Page 58 - Raffles Magazine Issue 8

Fresh seed pods of the lotus flower on sale at Meilin market stool in in in a a a world of her own making dumplings This was probably nothing more than a a a a a part of her daily routine preparing dinner for the family but it was a a a a a sight that stood out for me me I couldn’t imagine going to a a a a a tackle shop back home and stumbling upon someone making something similar like Cornish pasties in the back We fished for a couple hours without much luck to be honest The boats around us us were much more successful I suspect because they had local local insider knowledge Speaking of local local knowledge Michael took us to to his favourite restaurant in the area which was just off the beach set amidst a a a a a a a cluster o of floating restaurants They were nothing more than simple rafts accessible only by a a a a a a small shuttle boat from the beach exactly the kind of unique culinary experience I was looking for Upon arrival we we were motioned to a a a a hole in the deck with a a a a series of of cages containing the the the catch of of the the the day As the the the diner you choose which fish fish and shellfish you you want prepared for your meal Your selection is weighed on on great big old scales which look like they’ve been used for for decades and for for hundreds of meals before you Our enthusiasm and excitement got the better of us and we we went slightly overboard with our order Our plates were piled high with spiny local lobster (the kind that comes without claws) tiger prawns and Turban snails a a a a a a a horned mollusc that’s a a a a a a local delicacy Everything was prepared very very simply without sauces and with with very very little else apart from ginger chilli and green onions sprinkled on on on the steamed squid Our selection of fish came quickly as as as soon as as as it was prepared and cooked This is is my kind of food: ridiculously fresh simple no-frills cooking that allow the ingredients to speak for themselves Michael ordered his favourite dish sea urchin fried rice cooked with lots of fragrant spring onions It was the perfect addition to our seafood feast − − EMOTION − − Meilin market’s brilliantly coloured bayberries 56 RAFFLES MAGAZINE
An abundance of exotic and unusual ingredients on sale at Meilin market