Food! In Southeast Asia, this is synonymous to air, water, shelter ‘and’ food combined! Well…not really, but that is the impression you get when you are walking the streets of SE Asia! The two months I spent at NUS, Singapore (and the weekend travels to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia) this past summer was indeed a special rendezvous for my palate. I am sure folks more familiar with the region are used to the food available there, but for me, it was a completely unique experience… something that will remain etched in my memory forever.

My days in Singapore began with yummy Curry Puffs! So delicious that I consciously chose to ignore the fact that its fried dough stuffed with curried potatoes and egg for breakfast! On an off day I chose to have Kaya Toast. This is toasted slices of bread with Kaya butter- a paste made out of coconut milk, eggs and sugar. Only after consuming these exquisite AND cheap delights did my day officially start. The process of walking the streets of Malaysia is incomplete without a snack of Chicken Satay- the most popular Malaysian dish in the world. And if you happen to be shopping in Thailand then the Thai Iced Tea will refresh you from the heat instantly an dyes, it’s a bit different from the ones in Boston!

If you are in the mood for a bigger meal, just walk half a mile in any direction and you will definitely stumble upon a hawker center! An Oyster Omelet with Fried Carrot Cake is quite the delicacy. Except, the ‘carrot cake’ has eggs and potatoes- carrots! Char Koay Teow - charred stir-fried flat rice noodles with shrimp, bean sprouts, egg, soy sauce and chilli is by all meals a gift to world from Malaysia! Pair it up with some logan drink and you are all set...well for a few hours…till your next meal :) Another must have is Malaysian national dish- Nasi Lemak. Its rice cooked in coconut milk and served with chicken curry, boiled egg, pickle, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and prawn crackers. And while we are on the topic of national dishes, Singapore’s favorite Black Pepper Crab will leave craving the dish for days after you leave the country. Though each crab is pre-cut into six pieces to facilitate eating, it is still insanely messy. Every tissue used to wipe your hands is completely worth it!!