Tag: geylang serai

The Joker Of Singapore And Jus Katira

Singapore is good at promoting foreign food or “hipterising” local food favourites such as nasi lemak’s conversion into a McD burger for National Day. At their Ramadan bazaars, I kept seeing a Katira drink that was a big hit. The crazy Chinese seller who looked like Batman’s Joker, assured me it is halal and showed me the MUIS logo which is similar in mileage to our JAKIM logo.

I thought he was a PRC (local racist and discriminatory slang word for workers from People’s Republic of China) but he is local since he kept using Hokkien (Fujian) expletives when I pushed him for an explanation of the unusual green drink.

What is Katira? It is Tragacanth gum from a shrub mostly found in Iran, Iraq and Western Asia. It is considered a herb and good for detoxing in the Middle East. I didn’t feel like trying after he called it “kapo nerg” or frog’s eggs or tadpoles. Thanks for your honesty, Sir. Wonderful Basil seed drink suffers the same. Finally, I saw one solitary stall selling it from a corner at TTDI’s bazaar this year. The Singapore stall was at Geylang Serai and local Malays loved Air Katira and Jus Katira.

#singapore #food #katira #ramadan #geylangserai

Guns N’ Rose Syrup

A shoutout to the many Malay law enforcement officers who perform breaking of fast (buka puasa) on the fly as duties call. They keep the traffic smooth, deter crime and assist tourists.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 800, f4, 1/250 sec.

‪#‎streetphotography‬ ‪#‎ramadan‬ ‪#‎ramadanbazaar‬ ‪#‎geylang‬ ‪#‎geylangserai‬ ‪#police #bukapuasa #‎singapore‬ ‪#‎sonyalpha‬
‪#‎a7r‬ ‪#‎zeiss‬ ‪

Rainbow Bagels Are Unicorn Poop?

Rainbow Bagels Are Unicorn Poop?

The rainbow bagel, which I first saw last year. at the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar are back again this year, I heard.

Young and old were captivated by the psychedelic bread which originated in The Bagel Store in Brooklyn. Bagels are a bread product originating in the Jewish communities of Poland.

The rainbow versions became hipster Ramadan bazaar food in Singapore. It was made for the Instagram generation.

The Geylang Serai bazaar has over 1000 stalls and lots of new food to try. Find a hotel here, should you visit:
http://www.mycen.my/singapore-hotel-deals-finder/

#ramadan #ramadanbazaar #geylangserai #rainbowbagel #food #rainbow #bagel #hipster #singapore

The Birthplace Of Roti John

Singapore is where Roti John was concocted, invented or born as a street food. I sat down for a drink at a stall in Haig Road Cooked Food Centre, unaware.

When I looked up later, I was astonished to see a very long queue forming in front of the neighbouring stall. It was Ramadan and local Muslims were packing and taking away food to break fast later.

The stall named Rosy & Nora is 35 years old and as old as the the Roti John snack it is famous for serving. Roti John is a baguette loaf with scrambled eggs, onions and chilli gravy.

Roti John’s name or origin is humdrum as far as local legends go. It started as a a hawker’s sales pitch in asking a Matsalleh, Caucasian or white man, most likely a British soldier: “Roti, John?”

A Malay auntie in the line noticed my curiosity and she told me many of the customers, like herself, are also queuing for popiah basah (a wet spring roll). What an awesome but accidental discovery of a famous and iconic Singapore food stall.

The Geylang Serai bazaar has over 1000 stalls, excluding those in the food court. Find a hotel here, when you visit:
http://www.mycen.my/singapore-hotel-deals-finder/

#rotijohn #geylangserai #ramadan #bazaar #singapore #snacks #joochiat #fasting #iftar #food #rotijohn #popiah #geylang #hawkerfood #rosyandnora #mycenhotels #singapura

Watermelon Volcano

Watermelon Volcano.

It was the most successful fadish food at Singapore’s Geylang Serai Ramadan bazaar last year. Alongside, rainbow bagels and Ramly burgers.

Long queues of mostly young people and hipsterlets can be seen lining up in front of the kiosk. Wonder if it is still a big hit this year?

Originally, a school science project with vinegar and baking soda, the messy eruptions became a a slushie mixture of ice, watermelon cubes and evaporated milk. Because it is shared dish with straws, it is popular with couples and young people.

The bazaar has over 1000 stalls. Find a hotel here:
http://www.mycen.my/singapore-hotel-deals-finder/

#watermelonvolcano #geylangserai #ramadan #bazaar #singapore #snacks #joochiat #fasting #iftar #slushie