Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations Season 3 Episode 6 Singapore
- TV-G
- February 9, 2016
- 42 min
-
(6)
Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations takes its viewers on a culinary tour to discover some of the most unique and exotic dishes in the world. In season 3 episode 6, we follow host Andrew Zimmern as he explores the rich and varied food scene of Singapore.
Singapore, the island city-state situated at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, is renowned for its blend of Chinese, Malay, and Indian cultures. This cultural mix is apparent in its cuisine, which is an amalgamation of these different influences.
Andrew begins his culinary journey at the iconic hawker center, Maxwell Road Food Centre. Here, he samples Hainanese chicken rice, a dish made with poached chicken served with rice cooked in chicken broth. The dish is known for its subtle but tasty flavor, enhanced by a spicy chili sauce.
Next, Andrew visits the Toa Payoh neighborhood to taste laksa, a spicy noodle soup made with coconut milk, shrimp, and fish cakes. Andrew describes the dish as an explosion of flavors in his mouth, with the added fragrance of herbs like lemongrass and galangal.
Andrew also visits the wet market at Tiong Bahru, where he meets a local fishmonger, who introduces him to the king of fish, the grouper. The fishmonger explains that grouper is a popular fish for Singaporeans due to its sweet and tender flesh, as well as its versatility in the kitchen.
Another Singaporean delicacy is the chili crab, which Andrew tries at one of the local seafood shacks in East Coast Park. The crab is cooked in a tangy and spicy sauce made from chili, tomato, and egg, and served with mantou, a type of fried bread that is perfect for soaking up the sauce.
For dessert, Andrew heads to Joo Chiat to sample kueh, a traditional steamed cake made from rice flour. He tries a variety of kueh, including kueh salat, a two-layered cake made with pandan juice and coconut milk, and kueh tutu, a sweet and savory cake filled with grated coconut and peanut.
In between all his food explorations, Andrew also takes in some of Singapore's cultural sites, including the beautiful colonial architecture of the Raffles Hotel and the colorful shophouses of Chinatown.
Throughout the episode, Andrew also highlights the multi-cultural nature of Singapore, which he describes as a melting pot of cultures and food. He notes that Singaporeans are proud of their food heritage and are keen to maintain the authenticity of their traditional dishes, despite the evolving food scene.
In the end, Andrew sums up Singapore's food scene as a mix of tradition and innovation. While the city is known for its traditional hawker centers, it is also home to a new crop of Michelin-starred restaurants that are pushing the boundaries of conventional culinary techniques.
Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations season 3 episode 6 is an enjoyable and informative watch for anyone interested in Singaporean cuisine and culture. Andrew's enthusiasm for food shines through in every scene, and his interactions with locals add an extra touch of authenticity to the episode.