The Other Side of Mae: Laksa recipe

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Whimsical Wednesday: My SG Top Picks

Whimsical Wednesday shows my fancy in a myriad of beautiful things.

There are places that once I see and experience, I would not want to go back again. It's either I don't like it or I really made most of my time there that I already had my fill. But there are also places that once I see and experience, I would want to go back again and again! It's either I super like it or I really just couldn't get enough of it. And one of my most fave places on earth is none other than SG!

For my nth time visit in Singapore, I could say that it is now a place I frequent. It is not that I'm boasting here or what. It is just that I am so privileged enough to have had an aunt who gifted me with my first SG tour, cousins who invited us for company, and of course, a sister who would just summon us for sleep-overs! Since 2005, it has been la dolce vita ala SG!

So what's with SG that keeps me coming back? For years of SG-ing, I've come up with these SG top picks of eat, pray, and love!

EAT

Laksa - still nothing beats Katong laksa for my taste buds! There is nowhere in the Philippines that I can find something like this. Even me, I once tried out a simple laksa recipe courtesy of Del Monte Philippines' Kitchenomics but never did I taste something like the Singaporean laksa does. Its playful flavors are just so perfect that I keep on missing 'coz I can only taste it there!

PRAY

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple - I maybe a Christian but I do believe that there is no religion that can save us! For me, salvation comes with a proper relationship between you and your Creator. So no matter what god (Jesus, Buddha, Allah, or Shiva) you are believing in, you yourself is the one liable for your salvation.

In my case, I'm getting fond of visiting this Buddhism temple in SG. Why? It's because they have these Buddha paper prayers and wishes kind of thing. I tested it the first time I went there and my wish got granted! For my second time, I wished for guidance on what to do with my life then I got Fascino! Then there came my third wish, fourth, and so on. Maybe for my next visit, I'm gonna wish for my love life. Am I already ready for that? Jeez!!!

LOVE

Light and Fountain Shows - may it be in Sentosa, Marina Bay Sands, or Suntec City. SG has the most magnificent and spectacular fountain shows ever! Every time I go there, there is always something new! These never bore me and these still surprise me until this matured age of mine. I can fall in love with them over and over again for they tell about life and living it to the fullest! They bring to life all my wishful thinking of appreciating the beauty of life despite the odds its giving!

Indeed, I can consider SG as my second home. I'm even more acquainted with all the corners there than our capital city, Manila! Not to mention, I also feel confident in walking there than walking down the streets of Manila. It's not just I don't love our own country. It's just that, I wish that our country can also be as clean, as peaceful, and as disciplined as Singapore!

For those who did not know that I just came from SG, there ain't no pasalubong for you but you may win these SG trinkets!

Just

1. click the Tweet and Like buttons below
2. send name, address, and contact number to maryrosalieo@yahoo.com on or before September 13, 2013.

The 10th person to send will be rewarded as the winner and will be notified by mail.

SG Parks

Singapore by Feet

Uniquely Singapore

Treating the Tastebuds at Jalan Makanan

Braving a Historical Journey at Fort Siloso

Cute Little Somethings Along Haji Lane

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Laksa: A Fusion of Different Cultures

Noodles, coco milk, curry, chilli, bean sprouts, dried shrimps, and other seafood - these are just the main ingredients of Singapore's signature dish, Laksa. It is a spicy noodle soup that is fragrant, tasty, rich, but light. It has a gritty texture with an explosion of a myriad of flavours that burst in your mouth.

The assortment of elements in Laksa comes from the marriage of Chinese and Malay cuisines. Through that, I can correlate the uniqueness of this dish with the country, Singapore. As a dynamic country rich in contrast, it has a harmonious blend of cuisine and culture. It is because there are three races in the country - the Chinese, Malay, and Indian.

To start with, the noodles in Laksa have its roots from the Chinese. Chinese are always fond with noodles that it has become its staple food. Next, the coco milk comes from Malay in origin. Malaysia is a country with vast coconut plantation lands and their people had incorporated coconut products in their dishes. And lastly, curry is a contribution from the Indian. Indian cuisine always uses a plethora of spices most specifically the curry.

Moreover, bean sprouts, dried shrimps, and other sea food are the added features of Laksa making it a complete meal. Nonetheless, the extra chilli makes the dish more appetizing. It is not too blazing hot but just enough to give the dish a kick.

As a whole, Laksa is Singapore in itself. Just like its diverse ingredients, the country also has its diverse people, culture, and food. When mixed together, it offers a unique blend that enthrals people from all over the world to come and have a taste of it. Just like me, I didn’t go wrong in visiting the country. For there, I had taken a bite in being a thrifty Chinese, a conservative Malay, and a stylish Indian.