. Pour batter on top of bread.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until set. Serve warm.

What have the Welsh Leek and the Chinese Leek held in common?

The answer is leek has played a symbolic significant in their respective cultures. More so with the Welsh, since the middle of the 16th century, leek had been recognised as the emblem of Wales. Its association with Wales can in fact be traced back to the battle of Heathfield in 633 AD, when St. David, the principal patron of Wales persuaded his countrymen to distinguish themselves from their Saxon foes by wearing a leek in their caps. Thereafter it became the national symbol of Wales, and it is still worn by Welshmen on this day. As for the Chinese, leek is included in the traditional Chinese New Year food where each and every food in the list is a symbol of prosperity, good luck, health and long life for everyone at the table, either by its appearance or the pronunciation of its name. Don’t ask me why it is included in the list but I have held a long suspicion that it has gained its position through a language pun, the word for leek having the same sound as "count" in Chinese. Together with other good food to begin a new year, what is most appropriate than lets the counting of good blessing begins.

Although I am unable to buy Chinese leeks which have thicker leaves with a milder flavour and sweeten when cooked, I often replace it with Welsh leeks which are easily available in the supermarkets or stalls. Leeks are delicious in soups, quiche, pies, stir fries and pasta sauces. Always wash them before using them taking care to rinse any soil that may be lodged near the leaves.

Homemade Preserved Lemons love Thick Skinned...

Now that I have acquired my first tagine, I could hardly wait for my homemade preserved lemons to mature and soften enough to be used for the many Moroccan and Middle Eastern recipes that call for preserved lemons, lemons that have been pickled in salt and their own juices. Although it’s possible to buy preserved lemons at Middle Eastern shops here in Sydney making preserved lemons couldn't be easier and they taste far fresher than anything you can buy. It's quite easy to do, though it takes at least one and a half month for the maturation process before the lemons are ready to use.

Ingredients
Lemons
Sea Salt, 1 dessertspoon of salt per lemon, plus one for the jar
Freshly squeezed lemon juice



Method
Scrub the lemons clean with a kitchen brush and dry with paper towel. Cut into quarters but do not cut all the way in order to keep the lemon attached at the base. Pry open the lemons, and sprinkling each quarter with salt as you add and pack the lemons to the jar. Press right down on the lemons to squeeze as much juice out. If the lemons aren’t too juicy, add more freshly-squeezed lemon juice until they are fully immersed. Top with a couple tablespoons of salt.I have placed a porcelain Chinese tea cup on top of the lemons to press and keep them under the lemon juice when the lid is put on the jar. Leave at room temperature for a couple days. Turn the jar upside down occasionally. Put in refrigerator and let sit, again turning upside down occasionally, for at least 6 to 8 weeks, until lemon rinds soften.

What the Moroccan Tagine and the Cantonese Ceremic Pot have in common?

I am always asking my wife Jo not to add anymore new kitchen utensil or garget to the overcrowded storage cupboard until this Moroccan cookware is irresistible to be missed for a bargain. This latest addition is called “tagine” in Moroccan which refers both the conical shaped cooking pot, and also to the food prepared in it. It is definitely not going to disappear amongst the other utensils in the storage and I can see that it will be put in good use not only as a slow cooking pot but also to be used as a serving dish to present a stunning meal at a dinner party. I think that cooking in a Moroccan tagine is similar to the Chinese ceramic pot (sah pol) that somehow gives the dishes an indescribable ''extra' flavour. I can’t wait to use this tagine and try my hands in cooking Moroccan dishes that usually feature meat or poultry gently simmered with vegetables, olives, preserved lemons, garlic and wonderful spice blends like charmoula as a marinade for my family and friends.