The Indigenization and Hybridization of Food Cultures in Singapore Tai Wei Lim The Indigenization and Hybridization of Food Cultures in Singapore Tai Wei Lim The Indigenization and Hybridization of Food Cultures in Singapore Tai Wei Lim Singapore University of Social Sciences Singapore, Singapore ISBN 978-981-13-8694-7 ISBN 978-981-13-8695-4 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8695-4 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2019 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. 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The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-­01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721, Singapore CONTENTS Part I 1 1 Introduction 3 2 Food Vessels: A Brief Historical Survey of Ceramics Use for Food Consumption in Singapore’s Hawker Centres and Coffee Shops (kopitiams) 7 3 Diversity in Southeast Asian Serving Vessels 21 4 Late Modernity: Food-Serving Vessels Used in the Mid-Twentieth Century 49 Part II 71 5 Promoting Singapore-Japan Ties Through the Soft Cultural Power of Food Diplomacy: The Hybridization, Cross-Pollination and Indigenization of Contemporary Japanese Food Culture in Singapore 73 6 The Korean Wave in Singapore’s Multi-­cultural Food Scene: Indigenization, Localization, Hybridization and Cross-Pollination 89 v vi COntents Part III 107 7 Conclusion 109 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tai Wei Lim is a senior lecturer at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and a senior research fellow adj. at the National University of Singapore (NUS) East Asian Institute (EAI). He teaches world history and East Asian history-related courses at the SUSS and researches on heri- tage issues as well as industrial technological changes. He has also done research on the ceramics industries and mass production in Jingdezhen (China), Arita (Japan), Yingge (Taiwan) and urban pottery clusters in Hong Kong. He has an interest in the history of export porcelain wares from Jingdezhen/Arita. vii LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 2.1 The lacquerware set on raised platform still in use in Japan today, taken out for the occasion of the New Year celebrations. (Photo taken on 1 January 2019) 8 Fig. 2.2 (a) This is the traditional lion dance that is performed during the Chinese Lunar New Year festivities. (Photo from author’s collection, dated 24 April 2015.) (b) The Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in Singapore’s Chinatown in the Year of the Horse in 2014. (Photo from author’s collection, dated 24 April 2015.) (c) The pineapple décor, a Nanyang-style Lunar New Year (LNY) decoration that is a play on homophones. “Wang lai” in Cantonese means “pineapples” or “the arrival of prosperity”. Sometimes, the pineapple is turned topsy-turvy to literally mean “the arrival of prosperity” given that the homophone “dao” can mean “arrival” or “turned upside down”. (Photo from author’s collection, dated 24 April 2015.) (d) There are foodstuffs commonly consumed by all dialect groups in Singapore. For example, the mandarin orange and pomelos are popular fruits consumed during the Lunar New Year regardless of dialect group. (Photo from author’s collection, dated 24 April 2015) 12 Fig. 2.3 Examples of large-sized communal dishes for mixing and consuming Yusheng. A wide plate is needed due to the spillage of ingredients and food onto the table during the tossing process. (Photo taken on 1 February 2019) 13 ix x List Of Figures Fig. 2.4 (a) Another local innovation—the Hainanese toasted bread with kaya jam. While normally associated with the Hainanese community in Singapore, in fact, is a Nanyang Southeast Asian food innovation, probably not originated from or found in Hainan Island but developed in Singapore and Malaysia through the kopitiam (coffee-shop) culture that was associated with the Hainanese community in Singapore. (Photo dated 24 April 2015.) (b) The Hainanese curry rice, a dish in Singapore that may not be found in this exact form in Hainan Island, China. It is a good example of local interpretation of Chinese migrants to Singapore. (Photo dated 24 April 2015.) (c) The Hainanese chicken rice, an indigenous Singaporean dish that is developed by Hainanese settlers to Singapore and attributed to Hainan Island in name only, based on their adaptations and imaginations of culinary culture in the place-name. (Photo dated 24 April 2015) 13 Fig. 2.5 (a) The zhui kueh, a form of rice cake with vegetable pickles normally associated with the Hokkien culinary culture in Singapore. (Photo from author’s collection, dated 24 April 2015.) (b) The kuay chup, another Hokkien-inspired rice noodle usually consumed with stewed bean-curds, egg and pig intestines. (Photo from author’s collection.) (c) The chai tow kueh, a Hokkien-style fried carrot cake that has become the mainstay of Singaporean Chinese meals in hawker centres and food courts. (Photo from author’s collection, dated 24 April 2015.) (d) This is an outdoor alfresco dining area popular with Singaporeans at the Marina Bay area. The Hokkien Mee has become a mainstay of Chinese-originated cuisines in Singapore with a local Southeast Asian Nanyang innovation of belacan chilli normally used in Malay or Peranakan cooking. This is a good example of cosmopolitanism amongst the Chinese in Singapore. (Photo from author’s collection, dated 24 April 2015) 14 Fig. 2.6 (a) The Teochew bak chor mee, a popular noodle dish with Singaporeans. (Photo from author’s collection, dated 24 April 2015.) (b) A Teochew seafood fish maw dish in clay pot. (Photo from author’s collection, dated 24 April 2015.) (c) The soon kueh, a popular breakfast and snack item. (Photo from author’s collection, dated 24 April 2015) 15 List Of Figures xi Fig. 2.7 The above photos show typical Cantonese food items found on Singapore Chinese dinner tables. (Dated 24 April 2015.) (a) Cantonese egg tarts. A popular item in dim sum experiences in Singapore. (Photo dated 24 April 2015.) (b) Cantonese chee cheong fun rice rolls—now a popular Singaporean breakfast dish. (Photo dated 24 April 2015) 15 Fig. 2.8 (a) The Lo Hei salad-like dish eaten in Singapore and Malaysia during the Lunar New Year (LNY). Added into the mixture of vegetable-based ingredients is smoked salmon or raw fish meat. (Photo dated 24 April 2015.) (b) The tradition of eating Lunar New Year titbits and snacks is retained in Singapore. Such practices also include indigenous elements such as having local confectionary such as spicy prawn rolls. (Photo dated 24 April 2015) 16 Fig. 2.9 Examples of recent arrivals of Northeastern Chinese dishes (dongbei cai) that have delighted Singaporeans at their dinner tables. (Photo dated 24 April 2015.) (a) Tudoushi potato strips, a characteristic Northeastern Chinese dish which has appeared in eateries run by new Chinese migrants are gaining some acceptance amongst Singaporeans willing to try new cuisines. (Photo dated 24 April 2015.) (b) The shouzhuayangrou hand-held grilled lamb ribs are also characteristic of Sichuanese cuisine and found on the Northeastern Chinese (dongbei) table; another relatively new cuisine dish introduced by chefs and restaurateurs who are amongst the new Chinese migrants making inroads into the culinary culture of Singaporeans. Their businesses are supported by new Chinese migrant customers as well as local Singaporeans alike. (Photo dated 24 April 2015) 16 Fig. 2.10 Cantonese culinary culture is well-known for its dim sum dishes. Due to the individually served dim sum dishes, the serving vessels tend to be of smaller size than the typical communal eating porcelains found in food courts, restaurants and other kinds of eateries. Or they are directly served using bamboo steamers. (Photo taken on 29 November 2018) 19 Fig. 2.11 Teochew porridge cuisines served individually on small plates with an accent on variety and diversity 20 Fig. 3.1 Simpur Ayer (also spelt Simpoh Ayer or Simpoh Ayer) is a durable plant from the tropics, able to colonize a large area quickly if the conditions are right and found extensively throughout Southeast Asia. The photo on the left shows its exploded figs scattering seeds around its perimeter, while the xii List Of Figures photo on the right shows its bright yellow flower in full bloom. Its waxy texture makes the leaves waterproof and their sturdy nature made them suitable as wrapping and serving materials. In the past, hawkers selling tofu would wrap it with Simpur Ayer leaves and then stitch the leaves together using wooden picks. When the author was younger, his grandmother often brought him to Chinatown to buy such stitched leaf tofu from street vendors 26 Fig.