Paul, you into Singaporean cooking?

[Jenise]

I have a book; no idea where it came from. Quite fascinating to peruse, which I did yesterday. I've not been to Singapore and didn't realize the extent to which their cuisine is unique, a blend of Chinese and other South Asian influences like Malaysian plus stuff that's probably uniquely its own and recognizable to someone who spends a lot of time there. This book mentions ingredients I have never heard of (screw pine juice?!) and surprising techniques (like wrapping something in banana leaf then stapling it shut).

I'm aware of Singaporean cooking and its distinctiveness, but I have almost zero experience with it. The only Singaporean dish I've ever had is Singapore Curry Noodles, which is an Americanized version of the Singaporean original commonly served as part of dim sum at American Chinese restaurants. It's a stir-fry similar to lo mein but made with very fine, angel-hair-like noodles and a curry powder-based set of seasonings.

Screwpine water or essence comes from plants of the genus Pandanus (English common name screwpine). It shows up quite a bit in Indian cooking under the name Kewra. The leaves are used as a fragrant wrapper in some Thai dishes (Thai name for the leaves is bai toey). I bought a bottle of kewra water at the local Indian grocery It's fragrant, like rose water, but different. I haven't used it in any dishes yet. I also have some frozen bai toey but again I haven't made anything with them.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Yeah, I've had Singapore noodles a number of times. It's a favorite among Hong Kong chinese so very very common in Richmond-Chinese restaurants (between me and DT Vancouver) which is primarily Hong Kong chinese. And I love it of course.

I wondered about the screw pine and pandan thing. The author of this book uses both terms and not interchangeably so I couldn't be sure, but judging from the pictures what ELSE could give something that color.

Anyway, if you're interested in the book I'd be happy to send it to you. Just DM me your snail address.

I've seen both pandan and screwpine used in English. The name screwpine stuck in my mind because it's so strange, especially as Pandanus plants are not confiers. I had trouble buying it at the local Indian grocery because the proprietors had never heard the term "screw-pine". They only knew it as pandan or kewda.

The water or essence (Indian kewra or kewda) is distilled from male flowers of the pandan plant, just as rosewater and attar of roses are distilled from rose flowers. Pandan/screwpine leaves are also used as wrappers in some Thai steamed dishes similar to the Chinese dim sum snack "sticky rice wrapped in palm leaves", and to Yucatan pibil (meat wrapped in banana leaves and baked).

-Paul W.

Screwpine is a new term to me.
Besides Singapore curry noodles, the only Singapore dish I know is Char Kway Teow, flat fresh rice noodles but no curry- sambal olek, Kecap manis, and soy sauce, with mixed proteins (the version we make has shrimp, chicken, fish cake) and sprouts.
I should see if I could get Salil to comment,
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[Jenise]

Paul, one of the recipes in the book called for a pile of the leaves from which one would net only about two tablespoons of juice.

Dale, oddly one of the recipes I read was dish you mention, Char Kway Teow, which caught my attention because a friend has a Chow dog named Kway. I've just found it again, if you'd enjoy comparing. It calls for eggs (4), Chinese sausage (2), four ounces of shelled cockles, bean sprouts and a "chilli sauce" they also provide a recipe for.

This is similar to yours
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/860 ... har%20kway
note in notes someone suggests cockles

Come to think of it, I think ours includes Chinese sausages. Will dig out the book (Savoring Southeast Asia, Joyce Jue). But pretty sure no egg,.
Betsy usually buys the sheets of fresh rice noodles (available at Chinese market, but you have to get there early, sell out by noon) and then slices into broad noodles