COOK FROM HOME

Recipes from three of Singapore’s chicest private dining chefs

IN A YEAR OF WORK-FROM-HOME, PRIVATE DINING HAS BECOME ARGUABLY F&B’S BIGGEST AND BOLDEST MOVEMENT. KENG YANG SHUEN MEETS THREE OF THE CHICEST PLAYERS HERE AND GETS THEM TO EACH DISH OUT A RECIPE FOR AN INSTANT TASTE OF THEIRS.

KATONG DINER

One guest who visited this Katong-based home says it reminded her of the similarly named Japanese hit drama Midnight Diner, in which folks from all walks of life gather at a late-night izakaya for simple but comforting nosh. The latter is an ethos similarly echoed at Katong Diner. Helmed by chef Nicholas Anand Pereira (who recently took over from original head chef Meiwen Tan) and architect Jasper Chia of Fuur Associates, Katong Diner serves what they call “soul food” – think staples of Japanese cuisine such as rice with condiments, slowly cooked in a donabe (a traditional clay pot). With Pereira being the managing director at bespoke travel company Amala Destinations, that extensive travel history helps to give shape to what is plated ($150 to $160 per person, reservations via their Instagram account @katongdiner). “Our diner carries the soulful patina of our past experiences, such as ducking into tiny izakayas in Japan or lunching on the floor of a Bhutanese farmhouse,” says Pereira. “It’s a celebration of pure, unadulterated flavours… open to anybody and everybody.” Where it has a leg up over the humble izakaya portrayed in Midnight Diner lies probably in its intimate settings. Located in the underground den of Chia’s home, it radiates the same understatedly stylish, warm atmosphere (with a touch of Brutalism) as can be found with other Fuur projects (Telok Ayer Arts Club being one of them). Pereira has chosen to share the recipe for Katong Diner’s okonomiyaki (a traditional Japanese savoury pancake) – a signature hit that they’ve served since opening last August that is well in line with their soul food philosophy.

RECIPE

Serves: 5 to 6 people Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

300g cabbage

120g shallots

120g guanciale

120g taleggio

100g okonomiyaki flour 1 egg

150ml dashi Okonomiyaki sauce Kewpie

Aonori (Japanese seaweed) Bonito

Step 1: Thinly slice the cabbage and shallots and add to mixing bowl.

Step 2: Cut guanciale and taleggio into small chunks and add to mixing bowl.

Step 3: Add the okonomiyaki flour, egg and dashi to mixing bowl and stir well, before adding to the cabbage and shallot mix.

Step 4: Make sure the battered mix is well combined, then add vegetable oil to pan.

Step 5: Cook battered mix on medium high heat for five to seven minutes before flipping.

Step 6: Spread okonomiyaki sauce evenly over the full surface.

Step 7: Add Kewpie mayonnaise sauce when you’re done cooking, sprinkle some aonori and bonito flakes, and finally, top off with an egg yolk.

RECIPE

Serves: 6 people Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients

4 pink onions (Roscoff if you can get them) 4 yellow onions

125g unsalted butter

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp balsamic glaze

3 bay leaves

1 litre English dry cider (not sweet cider) ½ to 1 litre low sodium organic vegetable stock (homemade if you have time) 1 bouquet garni

Splash of Worcestershire sauce to taste 2 tbsp English mustard

For the croutons

1 baguette

80g grated gruyere

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1tbsp mustard English parsley to garnish

Step 1: Slice the onions with the top of the onion pointing to your left, so as to create rings. The rings should be around 1 to 2cm wide but don’t sweat it if they are uneven.

Step 2: Take a Dutch oven or a large baking tray and gently melt the butter, adding the onions, and stirring in the sugar and the balsamic to coat the onions well. Toss in the bay leaves. On a low heat setting, slowly cook the onions down until they are caramelised and golden and sweet. Many recipes say around 30 minutes but we cook them for around 1.5 hours.

Step 3: When the onions are soft and golden brown, add the cider, the vegetable stock and the bouquet garni. On a low heat setting, allow to infuse together for around 20 minutes until the soup starts to reduce and thicken a little.

Step 4: Add the Worcestershire sauce and the English mustard. Stir, taste, and add salt and pepper until you are happy with the depth of flavour. The soup should not be thin or too thick. If it is thicker than you like then add a bit more vegetable stock. If it is too thin then reduce by keeping on the heat, stirring until some of the moisture evaporates. The end result should be hearty and dark golden, sumptuous and deep. Ladle into bowls and keep it warm while you prepare the bread.

Step 5: Mix together the gruyere, the Worcestershire sauce and the mustard. Cut the baguette into ½ to ¾-inch slices – every bowl should have a piece of bread. Spread the mixture on top of the bread and grill under medium heat until the cheese is melting and bubbling. Place a piece of baguette into each bowl so the soup soaks into it, and sprinkle with the parsley to garnish.

THE SUNDIAL

Comprising husband and wife duo Mark and Hilary Lee, The Sundial, opened this January, is one of the newer players on the scene. Home is a bungalow in Bukit Timah, and guests dine in a gazebo in their idyllic garden. Both led transatlantic lives; living in London, Paris and New York before returning to Singapore 15 years back – that probably played a role informing The Sundial’s holistic nature. Mark, who’s responsible for all aspects of the dining experience, describes his cuisine as European-inspired “casual and earthy gastronomy” that places emphasis on bold, uncontrived and fresh flavours (think wild-caught prawns and clams with a dash of chilli and whisky as a flambe) over say, dainty arrangements and fanciful plating.

Perhaps crucially how it differs from other dining concepts is the inclusion of New Age practices that are finding renewed popularity globally, such as Reiki treatments (Hilary is a long-time practitioner) and workshops that focus on drawing out one’s intuitive aspects through art techniques such as painting. The idea is for people to pick the experience that they feel most affinity with, as and when they want,” says Hilary. “We are all about living as vibrantly as we can, particularly in these trying times, while building a business that is nurturing and regenerative.” The regenerative part comes in through their careful sourcing of ingredients used in their dishes: farms that prioritise ethical treatment of animals as well as lower carbon footprint businesses such as local vegetable farmers. Herbs are also used from their own garden. They also offer a selection of minimal intervention wines – commonly known as “natural” wines that limit or omit the use of preservatives. If that’s your thing, hit them up on www.thesundial.space to make a reservation – prices from $138 to $158, sans wine. The recipe they’ve generously shared with us likewise reflect that down-to-earth quality prized by the Lees – a popular onion soup made with dry cider from Herefordshire – UK’s leading cider county.

THE MATRIARCH’S KITCHEN

The matriarch in question is surprisingly young – 38-year-old Jazmyn Widjaya. It’s meant to refer to how food is usually a key linchpin in a matriarch’s arsenal to bringing people together. “(A lot of my customers) have told me that the dishes reminded them of their grandmothers’ or mothers’ cooking,” explains Widjaya. “The word ‘matriarch’ might seems audacious since I am not that old; however, I envision myself as one as I believe I carry the same heart of any matriarch – that is to prepare each dish with love, doing it from scratch and just having immeasurable joy seeing people coming together to enjoy a good meal.” The striking Widjaya has been involved in the private dining scene on the side for nearly a decade but she took a hiatus to start a social media agency four years ago. With the agency’s business being battered by the pandemic, she dove back into food and hosting through The Matriarch’s Kitchen (TMK) last July.

She whips up mainly Peranakan cuisine (go for the black pepper flower crabs, chicken rendang and soto-inspired collagen broth – $600 for a five-person meal) due to popular demand but if there’s something you have in mind, she’s open to discussions. At the moment however, Widjaya says she’s hosting primarily at clients’ homes by appointment only, as she’s in the midst of moving – reach out to her via TMK’s Instagram account (@the_matriarchs_kitchen). She’s chosen to share her recipe for what she calls “fusion fruit rojak” – it’s a simple dish to recreate but also one that holds significance for her. “The word rojak (can also be used) to describe someone with multiple ethnic backgrounds. I think this best describes me as a person, as I have South Asian, Thai, Cambodian, Indonesian, Japanese and Korean heritage in my family background, and I think I’ve expressed them through my cooking.”

RECIPE

Serves: 8 to 10 people Preparation time: 25 minutes

No cooking is required

Ingredients

1 bottle shrimp paste 1 dollop sambal paste 2 tbsp tamarind juice

1 to 2 tbsp brown sugar

2 to 4 tbsp passion fruit gelatinous pulp

1 torch ginger, thinly sliced 2 tsp calamansi lime juice (optional)

1 tbsp plum sauce (optional)

Cut fruits: Apples (red/green) Guava

Rose apples Pineapples Kiwis Strawberries Mangoes

Step 1: Go to any fruit store and buy the fruits that you like.

Step 2: Slice the torch ginger and mix all the sauces together evenly – if you need more sweetness, add more brown sugar. Step 3: Chop up the fruits (as many as you desire) and display them on a cleaned banana leaf and serve with the freshly mixed sauce.