Eating Her Curries and Kway : A Cultural History of Food in Singapore

While eating is a universal experience, for Singaporeans it carries strong national connotations. The popular Singaporean–English phrase “Die die must try” is not so much hyperbole as it is a reflection of the lengths that Singaporeans will go to find great dishes. This book argues that in a society that has undergone substantial change in a relatively short amount of time, food serves Singaporeans as a poignant connection to the past. Covering the period from British settlement in 1819 to the present and focusing on the post-1965 postcolonial era, the book tells the story of Singapore through the production and consumption of food. Analyzing a variety of sources that range from cookbooks to architectural and city plans, the book offers a thematic history of this unusual country, which was colonized by the British and operated as a port within Malaya, but which is without a substantial pre-colonial history. Connecting food culture to the larger history of Singapore, the book discusses various topics including domesticity and home economics, housing and architecture, advertising, and the regulation of food-related manners and public behavior such as hawking, littering, and chewing gum. Moving away from the predominantly political and economic focus of other histories of Singapore, the book provides an important alternative reading of Singaporean society. Discovering Singaporean identity through cooking and cuisine While eating is a universal experience, for Singaporeans it carries strong national connotations. The popular Singaporean-English phrase "Die die must try" is not so much hyperbole as it is a reflection of the lengths that Singaporeans will go to find great dishes. In Eating Her Curries and Kway: A Cultural History of Food in Singapore , Nicole Tarulevicz argues that in a society that has undergone substantial change in a relatively short amount of time, food serves Singaporeans as a poignant connection to the past. Eating has provided a unifying practice for a diverse society, a metaphor for multiracialism and recognizable national symbols for a fledgling state. Covering the period from British settlement in 1819 to the present and focusing on the post–1965 postcolonial era, Tarulevicz tells the story of Singapore through the production and consumption of food. Analyzing a variety of sources that range from cookbooks to architectural and city plans, Tarulevicz offer a thematic history of this unusual country, which was colonized by the British and operated as a port within Malaya. Connecting food culture to the larger history of Singapore, she discusses various topics including domesticity and home economics, housing and architecture, advertising, and the regulation of food-related manners and public behavior such as hawking, littering, and chewing gum. Moving away from the predominantly political and economic focus of other histories of Singapore, Eating Her Curries and Kway provides an important alternative reading of Singaporean society. | Cover Title Contents Acknowledgments Introduction. Audacious Fusion: Thinking About Singaporean Cuisine 1. A Brief History of Singapore 2. Making the Past the Present 3. Public Spaces, Public Bodies 4. The Kitchen 5. Jam Tarts, Spotted Dicks, and Curry 6. The Pizza of Love 7. Picked in Their Fresh Young Prime 8. Food Sluts and the Marketing of Singaporean Cuisine Conclusion. More Than Just Food Notes Index |"An engaging study that draws from a rich and previously unstudied repertoire of Singaporean history. Tarulevicz provides a valuable framework for understanding how a diverse migrant society can use food to map a sense of collective identity."—Mark Swislocki, author of Culinary Nostalgia: Regional Food Culture and the Urban Experience in Shanghai "Nicole Tarulevicz's Eating Her Curries and Kway is able to locate yet another lens for deciphering race, postcolonialism, and identity in Singapore: food culture. . . . The Singapore neophyte will find it pleasantly readable, but the serious cultural scholar will also benefit from Tarulevicz's steady stream of insights and fresh perspectives."— The Journal of Asian Studies | Nicole Tarulevicz is a lecturer in Asian Studies in the School of Humanities at the University of Tasmania, Australia. While eating is a universal experience, for Singaporeans it carries strong national connotations. The popular Singaporean-English phrase "Die die must try" is not so much hyperbole as it is a reflection of the lengths that Singaporeans will go to find great dishes. In Eating Her Curries and Kway: A Cultural History of Food in Singapore, Nicole Tarulevicz argues that in a society that has undergone substantial change in a relatively short amount of time, food serves Singaporeans as a poignant connection to the past. Eating has provided a unifying practice for a diverse society, a metaphor for multiracialism and recognizable national symbols for a fledgling state. Covering the period from British settlement in 1819 to the present and focusing on the post–1965 postcolonial era, Tarulevicz tells the story of Singapore through the production and consumption of food. Analyzing a variety of sources that range from cookbooks to architectural and city plans, Tarulevicz offer a thematic history of this unusual country, which was colonized by the British and operated as a port within Malaya, but which is without a substantial pre-colonial history. Connecting food culture to the larger history of Singapore, she discusses various topics including domesticity and home economics, housing and architecture, advertising, and the regulation of food-related manners and public behavior such as hawking, littering, and chewing gum. Moving away from the predominantly political and economic focus of other histories of Singapore, Eating Her Curries and Kway provides an important alternative reading of Singaporean society. While Eating Is A Universal Experience, For Singaporeans It Carries Strong Everyday And National Connotations. The Popular Singaporean-english Phrase Die Die Must Try Is Not So Much Hyperbole As It Is A Reflection Of The Lengths That Singaporeans Will Go To Find Great Dishes. In Eating The Nation, Tarulevicz Argues That In A Society That Has Undergone Substational Change In A Relatively Short Amount Of Time, Food Serves Singaporeans As A Poignant Connection To The Ever-changing Past. Eating, The How And The What, Has Provided A Unifying Experience For A Diverse Society; A Metaphor For Multiracialism And Recognizable National Symbols For A Fledgling State. Using Food As A Category Of Analysis, And Analyzing A Variety Of Sources That Range From Cookbooks To Architectural And City Plans, Tarulevicz Gives The Reader A Thematic History Of This Unusual Country, Which Was Colonized By The British And Run As A Port Within Malaya, But Which Is Without A Substantial Pre-colonial History. In Doing So, Tarulevicz Moves Away From The Predominately Political And Economic Focus Of Other Historians Of Singapore, And Provides An Important Alternative Reading Of Singaporean Society-- Nicole Tarulevicz. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "While eating is a universal experience, for Singaporeans it carries strong everyday and national connotations. The popular Singaporean-English phrase "Die die must try" is not so much hyperbole as it is a reflection of the lengths that Singaporeans will go to find great dishes. In Eating the Nation, Tarulevicz argues that in a society that has undergone substational change in a relatively short amount of time, food serves Singaporeans as a poignant connection to the ever-changing past. Eating, the how and the what, has provided a unifying experience for a diverse society; a metaphor for multiracialism and recognizable national symbols for a fledgling state. Using food as a category of analysis, and analyzing a variety of sources that range from cookbooks to architectural and city plans, Tarulevicz gives the reader a thematic history of this unusual country, which was colonized by the British and run as a port within Malaya, but which is without a substantial pre-colonial history. In doing so, Tarulevicz moves away from the predominately political and economic focus of other historians of Singapore, and provides an important alternative reading of Singaporean society"-- Provided by publisher While eating is a universal experience, for Singaporeans it carries strong national connotations. The popular Singaporean-English phrase Die die must try is not so much hyperbole as it is a reflection of the lengths that Singaporeans will go to find great dishes. In Eating Her Curries and Kway: A Cultural History of Food in Singapore, Nicole Tarulevicz argues that in a society that has undergone substantial change in a relatively short amount of time, food serves Singaporeans as a poignant connection to the past. Covering the period from British settlement in 1819 to the present and focusing on the postâ€"1965 postcolonial era, Tarulevicz tells the story of Singapore through the production and consumption of food. Analyzing a variety of sources that range from cookbooks to architectural and city plans, Tarulevicz offers a thematic history of this unusual country, which was colonized by the British and operated as a port within Malaya, but which is without a substantial... Mrs. Lee Chin Koon first published Mrs Lees Cookbook in 1979 at the age of 70. With more than 50 years of cooking experience, Mrs. Lee wrote the cookbook in order that her grandchildren and future generations would continue in the tradition of Nonya cuisine. Mrs Lees Cookbook has since had numerous reprints and has become widely accepted as an authority on Nonya cuisine. 29 years later, Shermay Lee, her granddaughter is relaunching the cookbook for a new generation. This revised version makes it possible for any novice to cook classic Peranakan dishes such as Ayam Buah Keluak, Mee Siam and Pong Tauhu Soup . New useful sections such as a glossary of ingredients and basic kitchen equipment, illustrated step-by-step guide to basic cooking techniques and other sections have been added to make Peranakan cooking more accessible. Each recipe is illustrated and is a step-by-step guide providing clear instructions on preparation and methodology. Steeped in the Peranakan tradition of labouring in the kitchen, Late Mrs Lee Chin Koon complied her collection of recipes, and published "Mrs Lee's Cookbook". These recipes are reworked by her grand-daughter, Shermay Lee, into two illustrated cookbooks. This cookbook is the second amongst them, and includes Chinese, Malay and Eurasian dishes.