An ode to pandan, seen in Singaporean chiffon cake and other dishes
Published: 8:15am, 22 Feb 2025
I was in the departure area in Terminal 1 at Singapore Changi Airport recently and was looking for things to buy as gifts for friends in Malaysia. I headed towards the famous Singapore bakery Bengawan Solo because I knew that some of them love its kueh lapis legit , the Indonesian layered cake also known as spekkoek in Dutch.
Now when Malaysians say they like a certain type of food from Singapore, you know that they must really, really like it.
Standing in the queue at Bengawan Solo, I observed that most people were visitors, and they happened to converse in Mandarin. A group of three women behind me were looking at goods in the glass display case, and were wondering out loud which of the many delicious confections were pandan chiffon cakes . They had no idea, but they were buying a few each for friends and family back home in Hangzhou, in China's Zhejiang province.
There were plenty to go around, seeing as there were several stacks of red and yellow cardboard boxes containing the fluffy, fragrant sponge cake in the distinctive shade of green.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
11-05-2025
- RTHK
John Lee's delegation begins visit to Qatar
John Lee's delegation begins visit to Qatar The delegation led by Chief Executive John Lee starts the day by taking a group picture. Photo: Information Services Department Chief Executive John Lee has kicked off his trip to the Middle East by meeting with the Qatari leader and visiting the country's investment authority. He's leading more than 50 business leaders from Hong Kong and the mainland in search of business opportunities in the region. The delegation took a group photo at a hotel in Doha on Sunday morning, and the CE thanked the group in both Cantonese and Mandarin. "I see that everyone's energetic after a long flight, and we all look forward to our trip in Qatar. Let's work hard," Lee said. "I also see our comrades and representatives from the mainland, you all look energetic. I'm very much encouraged by this." Lee then met with Qatar's Amir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as well as the country's prime minister and foreign minister. It is understood that the chief executive will take part in a luncheon hosted by a bank and have dinner with China's Ambassador to Qatar, Cao Xiaolin. Earlier, Lee wrote on social media that Hong Kong will sign a series of memoranda of understanding with Qatar and Kuwait, covering areas such as trade, aviation and research.
RTHK
07-05-2025
- RTHK
Cathay flights 'do not fly over Pakistani airspace'
Cathay flights 'do not fly over Pakistani airspace' Cathay Pacific says it "proactively reviews areas of concern" to ensure all its flight routings remain safe. File photo: RTHK Cathay Pacific on Wednesday said it does not operate passenger flights over Pakistani airspace, while cargo flights have averted the region since the end of April. The airline's statement came amid the worst violence between India and Pakistan in two decades, after New Delhi launched missile strikes on Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir. Hong Kong's flagship carrier said it "proactively reviews areas of concern" to ensure its flight routings remain safe, and all decisions are made with the safety of passengers and crew in mind. The conflict between the neighbours has severely disrupted air travel in the region. About a dozen Indian airports have shut down as of Wednesday evening. The nation's largest airline, IndiGo, announced the cancellation of 165 flights until Saturday morning. Multiple carriers have been forced to adjust their operations. Korean Air has rerouted its Seoul Incheon-Dubai flights to a southern path over Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India. Singapore Airlines ceased operations over Pakistani airspace since Tuesday, while Dutch airline KLM has suspended all flights over Pakistan until further notice. (Additional reporting by Reuters)
South China Morning Post
04-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong ‘golden week' tourist hits and misses: nicer workers, e-payment poor
Some mainland Chinese tourists visiting Hong Kong during the Labour Day ' golden week ' holiday have expressed surprise at improvements in service attitudes but believe the city's e-payment system could be better. Advertisement They said waiters and waitresses were no longer rude while serving and spoke better Mandarin after notoriously impolite restaurant staff, shop workers and taxi drivers triggered a 'Let's go the Extra Mile' campaign by the Tourism Board to educate industry players last year. The city welcomed more than 682,000 mainland Chinese tourists on the first three days of the Labour Day golden week holiday between May 1 and 3. Arrival numbers on Friday set a post-pandemic single-day record. Tourist Edison Wu, 27, was among Friday's record 267,000 mainland arrivals and said he was happy to see a more welcoming attitude from the catering industry. 'The attitude of restaurant bosses and staff has been much better than before. They take our orders patiently, and they are not that annoyed when there are language barriers,' Wu, who is spending four days in the city with his family, said on Sunday. Advertisement 'But there are too many tourists … The overall experience is not that great, as many places have long queues. It is inconvenient to go around the city as streets and public transport are too crowded.'
