Cover Shu Han Lee
Shu Han Lee
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The Singaporean author of Chicken and Rice cookbook, who is based in London, shares her go-to places to dine when she is back home
Singaporean graphic designer Shu Han Lee grew up around food, with her mom regularly whipping up mouth-watering dishes for her family. However, the self-taught cook only started experimenting with recipes in 2010, when she began her studies at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design in London, UK. It was only then that her passion for cooking began. This led her to the creation of her blog, Mummy I Can Cook, where she often shares her cooking journey with the world. In 2016, she also debuted her cookbook, Chicken and Rice.
Today, when she is not busy working as a full-time senior planner at UK-based communications company Adam&Eve DDB, she puts on her chef’s apron and hosts pop-ups, supper clubs and workshops.
Having been based in London for over 10 years, Lee often craves from the familiar Singaporean flavours she grew up with. Here, she highlights some of her go-to places when she is back home.
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When was your last trip to Singapore? How did you spend your holiday here?
Shu Han Lee (SL): My last trip back was in November. As it had been two and a half years since I saw my family and friends, a lot of the holiday was spent catching up with everyone. Thankfully, the Singaporean way of doing it is always over food, so there was a fair amount of eating!
What do you miss most on the food/drink front when you are away from Singapore or haven’t been back for a while?
SL: I really miss hawker centres and its noise, bustle and eclectic mix of food from various cultures. These hawkers have years of experience cooking the same dish and doing it really well—it is something you can't find that anywhere else.
If you have visitors/guests with you, where do you ensure you always go to give them a real taste of home?
SL: Besides introducing visitors to Singapore’s hawker scene, I also love bringing them to Peranakan restaurants. Blue Ginger and Ivins are my favourite. Nonya food is so unique to Singapore and a wonderful example of the good things that can happen when cultures mix.
What are your favourite heritage dishes and where are some of the places you go to find them?
SL: The first thing I always eat when I return home is fried carrot cake. While there are a lot of famous stalls around the island, my favourite is He Zhong Carrot Cake, from Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre. Its carrot cake is thick and fluffy, with plenty of chai poh (preserved salted radish). I also tend to ask for extra sambal for an additional kick of spice.
Other must haves when I return are kaya toast and a strong kopi. I enjoy Ya Kun Kaya Toast for its thin and crisp slices of bread.
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Where do you like to meet up with old friends for food and drinks?
SL: I like to go for steamboat because it’s very social and communal—there is nothing like dipping into a bubbling pot of broth together.
Is there anywhere else that you never miss visiting when you are back?
SL: Visiting the wet market with my mum is one of my favourite things to do. We typically visit the Ghim Moh Road Market at the crack of dawn. I would watch her haggle and charm her way into getting the freshest produce. We would end the trip with a comforting plate of chwee kueh and char kway teow, before the flock of hungry locals descend.
What do you always take back home with you when you leave Singapore?
SL: I bring back a fair bit of batik from Haji Lane—we make limited edition batik bundles for my London-based spice paste company, Rempapa, so I always stock up on beautiful lengths of fabric I come across.
I also fill my luggage with gula melaka, herbal soup packets, local sauces, and a cheeky box of kuehs from the airport.
Where do you go to find authentic flavours of home where you currently live?
SL: There are various spots I enjoy visiting for a taste of home. Some include Roti King for crispy prata and curry; Singapore Garden for a plate of Hainanese chicken rice; and Julie’s Kopitiam, in Glasgow, for a Singapore kopitiam experience.
Amanda Goh was the former senior writer for Tatler Singapore.
