Multi-racial country
Sometimes it's really appalling to know how my Chinese schoolmates have such limited knowledge of the other races in Singapore, depsite the fact that they have been residing for nearly two decades in a country that has always pride itself on being culturally vibrant, tolerant and harmonious.
No wonder! We didn't pride ourselves for being culturally understanding and informed, hence the paucity of knowledge about the culture of a different race among Singaporean youths.
For a start, we have trouble differentiating Mee Rebus, Mee Siam and Mee Soto from one another, or not even know what are they called in the first place.
For your information, the traditional Malay dishes mentioned above looked as follows:
Mee Siam:
Characteristics of Mee Siam: Bee Hoon is used, gravy is watery and the colour of the gravy is reddish, that gives the false impression that the dish is fiery hot. Ingredients usually include a hard-boiled egg, tau pok (dried beancurds), bean sprouts and a few shrimps.
Mee Soto:
Characteristics of Mee Soto: Yellow machine-made noodles are used. Soup is semi-clear, with a distinct layer of oil floating above the soup. Ingredients usually include shredded chicken, bean sprouts and occasionally you may find some pieces of tau pok in your bowl.
Mee Rebus:
Characteristics of Mee Rebus: Yellow machine-made noodles are used. Gravy is brownish-yellow and very viscous. Ingredients usually typically include a hard-boiled egg, some pieces of tau pok and bean sprouts. Some stall owners may pour some dark soya sauce over your mee rebus.
Just to digress, that's popiah in the background of the picture featuring Mee Rebus, in case you have a paucity of knowledge on local Chinese food as well.
Next, it's also highly amusing that some of my classmates have no idea that the Malays are fasting now. Some thought that their fasting has ended. Some think that the Malays cannot eat anything at all for 30 consecutive days when they fast. Others confused Hari Raya Puasa with Hari Raya Haji.
To clarify all your doubts, the Malays are STILL fasting. Their fasting season would end on this coming Saturday, 13th October 2007, when they celebrate Hari Raya PUASA. Hari Raya HAJI is the celebration of the conclusion of the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca (extracted from Wikipedia because I need a proper definition (and in case you don't know, Mecca is in Saudi Arabia)). Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji are two different occasions. Please do not mix them up in future or you will only invite mockery.
Also, during the Ramadan (the fasting month), Muslims are only to fast between dawn (as indicated by sunrise) to dusk (as indicated by sunset). Between dusk to the dawn of the next day, Muslims are allowed to consume food. Please do not continue to have this misperception that they are to starve for 30 days. That's inhumane.
Hopefully I have managed to clear some of the doubts or misconceptions that you may have about the Malays and their culture. It would be embarassing to call yourself a Singaporean and yet not know some basic facts of cultures of the other races whom you have been residing with for your entire life.
No wonder! We didn't pride ourselves for being culturally understanding and informed, hence the paucity of knowledge about the culture of a different race among Singaporean youths.
For a start, we have trouble differentiating Mee Rebus, Mee Siam and Mee Soto from one another, or not even know what are they called in the first place.
For your information, the traditional Malay dishes mentioned above looked as follows:
Mee Siam:
Characteristics of Mee Siam: Bee Hoon is used, gravy is watery and the colour of the gravy is reddish, that gives the false impression that the dish is fiery hot. Ingredients usually include a hard-boiled egg, tau pok (dried beancurds), bean sprouts and a few shrimps.
Mee Soto:
Characteristics of Mee Soto: Yellow machine-made noodles are used. Soup is semi-clear, with a distinct layer of oil floating above the soup. Ingredients usually include shredded chicken, bean sprouts and occasionally you may find some pieces of tau pok in your bowl.
Mee Rebus:
Characteristics of Mee Rebus: Yellow machine-made noodles are used. Gravy is brownish-yellow and very viscous. Ingredients usually typically include a hard-boiled egg, some pieces of tau pok and bean sprouts. Some stall owners may pour some dark soya sauce over your mee rebus.
Just to digress, that's popiah in the background of the picture featuring Mee Rebus, in case you have a paucity of knowledge on local Chinese food as well.
Next, it's also highly amusing that some of my classmates have no idea that the Malays are fasting now. Some thought that their fasting has ended. Some think that the Malays cannot eat anything at all for 30 consecutive days when they fast. Others confused Hari Raya Puasa with Hari Raya Haji.
To clarify all your doubts, the Malays are STILL fasting. Their fasting season would end on this coming Saturday, 13th October 2007, when they celebrate Hari Raya PUASA. Hari Raya HAJI is the celebration of the conclusion of the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca (extracted from Wikipedia because I need a proper definition (and in case you don't know, Mecca is in Saudi Arabia)). Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji are two different occasions. Please do not mix them up in future or you will only invite mockery.
Also, during the Ramadan (the fasting month), Muslims are only to fast between dawn (as indicated by sunrise) to dusk (as indicated by sunset). Between dusk to the dawn of the next day, Muslims are allowed to consume food. Please do not continue to have this misperception that they are to starve for 30 days. That's inhumane.
Hopefully I have managed to clear some of the doubts or misconceptions that you may have about the Malays and their culture. It would be embarassing to call yourself a Singaporean and yet not know some basic facts of cultures of the other races whom you have been residing with for your entire life.
小权纯裕郎 自作自秀@at
10:45 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home