Have you ever travelled to Singapore, Malaysia, or other Southeast Asian countries and fallen in love with their food culture? Why not recreate the flavours in the comfort of your home, following easy-to-follow recipes with the guidance of a passionate Singaporean home cook?
Born into a family of Spice Makers, I am a third-generation Spice Girl based in Switzerland. I learned the nuts and bolts of spice mixing from my father and cultivated the love of cooking from the OG Spice Lady Boss, my paternal grandmother aka ahmah. From a young age, I was exposed to the vibrant colours and aroma of fresh spices then as I grew older, watching and assisting my ahmah in the kitchen for our daily dinners was my favourite time of the day.
Traditional Singaporean dishes such as Chicken Curry, Sambal Assam Fish, Rendang, and Sambal Prawns/Squid, Stir-fry KangKong (morning glory) are commonly found on our dinner table. For special occasions or not, we would also cook Nasi Lemak and Laksa and these two dishes have become my go-to comfort food whenever I miss my motherland.
1. Chicken Curry (non-vegetarian)
Chicken Curry is an iconic Peranakan dish in South East Asia. Chicken and potatoes are stewed in spicy, rich and creamy coconut gravy. Usually served with rice but it is also delicious to be eaten with a French baguette or bread.
2. Laksa with Prawns/Vegetables (vegetarian-friendly)
Traditional Laksa is a spicy noodle soup popular in the Peranakan cuisine of Southeast Asia. Laksa consists of thick wheat noodles or rice vermicelli in a thick broth made with spices, fresh aromatics and coconut milk. Common toppings include fried tofu puffs, fish cakes, shrimp, bean sprouts or other vegetables and minced fresh laksa leaves.
3. Meat Rendang (non-vegetarian)
Meat Rendang is a Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian “dry” curry commonly made with red meat, spices and coconut milk which makes it spicy, rich and creamy. Beef rendang is considered by many to be the king of all curries as they are packed with complex flavours.
4. Sambal Assam Fish (non-vegetarian)
Sambal Asam Fish is a classic Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia dish which is addictively sour, tangy and spicy thanks to tamarind (Asam) and chilli. It is considered a healthy dish with lots of vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, lady’s fingers and fish with no coconut milk and tastes amazingly satisfying.
6. Bak Kut Teh (non-vegetarian)
Bak kut teh, or pork ribs soup, is a popular traditional Chinese dish in Singapore. The dish consists of pork ribs stewed with a mixture of aromatic spices such as garlic, white pepper, black pepper, star anise, cinnamon and other spices.
7. Kueh Salat / Seri Muka
It is a popular Singaporean and Malaysian Nyonya kueh (pastry) made with pressed glutinous rice layered with coconut egg custard (Kaya) flavoured with pandan. (steamer required)
You will need:
- Basic cooking equipment such as a saucepan, pots, knife, cutting board etc.
- Cooking hob
- A blender or a food processor
- Apron
Once a class is confirmed, I will be providing you:
- A recipe card
- An ingredient list. You will need to get the ingredients on your own before the class.
- A packet of Anthony The Spice Maker's Spice Blend depending on what we are cooking.
For local students (residing in Switzerland & Liechtenstein ) I will send you the spice blend free of charge.
For international students, I will send you the spice blend but shipping fees are at your expense.
The class will be conducted in English.
