Some photos that I took while waiting for these beautiful ships.. But it’s worth the wait!
Lontong
Main Courses [1 packet serves 2 persons]
Lontong is made from rice that is compact into a bag or square pocketed palm leaves. Originally lontong was made with rice stuffed into palm leaves and boiled.
As time goes by, people find it time consuming to find palm leaves and making them into a square pockets and then filling it up with rice. Nowadays, stores are selling small pre-packed plastic bags of rice which has holes around it. The method of cooking is still the same.
I was actually surprised to find different varieties of “lontong” here in Netherlands. To my knowledge there is only one type of lontong. Lontong is firm and not sticky. I have tried lontong “ketan” but the results were not as I expected. It turns out to be soft and very sticky even after 3 hours of cooking. I find it strange that normally it takes about 90 minutes to cook lontong. I finally found the right type of lontong and it is sold in a box of 4 bags. The brand is “Nivo”. However it also takes about 2-3 hours to boil.
Lontong (Rice Cakes)
How to prepare and boil lontong?
First, in a bowl of water wash the plastic bags of rice thoroughly making sure that the “cloudy” water becomes clear.
Boil a pot with water big enough to fill your desired amount of lontong bags. Take note that the lontong will expand when it is cooking.
When the water starts to boil, drop gently the lontong bags. Push in the bags so that it stays at the bottom.
Let it boil until you notice the rice bags are filled with white rice. This will take a while (depending on your country), in Singapore it took me 90 minutes to boil a bag of lontong. Here the lontong took 3 hours to cook then it is ready.
When your lontong is ready, take it out from the pot and allow it to cool. Do not wash the lontong. When it has cool down, you can either cut or store in the fridge.
Tip: Serves best with Singapore Chicken Soto Soup (Singapore Soto Ayam) or dip with peanut sauce with satays or gado-gado.
Rosie G.
———————————————————————————————-
In Dutch:
Lontong
Hoofdgerecht [1 pakje is voor 2 personen]
Lontong wordt gemaakt van compacte rijst, die traditioneel werd gekookt in palm bladeren, die kruiselings in elkaar geweven om een bal rijst heen worden gestoomd. Tegenwoordig kan dit veel makkelijker, er is namelijk zeer goede kwaliteit rijst verkrijgbaar, die reeds is verpakt in plastic zakjes, waarin je de rijst compact kunt stomen.
Natuurlijk is het mooi tradities voort te zetten, maar het is in Nederland niet makkelijk palmbladeren te vinden, die dan ook nog gedroogd zijn, vandaar de keuze voor gemak, zonder daarbij aan kwaliteit in te boeten. De methode van bereiding is hetzelfde, of je nu met voorverpakte rijst in plastic zakjes werkt, of met palmbladeren.
Ik was in feite aangenaam verrast, hier in Nederland verschillende variaties van “lontong” aan te treffen in de Toko winkels. Ik ken slechts 1 soort Lontong, een compacte, niet plakkende rijst. Hier in Nederland kwam ik ook lontong “ketan” tegen, maar deze is niet aan te bevelen. De rijst wordt zeer zacht door de lange kooktijd, meer dan 3 uren. Mijn ervaring is, dat 90 minuten kooktijd voldoende is, de rijst is dan compact, niet plakkerig. Na meerdere variëteiten te hebben geprobeerd, is mijn keuze gevallen op “Nivo” lontong rijst, die wordt verkocht in zakjes van 4. Echter, ook deze soort heeft 3 uren nodig om te koken met het juiste resultaat.
Hoe maak je lontong?
Was de zakjes rijst eerst zeer grondig, tot het stromende water helder wordt, bij het wassen van de rijst.
Zet een grote pan water op het vuur, waar je benodigde hoeveelheid makkelijk in past (houdt rekening met het uitzetten van de rijst tijdens het koken).
Kook het water eerst, wanneer het water kookt, voeg dan pas de zakjes met rijst toe. Druk de zakjes langzaam en voorzichtig naar de bodem van de pan, zodat ze tijdens het koken niet boven drijven.
Kook nu door, tot je de zakjes ‘strak’ ziet worden, door het uitzetten van de rijst in het plastic zakje. Dit is een goed indicatie, in de regel duurt dit ongeveer 3 uren hier in Nederland.
Wanneer je lontong gereed is, haal ze uit de pan en laat het drogen in een vergiet in het zakje. Niet wassen, gewoon laten drogen en afkoelen.
Hierna kun je of de lontong in de koelkast leggen voor later gebruik, of je kunt ze in de gewenste vierkantjes / kubusjes snijden.
Selamat makan!
Tip: Lontong wordt in Azie geserveerd bij gado gado, Singapore Chicken Soto Soup of als dip met pindasaus bij sateh.
Rosie G.
July 2010
Waiting for the Dutch team....
It’s never too late to post about the World Cup 2010, especially when Holland is 2nd and vice-world champion! Yes we all had our moments of yelps, screaming, cursing and sighing when Robben missed scoring, not once but twice. We all thought Holland would be the champion. I believe many have also bled, predicting Holland to be the world champion. And everyone in Amsterdam feared the worst, that our city would be overcrowded, and our roads would be congested, if Holland celebrated its victory on the Museumplein in Amsterdam.
Dutch football team arriving and the crowd cheering!
But we did not win. The best team won. We are nonetheless second in the world. This however did not stop fans streaming into the lovely charming center of Amsterdam. Tens of thousands of fans, dressed in orange shirts, out on the streets of Amsterdam. This was the moment to celebrate, as the last time Holland was also the runner up, was in 1978. I felt lucky. Lucky enough to be a part of a winning team and the world’s best supporters!
From the canals, we walked towards Museumplein for the party!
The Dutch really know how to celebrate, so who would not want to be part of such an event?! The crowd and players were singing a Dutch song “Bloed, zweet en tranen” which literally means “Blood, sweat and tears”. The whole atmosphere at Museumplein was so overwhelming, that I felt goosebumps all over. I captured these moments on my phone, but pictures alone could not explain the energy, the buzz, the team spirit between the players and the supporters and the tears from the crowd. I could go on and on about it. I was and am happy to be a part of the celebration. One that will always stay in my memory…
Party at Museumplein!
Singapore has a lot to offer in terms of good food and below is just a few of the many and one of the best in my humble opinion.
These places have all been visited by friends and myself, some are through recommendations. However, I cannot guarantee if the quality is still up to standard today…
Anyway, I will list the food places plus the websites for you to browse through, for an idea of the place and menu prices. Please note that not all food stalls have their own website. They are popular among locals and over the years gain their popularity. No website needed!
Symbols in terms of spending per person: SGD$3-$10 ($) ,
SGD$10-$25 ($$) , SGD$25-$50 ($$$), SGD$50-$100 ($$$-$$$$)
SGD$100 and above ($$$$)
Nasi Padang
River Valley Nasi Padang
Traditional Malay food. Great variety and really delicious. The food comes close to my cooking.
Their price is slightly higher than in most nasi padang stalls in coffee shops or hawker centers. However that is the price to pay for really good food. Singaporeans may find it pricey but in my opinion it is value for money, good food and the owners do not compromise on the ingredients. And, it is always crowded… I know what goes inside a certain recipe and most shop owners tend to cut down on products, because (Singapore) customers complain the food is too expensive. Rice with vegetables and meat may cost SGD$3.50( 1.75 euro) per plate in normal shops but at River Valley it may cost around SGD$5.00 ( 2.50 euro). Thumbs up to River Valley Nasi Padang for maintaining the authenticity of the food! ($)
Address: Nasi Padang River Valley Pte Ltd – 55 Zion Road, S(247780) Tel: 67343383
Roti Prata
Thasevi Food Famous Jalan Kayu Prata
It is easy to find roti prata in Singapore. The best is one that is soft, yet crispy. Most important, the curry must be good and tasty and not watery. Jalan Kayu (the name of the street) is known to have the best roti prata in Singapore. One to mention is Thasevi Food Famous Jalan Kayu Prata. Even the name says it all! This place is in the North part of Singapore. If you order your prata, do not forget to order Teh Tarik!. Best is to go by car. ($)
Address: 237/239 Jalan Kayu Singapore. Tel: +65 6481 1537
Nasi Lemak
International Food Stall
When I think of Changi Village, it reminds me of one dish- nasi lemak! This stall is still one of the most popular nasi lemak in Singapore. Expect very long queues during lunch. There are also a few competitors in the same vicinity. Located at the east side of Singapore. ($)
Address: #1-57 Changi Village Market & Food Centre, Blk 2 Changi Village Road, Singapore 500002
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
There are plentiful of stalls selling hainanese chicken rice. One to mention is Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice located at Maxwell Food Centre. ($)
http://www.tiantianchickenrice.com/
Hawker Centers
Maxwell Food Centre
Home to some of the best hawker food in Singapore. Located in the heart of Chinatown. We used to have a stall in Maxwell Food Centre. ($)
Address: Maxwell Road Food Centre lies at the top end of Tanjong Pagar Road and junction of South Bridge Road and Maxwell Road. Nearest MRT station: Chinatown
Lau Pa Sat
We call this the festival market. Located in the central business district area, right in between the skyscrapers, this place comes lively at night and in the weekends. A huge 24/7 eatery with different variety of food. Pick your choice! I like the satays from stall number 9. ($)
http://www.laupasat.biz/home.html
Mexican
Cafe Iguana
Contemporary Mexican restaurant and bar in downtown Singapore. I like the one in Riverside Point facing the Singapore river. ($$)
Margarita’s
They now have 3 restaurants on Singapore island. I like the ambience at Dempsey Hill where you can find a lot of nice places to sit, dine or just chill out. Here you can also find Margarita’s. My favourite is Fajitas with chicken and their signature dish, called Kitchen Sink Burrito. ($$)
http://www.dempseyhill.com/tenants_Margarita.htm
Seafood
Long Beach Seafood
Chinese seafood restaurants. Try the ones at East Coast Seafood Centre. Located by the beach. One of the Singapore signature dishes is the Chilli Crab! Must try! ($$$)
http://www.longbeachseafood.com.sg/
Jumbo Seafood
Located also at East Coast Seafood Centre. ($$$)
http://www.jumboseafood.com.sg/
French
Au Petit Salut
One of my favourite French restaurants to dine in Singapore. Located at Dempsey Hill. Elegant and alfresco dining area. Ordered a bottle of Alter Ego (Chateau Palmer) and loved it!
Depending on either lunch or dinner. ($$$-$$$$)
http://www.aupetitsalut.com/aps/aboutus.html
Italian
Da Paolo
One name comes to my mind, that we often visited, is Da Paolo. There are a few outlets in Singapore and the ones in Cluny Court and Holland Village have a nice ambience; cosy and stylish. Oh yes, there is an area called Holland Village in Singapore and there is a mini windmill too! ($$$)
http://www.dapaolo.com.sg/index.php
German
Werner’s Oven
One of my favourite German restaurants at the east side of Singapore in the Siglap neighbourhood area. A family run business place with authentic dishes and warm service! And they also sell pretzels at their bakery! ($$)
http://www.wernersoven.com.sg/
Indonesian
Tambuah Mas
Love their Tahu Telor. ($$$)
Indian
Samy’s Curry
Ever tried eating your food on a banana leaf? Try Samy’s Curry. This place is unlike the typical “restaurant” type . Located also at Dempsey Hill, I usually bring my foreign friends here. All of them love it, even my in-laws! Have a look at the counter, tell them what you want and they will bring to your table. Do not be surprised if the waiters come around and start asking if you want more rice or curry! The giant prawns are simply irresistible, but spiiiiicy! ($$-$$$)
Brazilian
Brazil Churrascaria
Brazilian barbeque restaurant.
In this place, you’ll be in for a night full of surprises. Huge salad bar with a variety to match, excellent. You’ll sit at your table and the macho waiters will come and ‘serve’ you: A huge skewer with grilled meats and a huge knife in the other hand, intimidating and asking you, if you want any one of the meat. The meat is of superb quality and the variety is enormous. Be prepared to get stuffed with kilos of meat! ($$-$$$)
Address: 14/16 Sixth Avenue. Tel: +65 6463 1923
Thai
Patara
A fine dining Thai restaurant. ($$$)
Thai Express
This is the “cafe” version where they serve simple Thai food. ($$)
http://www.thaiexpress.com.sg/
Japanese
Sushi Tei
Open kitchen concept where you can enjoy good sushi. There are many outlets in Singapore. ($$)
Chinese Restaurants
Crystal Jade Restaurants
A culinary chinese restaurant in Singapore. Offering good quality Cantonese and Teochew chinese cuisine and fine dining ambience. $$$
Din Tai Fung
One of the best dim sum and dumpling place to go is at Din Tai Fung. Located in downtonwn Orchard Road. $$
Address: 290 Orchard Road, #B1-03/06 Paragon Shopping Centre. Tel: +65 68368336. MRT station: Orchard.
Others
Little Bali-Villa Bali
A place to chill out with friends in these idyllic surroundings. Beautifully designed with Balinese atmosphere. The place is so spacious. I love their Rogan Josh (a south Indian curry). ($$-$$$)
High Tea
Swissotel The Stamford, Equinox Restaurant
Equinox is located on the 70th (!) floor of the Swissotel. Beautiful views over Singapore. ($$$)
http://www.swissotel.com/EN/Home
Champagne Brunch in Hotels
Ritz-Carlton Hotel
Greenhouse Restaurant ($$$$)
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Singapore/Dining/Greenhouse/Default.htm
Grand Hyatt Hotel
Mezza 9 ($$$$)
http://www.singapore.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/entertainment/restaurants/index.jsp
Four Seasons Hotel
One-Ninety ($$$$)
http://www.fourseasons.com/singapore/dining/one_ninety/
The Fullerton Hotel
Town Restaurant ($$$$)
http://www-singapore.com/fullerton/dining.htm
Sunday Brunch
The Sentosa Resort & Spa ($$$$)
In Sentosa (an off island which is connected by road to Singapore)
An international buffet and barbeque!
Enjoy while you are in Singapore!
While I was busy scrolling through my pc to do my work, I saw a couple of photos that were taken last year while I was in Singapore. Of course they were photos of food which most of it were taken while I was out with friends, having lunch by myself or I was just playing with my iPhone camera!
Apart from the locally popular nasi padang, chicken rice, satay and noodles, I would like to mention a few local food which is not so commonly known among tourist in Singapore. Or maybe you might have seen it and tried them before.
Chinese Popiah
These two little cutties are made from fresh soft popiah skin roll commonly known as spring roll but these are not fried.
Stuffed with “bangkuang”(jicama),peanuts,carrots and shrimp paste. There are many different versions of recipes on the stuffed filling of these popiahs. Popiahs can be found in food courts in shopping mall, hawker centres or coffee shops. (The term “coffee shop” in Singapore literally means an area or shop with a few stalls in the neighbourhood areas selling food.)
Masala Thosai (Masala Dosa)
A popular dish among the Indians and locals, this crispy South Indian recipe Masala Thosai is a flat rice pancake filled with chunks of potatoes and onions. A simple and a great delicacy to eat for breakfast or lunch! Served with curry, coconut chutney,sambal,mint chutneyetc. One of my favourite local food! You can find thosai in Little India restaurants or certain food court. (The term “foodcourt” means a spacious air-conditioned area that sells food normally inside a shopping mall. Normally there are more than 10 foodstalls in the food court. However food court prices are lower than cafes and restaurants.)
Iddiyappam
Iddiyappam is the name of this South Indian dish. Commonly known as “putu mayam” by the Malays in Singapore (also known as string hoppers in English!) The Iddiyappam is made from rice flour and sieve to make vermicelli like noodles. Served with fresh grated coconut and sugar. This is a breakfast dish. Nowadays it is not so common to find this dish in Singapore. Perhaps in some foodstalls in Little India in Singapore.
Food Court in Singapore
A typical food court in Singapore. Delicious and inexpensive food and most importantly hygenic! Self-service air conditioned food court and this one is in a hip shopping mall in downtown Orchard Road. Food courts can be crowded during lunch time and you have to find an empty table yourself.
The difference between food court and hawker centre is simply that hawker centres are not airconditioned, prices for food in hawker centres are lower than that in food courts. However both have a non-smoking ban rul and have to comply with the strict hygiene standards.
Roti Prata
A simple yet unpretentious Indian food- The roti prata. Roti prata is made from flour and then fried. Usually locals eat roti prata for breakfast and sometimes lunch. There are a few variations to roti prata; roti prata with eggs-filled with eggs, roti prata with banana,roti prata with eggs and onions etc. Served best with fish or meat curry!
Soya Beancurd
Commonly known as “Tau Huay” in Singapore, soya beancurd custard (tofu) is made from soya bean and is my favourite. You might think this as a yucky slimy tofu but it is in fact fresh,soft and silky. The best soya beancurd is one that is smoother and silkier! Scoop into a bowl with spoonfuls of sugar syrup. Soya beancurd- Melts in your mouth! There are only a few places in Singapore that sells the best soya beancurd. One of my favourite place is at Selegie Road. Another version that I really love is the fresh soya bean milk! The canned ones from the store cannot be compared to the real fresh ones. Totally different in taste. The fresh soya bean milk are heavenly pure! Drink it warm or cold.
Teh Tarik
Literally means “pulled tea”, it is the way the tea is being poured forth and back a few times at at certain height to give it a frothy foam on top of the glass. Black tea and condensed milk is being used to make this special tea. Teh tarik is popular not only in Singapore but also in Malaysia. Found in all outdoor stalls, kopitiams (breakfast and coffee shops), restaurants etc.
A typical 24hours Indian restaurant in Singapore.
There are a lot of eateries in Singapore which open till the wee hours in the morning or even operate 24 hours. You will be surprised to see locals going to these eateries at 10pm and having snacks, drinks or just chatting with friends. Even at 12 midnight the coffee shops are still buzzing. Most of these 24 hours eateries are located in the neighbourhood area.
Kaya Toast
Kaya Toasts! Yummy! This is a popular dish among locals for breakfast in Singapore and Malaysia! Just imagine a different version of peanut butter or jam on a toast. The kaya is spread on a thinly toasted fresh bread with cold thin slices of butter. Served with coffee or teh tarik! Some people even love to dip their kaya toast in their coffee! Also served with the kaya toasts are soft eggs with soya sauce.
Kaya is made from eggs, sugar,coconut,milk and screwpine leaves as a flavour. There are a few variations of kaya in Singapore- “orange” in colour which means no screwpine leaves flavoured , the green ones are with screwpine leaves flavour and the brown ones supposedly cooked in palm sugar.
There are so many good food and lots of variety in terms of food in Singapore. We are a food culture society. We love to talk about food, we are picky about food, food has to be good and delicious, we know which food stalls or restaurants are better than the other in Singapore, we complain when the food is not properly cooked, we do not settle for less because we know there are other places we can turn to. Singaporeans enjoy eating and love food very much. So much so that food stall and restaurant owners have become very competitive in terms of producing good food, new varieties just to entice the people. From local food to western food and fusion food, you name it Singapore has them. You will be spoilt for choices when you are or live in Singapore. From the simplicity of eating in an inexpensive SGD$3 (1.50 euro) local lunch to fine dining in five star hotels and great restaurants which may cost SGD$100 per person (50 euro), the food is and will always be fabulous.
I bet if you leave Singapore the first thing you will miss is the luxury and choices of good food. Do not be mistaken, Singaporeans love to spend not only on shopping but also on food and drinks. There are fabulous high tea places in Singapore, buffet in hotels, the great Sunday brunch in hotels, Champagne brunch, French restaurants, Italian restaurants, Mexican restaurants, Thai restaurants, Vietnamese restaurants, Lebanese restaurants, Fusion restaurants, Belgian restaurants, American restaurants, Cocktail bars with pages of long listed cocktail drinks and virgin drinks (non-alcoholic), lots of restaurants with live music and beautiful outdoor setting and the list goes on.
Wines are also considered expensive in Singapore than in Netherlands. A cheap drinkable wine in a supermarket ; an Australian white wine cost around SGD$16 (8 euro). However it is easy to find big names such Chateau Margaux and plentiful of good wines in Singapore. I think people are more aware of good wines and they buy to enjoy and drink good wines rather than to buy wine just for drinking. It is part of a lifestyle for most people who drink wines in Singapore.
One last note, my first taste of Dutch food outside of The Netherlands was in Singapore…. the bitterballen! It was in a lovely traditional Belgian brasserie called Oosters.