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Two esteemed Chefs from CNA’s The Perfect Meal, Chef Yong Bing Ngen, Owner/ Chef from Majestic Restaurant &    Chef Pang Kok Keong, Executive Pastry Chef from Canelé Pâtisserie share their reinvention of 2 popular dishes: Chicken Rice and Otah with Laksa sauce. We ask the chefs 3 questions about the food tussle between Singapore and Malaysia.

Q: Do you care about the food fight between these 2 countries?
Yong: This fight is stupid and pointless. How can Singapore or Malaysia put a stamp on food such as chicken rice? It came from Hainan in China! I take the example of Din Tai Fung, a Taiwanese company that sells Shanghainese Xiao Long Bao. Nobody cares, they just go there to eat because its good.
Pang: This fight is full of *bleep*! I don’t think anybody can actually lay a claim to any of the dishes, and if Singapore and Malaysia continue to claim this and that, the fight would be neverending. I dont see the need to stake a claim because we are in such close proximity and Singapore food has an influence from Malaysia and vice versa.

Q: Why did the Malaysian Tourism Minister raise the issue that some food belongs to Malaysia’s heritage?
Yong: I think it’s a matter of reputation, because Singapore did a better job at marketing some dishes to the world as being ours, so now its being recognized as Singaporean food.

Q:What matters most in this issue?
Pang: It doesnt matter whom the dishes belong to. All that matters is who does them the best. Diners are the best judge on whether Singapore or Malaysia makes the best dishes.Let them decide.

Chef Yong Bing Ngen’s Organic Quinoa with Hainanese Chicken

Kampong Chicken 2 nos. (about 1kg each)
Organic Quinoa 1 packet (500grams)
Pandan Leaves 1 bunch
Ginger 1 no. (20grams)
Mix Green 200grams
Chicken Stock (for quinoa) 500ml
Add Salt 1 teaspoon
Add Sugar 1 teaspoon
Sauce (Blend both together to make sauce)
Ginger 10 slices
Spring Onion 1 stalk
Seasoning
Salt ½ teaspoon
Sugar 1 teaspoon
Soya Sauce 1 tablespoon
Dark Soya Sauce 1 teaspoon
Hua Diao Chinese Wine 1 tablespoon
Sesame Oil 1 tablespoon
White Pepper ½ teaspoon

Method of Cooking
1. Cook whole chicken in boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove and soak in water.
2. Wash quinoa. Add quinoa, pandan leaves, ginger followed by chicken stock into rice cooker. Cook for 20 minutes.
3. Heat wok with sesame oil. Add chicken stock and all items under seasoning. Bring to boil and remove.
4. De-bone chicken and cut into small pieces. Place onto serving plate.
5. Scoop quinoa and place beside chicken including the ginger sauce. Garnish with mix green.
6. Pour dark soya sauce over ginger sauce and chicken.
7. Serve.

Reinvented Chicken Rice

Chef Pang Kok Keong’s Prawn Flan with Laksa Sauce   
   
*PRAWN FLAN   
Fresh Prawn 
Whole Eggs 
Milk  
Salt & Pepper 
METHOD – puree the prawn, sieve and mix with whole eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper, reserve till needed.  
  
*LAKSA SAUCE   
Prima instant laksa paste (use only the laksa powder) 100g
prawn stock 200g
kara coconut milk 80g
METHOD – bring prawn stock to boil, whisk in laksa powder, simmer and season   
with salt and pepper, finish with coconut milk. 
  
*PRAWN STOCK   
onion 100g
prawn head and shells 300g
garlic 80g
hua tiao wine 120g
chicken stock 150g
cooking oil as needed
METHOD – in a heavy base skillet, heat enough cooking oil, sauteed the onion till   
soft, turn up the heat, add prawn head and shell, add garlic, deglaze with hua tiao wine   
reduce till almost dry. Add chicken stock and simmer.

***garnish   
quail egg   
caviar   
coriander   
chive   
   
ASSEMBLY   
spoon the prawn flan mixture into serving plate, wrap tightly with cling film.    
steam for approx. 20min at 80C or until the flan is firm. Remove from steamer,    
garnish with quail egg, caviar, coriander and chive, drizzle with laksa sauce.    
serve immediately.

Reinvented Otah w/ Laksa sauce