Flavors
of Asia
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Kin Lee, owner and chef of Singapore Chinese Restaurant in Maplewood, is planning another trip to his native Malaysia for the New Year in February. Last time he went home, he brought back a variety of Malaysian spices and created some new culinary treats including "Malaysian pepper sauce." A dark, smoky sauce with a peppery after-flavor, Lee says the ingredients include white, green and pink peppercorns. You won't find it on either Singapore's Malaysian or Chinese menus, but do ask for it. He serves it with meat and vegetable stir-fry or vegetarian versions with or without tofu. Crunchy green pepper chunks, onion and carrot slices combined with meat or tofu take on a whole new flavor in Lee's Malaysian pepper sauce. Have it with a bowl of steaming rice for a most satisfying meal. It is just one of dozens of Malaysian dishes at Singapore in Maplewood while the Chinese menu offers dozens of traditional stir-fries, noodles, soup, meat and fish. In typical Singapore fashion, the restaurant pays tribute to the classic cuisines of Malaysia. For nearly five centuries Malaysia has been home to settlers from India, China, Portugal, Holland and England. Combined with native Muslim Malays, influences of all these cultures have shaped today's cuisine. A true melting pot in the center of the 16th-century spice trade routes, Malaysia is separated into two areas by the South China Sea with one part neighboring Thailand and the other Indonesia. Its cuisine features multi-flavored curries, sambals, stir-fries, grills and rice. In the smaller cities street vendors sell their "fast food" including ultra thin pancakes filled with chopped peanuts, noodles in a variety of forms, all types of soup, and banana-leaf-package meals consisting of fish or meat with vegetables and rice. While in the larger cities "street" vendors are housed in special inside quarters they still sell very much the same dishes but in more sheltered surroundings. In typical Malaysian fashion, flavor combinations team chilies with pineapple, curry leaves with oyster sauce, lemon grass with paprika or coriander and turmeric with mustard seeds and ginger. Perhaps a good example is Singapore Restaurant's Tom Yum Soup combining stir-fried onion, pineapple, green pepper, carrots, and celery in a light assam sauce and topped with lightly breaded prawns. Singapore's extensive Malaysian menu also includes sambals, rendang and curries, rice dishes and noodles and a whole variety of fish dishes. Prices range from $6.95 to $11.95 for entrees. If you haven't been to Singapore in Maplewood, do call for directions. It is near Maplewood Mall at 1715 Beam Avenue just off White Bear Avenue. For hours and reservations, call 651-777-7999. Also note, Singapore may be closed in February while the Lee family visits Malaysia. (From Asian Pages 11/15/99) |
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