Tony Johor Kaki Travels for Food · Heritage · Culture · History

Adventurous Culinary Traveler's Blog with 65 million+ reads 📧 johorkaki@gmail.com

Four Principles of Chinese Food Culture 精美情礼


Since ancient China, food has moved beyond the basic human need for sustenance to become expressions of culture and identity. 
Food is linked to how Chinese view and understand the world.

Goldhill Family Restaurant in Hougang. Top Value Chup Cai Png Economic Rice with Best Chicken Wing for $1 金華美食店

Goldhill_Family_Restaurant

I have eaten Goldhill Family Restaurant's chup chai png or Chinese economic rice a few times. It didn't blow my mind right away but it's an affinity that grew on me slowly - I am sold on its homely flavours, generous portions and affordable pricing. I also enjoyed mingling with Goldhill's friendly staff and easy going customers (mostly busy working people getting their affordable lunch fix).

Restaurant name: Goldhill Family Restaurant 金華美食店


Address: 6 Hougang Ave 3, #01-78, Singapore 530006


Hours: 7:30am - 7:30pm (close at 2:30pm on Sunday)

Sultan Hussein of Johor Sultanate. The Hand that Signed the Paper to Singapore's Prosperity


Since 1500s, the Europeans were vying for dominance in the Malay archipelago to control the spice trade. First came the Portuguese who conquered Malacca in 1511, with the Dutch and English hot on their heels. The Dutch ousted the Portuguese in Malacca in 1641, leaving the English with "not an inch of land to stand upon" in the Malacca Straits for nearly two centuries. Finally, in 1819, Stamford Raffles of the British East India Company saw an opportunity to set things right (for the British empire).

History of Hainanese in Singapore Cuisine & Hawker Culture. Their Biggest Influence is Non Hainanese 🤔

History_of_Hainanese_in_Singapore_Cuisine_Hawker_Culture

The Hainanese make up only 6% of Singapore's Chinese population, yet their influence on Singapore hawker culture is far bigger than their numbers suggest. Indeed, Hainanese influence on Singapore food is actually bigger than most people realise as there is more than what meets the eye 🤔

Tragic History of Nutmeg. Forgotten Spice Once Worth More than Gold. Forgotten Island Exchanged for New York City

Between the 1300s - 1600s, Europe was ravaged by a series of deadly plagues (pandemics). Doctors at that time believed that wearing a pendant with a nutmeg inside would ward off infection.

Everybody wanted nutmeg but the fruit came from only a few tiny islands in today's Indonesia, on the other side of the globe from Europe. A round trip between these islands and Europe took nearly two years. At that time, nutmeg was worth more than its weight in gold.

A History of Pepper · The King of Spice

The pepper we take for granted today was once worth its weight in gold. It was so valuable that European countries invested fortunes in armadas and raced each other on risky expeditions in search of the proverbial Black Gold.

Shawan Water Buffalo Milk Banquet & Other Fascinating Dishes of Guangzhou China 沙湾牛奶宴.沙湾古镇


Shawan Ancient Town 沙湾古镇 is located within the Panyu district of Guangzhou city. Shawan is famed for their water buffalo milk dishes and unique cuisine. The ancient town founded during the Southern Song dynasty is a Must Visit on any foodie trip to Guangzhou.

Note: Images are screengrabs from CCTV video  沙湾:食不厌精.

History of Nasi Lemak ● Trinity of Rice, Coconut Milk & Sambal

History_of_Nasi_Lemak

Nasi Lemak is a popular dish of rice boiled in coconut milk and stalks of pandan leaf. In its most basic form, it is eaten with a dollop of sambal (spicy sauce) of chili pepper, onion and often whitebait / anchovy.

History of Pandan Leaf. Amazing, Mighty, Unsung Food Hero


The pandan leaf (known in the West as screw pine) is so pervasive in Southeast Asian cuisine that it is like an unsung hero - always there, dependable but seldom in the limelight, somewhat taken for granted. Nicknamed the "vanilla of the East", pandan costs only a mere fraction but delivers just as much fragrance.

History of Biryani ● How a Persian Import Unites India & Become the Global Indian Food Icon

History_of_Biryani

Biryani came to Singapore and Malaysia from India but the dish originated in Persia (today's Iran).The hearty, flavour and aroma packed meat and rice dish is one of the favourites in Malaysia and Singapore cuisine.

The word biryani is derived from two Persian words. Birinj is the Persian word for "rice". The Persian word Birian means "to fry before cooking" which succinctly sums up the basic method of cooking biryani.

I Had Triple Heart Bypass on 5 Jul 2021 ❤️ On the Road to Full Recovery & New Lease of Life 

Angiogram

I just had my triple heart bypass surgery after angiography revealed that I have three severely blocked arteries - one 100% blocked, one 90% blocked and one 70%. Not dead man walking but I was a walking time bomb.

Picky Eater's Guide to Best Teochew Fish Soup in Singapore 潮州鱼片汤

Teochew_Fish_Soup

Most hawker centres in Singapore have at least one Teochew fish soup stall and it often attracts long queues. The dish is delicious and growing in popularity as it is perceived as a "healthier choice". Still, Teochew fish soup has a lower profile than other dishes like chicken rice, laksa, char kway teow, bak chor mee, etc.