Street Food - Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia gives to the world a myriad
of cuisines and culinary influences, with
traditions often spanning generations. Yet
governing all these there still remain distinct
boundaries that give each country or cultural
group its trademark food. For instance, there
are four main tastes found in Vietnamese
cuisine: hot, sweet, salty, and sour. This basic
structure is apparent in every dish and every
mouthful. In Thailand, this is called “rot chart”,
or “correct taste.” In Singapore, the food
reflects the extraordinary melting pot that
is this small island nation. Binding all these
regions is a culture of street food coupled
with an explosion of tastes, flavors, and
aromas guaranteed to tempt the palate.
Day 11: Singapore Arriving in steamy Singapore five days before Christmas, after a
long and squashed flight from wintry London, was more than a little disorienting. Suddenly it was
sticky and humid, and the middle of the night—but I had a limited number of days in which to
ingest the food of Singapore and wanted to begin my mission immediately. One of the best ways
to find the most delicious local street food is to ask the taxi drivers. I had heard about roti prata
(p46–47) from a friend who had worked as a journalist in Singapore. Now, despite the late hour,
I was determined to find it. I dropped my bags off at the hotel, and asked my taxi driver to take
me to the best stall of roti prata in Singapore. He set off, but the streets seemed ominously quiet
and ghostlike, empty of the hungry locals I hoped to join. Five dollars later we turned a corner
and all was explained. A small café was acting like a beacon in the night, its canary yellow plastic
tables and stark fluorescent lights welcoming all prospective diners—and there were hundreds.
For the length of the block there was no footpath to be seen—only happy faces seated at flimsy
chairs and tables devouring their favourite dish. And this was at 1:30 am on a Tuesday. Welcome
to Singapore. I sat down and finally my roti prata arrived. I tore it into pieces, dipped it into a
spicy curry sauce, and devoured. With one mouthful I knew exactly where I was. Heaven.
Day 14: Hue, Vietnam Vietnam is an extraordinary country, with a unique cuisine.
Leaving the organized chaos of Hanoi in the north, I head for the ancient imperial city of Hue,
situated on the banks of the Perfume River. Hue is well kept and has a rare tranquillity. It is
a strange type of silence. The city suffered 10,000 fatalities under American bombardment
as a response to the North Vietnamese Tet Offensive in the spring of 1968, and has never
quite recovered. Much of the ancient citadel was destroyed, yet you can still imagine its former
splendor. Despite Hue’s renown for elaborate and intricate displays of tradition, the most
delicious meal that I ate there was the simplest: bahn khoai, or happy crêpes. These mouthwatering
open pancakes are stuffed with pork and prawns and mushrooms. I found this dish in
the establishment of a man who is a deaf mute, and expresses his love through his food. Mr. Le
of Lac Tien is extraordinarily welcoming; we ate and laughed all afternoon. His mother, who
opened the restaurant 35 years ago, made the pancakes, and his children all served, and
laughed at my long legs while practicing their English.

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