Singapore and Noodles?

Currency used in American Jails?! 

How her Singaporean roots influenced
 her* *Fusion food*

I was surprised at the start of this year to find out that Singapore Noodles isn't considered a Singaporean dish at all ... but the more I read and listen about the dish the more I think just what national dish is really a standalone national dish anyway?

I mean all recipes are really a fusion of cooking methods and ingredients that have come from other cultures and countries when you really think about it.

Just before Chinese New Year this year I was reading (still am) a travel book about Singapore and was contemplating a trip (still am) to Singapore in a year or two.

And since the Buddhist temple was closed to the general public this year because of Covid restrictions I decided to cook a Singaporean meal on Chinese New Year and watch the live-stream from the temple later on in the night -

The Eve of the Tiger?

My attempt at making Singapore Noodles

I thought what could be a more Singaporean dish than Singapore Noodles, right?

Turns out I was wrong.

And in my research, I stumbled across a great podcast called 'Singapore Noodles' which is a tongue in cheek title about Singapore Noodles being a Singaporean national dish.

I've listened to about half of the 74 (and counting) episodes on 'Singapore Noodles' as it's a great insight in the Singaporean mindset and culture around food and lifestyles.

There is even a website from where the podcast originated from (or vice versa ... I'm not sure) called 'Singapore Noodles' where you can sign up for on-line cooking classes, buy cookbooks and subscribe to magazines, but I'll just stick to listening to the podcast for now, I think.  

The Singapore Noodles Podcast

The First Day of the Year of the Tiger?

I've been learning a lot about Singapore this year through research and serendipity, so even if I don't end up visiting the country in person it's still been a life changer for me by just entertaining the idea of going for a visit -

The Mystical Underground: Philip Merry:
The 9 Keys of Synchronicity

One Hell of a Singapore Synchro?

And I have also learnt a lot about noodles this year from reading news stories and listening to other podcasts about the origins of 3-minute noodles.

The ripple effects of Russia's war on Ukraine are set to be felt as far afield as Indonesia, with industry figures saying it will likely push up the price of the country's most popular food: instant noodles.

Last year, Indonesia imported about a quarter of its wheat, the main ingredient for instant noodles, from Ukraine.
Combined, Ukraine and Russia produce about one-third of the world's wheat exports.
However, with Ukraine's ports under siege and Ukrainian farmers forced to leave their fields to fight, major disruptions are expected in the supply chain.

I thought it was ironic how it was said in the BBC 'Seriously' podcast below that instant noodles were invented by a Japanese guy who did a stint in prison before inventing the instant noodle and that today in American prisons instant noodles are a currency to be traded for favours:-)

The Eternal Life of the Instant Noodle

Seriously Podcast

The Eternal Life of
the Instant Noodle

Living on One Cup
 of Noodles a Day

Dim Sum Podcast - Instant Noodles?!

The Irrelevant: Instant Noodles

I've learnt so much about noodles lately that I think I'll be having a rice meal tonight, so I'm wondering if there is a dish called Singapore Rice?-)