Grub gratification

I love food and keeping fit so I choose healthy fare instead of oily, fatty or fried but this ‘health nut’ frame of mind continues to sabotage my attempts to revel in Singapore’s famous cuisine. I want to challenge my taste buds yet my ‘health nazi’ alter ego (picture a miniature yet just as terrifying version of Gillian from The Biggest Loser on my shoulder) is always at me to resist, resist!!

My nutritional quandary has lead me to consider what of Singapore’s ‘multicultural foods’ have tickled my fancy and those I can cross off my list as having tasted, but never again.

Adventurous eater I’m not, especially when offal is on the menu. I’ve never tried it, nor do I want to, which leads me to the apparent delicacy of fish head curry … we humans reside at the top of the food chain, but I don’t want my meal staring back at me – it detracts from my appetite and excuse my ignorance, but I’m not compelled to discover what an eyeball tastes like, let alone discover its texture so let’s move on.

How about the contentious gastronome debate of Singapore – chilli or black peppered crab? Call me one big fat fence-sitter, but I’m for both (although I’d probably lean one cheek closer to the chilli!) I’m not big on the messiness, which some say is all part of the experience. I’d prefer it served sans shell without all that cracking, digging and slurping about – talk about taking me back to my ancestral roots.

My occasional and almost sacrosanct indulgence is prata and murtabak …in fact I’m a complete devotee! Ooohhh how I love its taste and texture (and the ever so entertaining display as it’s being flipped and whipped about that hotter-than-hell griddle). In fact, I’m craving one now (and dabbing away the drool!)

I’m also quite partial to the misleading ‘carrot cake’ – fried radish, spring onions, egg and prawns (so where’s the carrot I ask?) I often wonder if Singaporeans are just mocking us confused expats with such ambiguous names!