Photo: [LINK]
Racial Harmony Day is Singapore’s testament to one of its greatest strengths — racial diversity and equality. Racial heterogeneity here does not indicate division, but unique identities that bring together different traditions, beliefs, and also food! As Racial Harmony Day approaches on the 21st of July, we at Borges want to bring this special observance to the dinner table. See if there are any multicultural dish recipes below that pique your interest and try them with your family and friends!
Malaysia
Fried Banana Fritters [1]
Photo: [LINK]
This dish is a delicious snack that’s actually very simple to make. Kuih kodok is Malaysian fried mashed banana fritters that are soft and crispy! Learn how to cook this Malaysian delight with the recipe below!
Ingredients
- 340 g bananas, peeled
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar or to taste
- Borges Extra Light Olive Oil
Instructions:
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl. Use the back of a fork until small chunks form. Add the flour, egg and sugar. Mix all the ingredients well to form a batter.
- Heat up a frying pan and add some Borges Extra Light Olive Oil for deep frying. Once the oil is heated, drop a spoonful of batter into the frying pan. Try to "shape" the batter so it's somewhat round. Deep fry the fritters until golden brown.
- Remove the fritters using a strainer. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm and enjoy!
India
Chicken Tikka Masala [2]
This classic Indian dish contains the perfect amount of cream that will bring a warm, gentle texture to your chicken. This dish is so widely-acclaimed for a reason — it’s a delicious mouthwatering meal that will keep your family glued to the dinner table!
Photo: [LINK]
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp freshly minced ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 18 tsp heavy cream
- Kosher salt
- Freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish
- Rice or naan, for serving
Instructions:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add chicken and cook, flipping once, until golden and no longer pink. Cook for 8 minutes per side then transfer to a plate.
- Add onion to skillet and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and spices and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add tomatoes and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and chicken and simmer until warmed through, 5 minutes more. Season with salt.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve alongside rice or naan.
Indonesia
Nasi Goreng [3]
It’s known as Indonesian fried rice, but nasi goreng is a little more than just “fried rice.” Made with ingredients such as shrimp paste and kecap manis, this dish, with its distinctly earthy and smokey flavour, is made for a spicier palate.
Photo: [LINK]
Ingredients:
Chicken
- 3 tsp Borges Extra Light Olive Oil
- 5 oz / 150g chicken breast, thinly sliced (or other protein)
- 3 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
Rice
- 5 tbsp oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp red chilli, finely chopped
- 1 onion, small, diced
- 3 cups cooked white rice , day old, cold
- 6 tsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
- 2 tsp shrimp paste, optional
Garnishes/Side Servings
- 4 eggs, fried to taste
- 1 green onion, sliced
- Tomatoes and cucumbers, cut into wedges/chunks
- Fried shallots, store bought (optional)
- Lime wedges
Instructions:
- Heat Borges Extra Light Olive Oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.
- Add chilli and garlic, stir for 10 seconds.
- Add onion, cook for one minute.
- Add chicken, cook until it mostly turns white, then add 3 tablespoons of kecap manis and cook for a further one minute or until chicken is mostly cooked through and a bit caramelised.
- Add rice, 6 teaspoons of kecap manis and shrimp paste, if using. Cook and stir constantly for 2 minutes until the sauce reduces down and rice grains start to caramelise (key for flavour!).
- Serve, garnished with garnishes of choice (green onions, red chilli, fried shallots).
China
Braised Beef Noodles [4]
“Beef noodles” brings to mind a simple and plain dish, but the bouncy noodles topped with tender, mildly spicy beef are not to be underestimated. Absorbing all the rich flavours of braising gravy, the beef in this Cantonese-style dish is distinctive and the aromatic fragrances of the dish such as star anise, dried orange peels, and bay leaves make it even more special. As a bonus, you can also add whatever spices or sauces you think will go well with this Cantonese classic!
Photo: [LINK]
Ingredients:
- Borges Spaghetti
- Borges Classic Olive Oil
- 500g beef shin, (cut into bite-size cubes)
- 350g daikon (cut into bite sizes)
- 2 thumb size young ginger (sliced thinly)
- 1 cinnamon bark
- 1 star anise
- 1 tbsp white peppercorn
- ½ tbsp Sichuan peppercorn
- 3 shallots (chopped)
- 1 bulb of garlic (peeled)
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tbsp fermented spicy bean paste
- 3 tbsps dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsps light soy sauce
- 20g rock sugar
- 2 stalks of spring onion (tie into a knot)
- 1L water
Instructions:
- Heat up Borges Classic Olive Oil in your pressure cooker. If you are using a multi-cooker, use the open-lid cooking mode.
- Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, cinnamon bark and fry until fragrant.
- Once the aromatics are fragrant, add rock sugar and fry until caramelised.
- Add beef shin and fry for 5 minutes, followed by dark soy sauce and fry to coat the beef well.
- Add light soy sauce and fermented spicy bean paste, mix well and fry for 2 minutes.
- Put the white peppercorns, Sichuan peppercorns and star anise in a small muslin bag and put the bag in the pot. Then, add bay leaves, spring onion, daikon and water.
- Put the lid on and pressure cook for 30 – 40 minutes.
- Once the pressure cooking is done, open your pot and remove all the ingredients including the beef shin, from the pot using a strainer. Do this carefully because the beef shin is extremely tender at this point.
- Add salt to taste and thicken the sauce to your desired consistency with a corn starch solution.
- Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add the Borges Spaghetti and cook according to the package, then strain.
- Before serving, blanch your favourite leafy vegetables and noodles. Assemble all the ingredients in a bowl – adding in the beef shin and daikon as well as the delicious gravy over the noodles and serve hot.
We hope you’re looking forward to Racial Harmony Day and all the dishes you can prepare in the days leading up to (and following) it! These recipes can be a travel guide within your kitchen to try different tastes and experiences to you and your family from around the world. Let’s work together to recognise the significance of our country’s unique cultural heritage!
References:
[1] https://rasamalaysia.com/kuih-kodok-recipe-malaysian-fried-banana-fritters/
[2] https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a20151723/easy-chicken-tikka-masala-recipe/
[3]https://www.recipetineats.com/nasi-goreng-indonesian-fried-rice/