Page 78 - Our Hawker Stories

“Phew, what a day. I’m starving, you too?” asked my
friend, Luka.

I nodded as my stomach growled. After some thought,
we decided to go to a nearby hawker centre at Oasis
Terraces.

A delightful aroma of different things wafted into my
nose as we reached our intended location. I turned
around to see if Luka could smell it too. He was practically
drooling. As soon as I entered the hawker centre, I
scanned the area, deciding what to eat. We were truly
spoilt for choice. There you have it. My eyes glimmered
in excitement. “chinese rojak!” I grinned.
“Luka, did you know the chinese rojak has malay
Before you know it, I was already queuing at Rojak origins?”
Popiah about buying two servings. The kind aunt
asked if I could eat all the plates clean. “Aunty, don’t Luka was surprised by the fun fact.
underestimate me when I am hungry!” I told her jokingly.
She chuckled before swiftly cutting dough fritters and “Food fusion and adaptations are inevitable when we
skillfully scooping fried tofu steam. She then cut them live in a multicultural society like Singapore,” he quipped.
up into neat, medium squares. The most impressive
thing I witnessed was how she could cut a whole bunch We needed to return our plates, so I stood up. But Luka
of onions without tearing up. “Woah! I gasped as she insisted on doing it.
went on to cup a pineapple like a master chef in under
ten seconds! “Thanks!” I smiled.

Soon, you could see me about to have my first bite as We both had a fantastic experience at the hawker centre,
my friend ate her chicken rice. I sank my teeth, chewed and we wish you would too!
an array of flavours, and exploded in my mouth, and
blew my socks off. Soft yet crunchy, a satisfying balance
of sweet and sour, and a tinge of apple and pineapple “Every bite of chinese rojak was a mix of history
surprised my taste buds. A flavourful, refreshing crunch and harmony — proof that in Singapore, even
delighted me as I took my second bite. In just 15 minutes,
I finished both servings. I could taste some umami and our food celebrates diversity.”
nuts trapped in between my teeth. I doubt whether it is
a good thing or not. Nevertheless, it pleased me. Masyita Binti Abdullah
P5.1
“I’m going to have food coma soon,” I thought. North Spring Primary School

74 Our Hawker Stories