Peranakans Today

 The Peranakans or "Local Born" originated in south east Asia a few hundred years ago.  The hybrid of culture resulted when immigrants from India and China settled in the Malayan Peninsular, Borneo, southern Thailand, the Indonesian archipelago and Burma.  These first arrivals intermarried with the women in their new lands of adoption.

The Straits Chinese Peranakan had formulated a developed lifestyle of Chinese cultural rites, Malay wardrobes, fusion culinary and patois, loyalty to the British colonists,  a matriarchal family arrangement and acumen for business.  

Many of the men or Babas had maintained their essentially Fujian or Hokkien values and practices in combination with an adoration and passion for British education and trappings.

The women or Nyonyas were traditionally trained in the nuances and arts of house rule, often spending much time and effort in the fine arts and details of elegant cookery.  This was pretty much the reality before universal education liberated females around the world.

Roll up to 2025 and the contemporary world of the Baba and Nyonya descendants has moved to a transitionary uncertainty.

Malaysia and Singapore are lands that compartmentalise their populations by race and religion.  The Peranakans are not recognised for their niche identity, often having to choose in their identity cards as belonging to one of the three main demographics.  ( Thailand and Indonesia remarkably do not follow the same system).

The significant waves of emigration in the past forty years to Western nations from south east Asia have placed many families of Peranakan heritage in cities far from their origins in Malacca, Penang, Ipoh, Medan, Phuket, Rangoon, Surabaya and Singapore.  Subsequent generations from these families are now intermarrying more with Caucasians, Vietnamese and Filipinos in the Westen societies.

Historically the Peranakans are a minority and it continues to be even so.  The practice of three generations living under one roof has dwindled, especially under the individualistic mindset in Western culture.   The emphasis, knowledge and mindset of Peranakan values have dissipated and diluted in the 21st century, especially amongst its younger descendants.

Those who hold on to the Peranakan heritage and sentiment are essentially baby boomers.   The exquisite porcelain, the practical coconut scraper and the food baskets remain as powerful symbols when used in the house, but can soon become historical icons when the meaning, mantra and measure of Baba and Nyonya life is lost with the passing of the elders.

Peranakans thrive in song and dance, having social afternoons and dressing up.  The refinement and care with which traditional foods are prepared can be most significant - think of Babi Pongteh, Ayam Buah Keluak, Kueh Pie Tee, Ayam Tempra, Pulut Tai Tai, Kueh Talam, Ang Koo, Ondeh Ondeh, Kueh Lapis and Seri Muka.  

The Kebaya, which in 2024 was finally recognized by UNESCO, is a unique creation of design that flatters and brings out the best when adorning the female figure.  The  high skill, design and art of making the Kebaya underlies both the symbolic and real  problematic future of Peranakan prospects.

Will Peranakan icons like the Kebaya increasingly move into a commercial colllection sphere rather than being actually be used in daily life?

Peranakan culture cannot positively evolve when it is overwhelmed by stronger and other social overlays and is viewed as not contributing to modern life.  The language is no longer spoken by the grandchildren.

The foods are not served om a regular basis at home but have been hijacked by commercial outlets.  Weddings are now of a Westernised practicality.  

Ths Singapore government seems consistent in showcasing the Peranakan heritage in encouraging ways, compared to her neighbours. This is done even if her Baba and Nyonya constituents are not many in number.  The Peranakans in other nations carry on in rather limited and informal ways.

#yongkevthoughts

Blog 18th Anniversary: Street Food

 Street food, with whatever label you call it, is the core of cultural dynamics you encounter in any society.  They are what is daily eaten and drunk by the populace, mostly without any pretension or hype, tending to true sentiments of a lifestyle not tainted by high margins, expensive rents and temporary fads.

Inflation has spiked - and street food preparation, labour supply, venue rentals and pricing have all been shaken to the core.  Even the record rather stabilised prices of hawker food in the sanitised food courts of the republic of Singapore have been affected.  Access to ethnically diverse food in major cities of Australia and New Zealand have put us pause in our tracks with smaller sized servings and price hikes averaging 25 per cent.

Culinary history follows the path of socio-economic evolution in the community.  Increased mobility, exclusive facilitated by better technology and higher standards of living, encourages experimentation, cross cultural influences and changing demands from the dining consumer.
No one society increasingly can claim to be the
exclusive owner of a specific dish.

Even the setting for us to partake street food has been changing.
Smashed is the stereotype of eating street food with us exposed to the elements, risking a dodgy level of hygiene and soaking in an exotic atmosphere.  Most of us do not have to go through the Khao San Road Bangkok vibes or sit on those ridiculous low rise stools in Saigon.
We can eat our street food in air conditioned comfort in Shaghai, London or Vancouver.

Still there can be nothing like trying hawker food in the perceived chaos beside a busy street in Havana, Kinhasa or Napoli.  We keep our wits sharp and senses stimulated downing our coffee, watching out for much talked about bag snatchers and making sure we have not been ripped off looking as obvious tourists.

There is nothing like having ramen seated along a rather narrow counter with salarymen, punk haired youngsters and elderly pensioners in Tokyo.  Many recommended street food outlets are literally off the street, most likely locating their exact spot only after successfully navigating the rabbit warren of lanes and cubicles.

Street food is more freshly prepared, massages our nostrils better and does taste better when we sit not far from the cook.  The roti, teh tarik and curry has more flavour when we see them created right in front of us.  Whether it is Marrakesh, Delhi or Kuala Lumpur, the sounds, smells and sights of the street level can be incomparable.

On an expensive cruise ship buffet, private tour or self managed adventurous track, the basic principles of choosing and consuming street food can be simple.  Avoid raw food or cooked ones which has been sitting out exposed to sunlight, pollution and dodgy handling.  What can be handled by local stomachs does not mean they also suit us.  Try to take small portions for variety.  The ingredients used in Melbourne can be much better than those utilised in other cities.

Authentic street food is not naturally accompanied by wine, no matter what Michelin and Tatler may pronounce.  The best modus operandi when in a produce market or local eatery is to first observe, apply choices seen to your gut inkling and speak to any friendly diners.

Partaking of street food is basically one of snacking.  Several times there is no place to sit down, takeaway packaging is flimsy and we have to use our hands to best relish such food.   When touring, we may not have the numbers, fimancial or diners, to order every thing we want.  Pocket tissues are handy, especially popular in east and south east Asia.

There are distinctive and unique street food in every nation. East Canadian Poutine, Portuguese preserved cod, dried camel meat, indigenious Australian bush tomatoes or South African Biltong come to mind - life is to be lived fully, try everything unique at least once.

Authentic street food around the world usually requires payment in cash, usually this implies crumpled notes and a heavy load of coins.  No tipping is obviously called for in such places.  You have no chance to tap your smart phone or plastic credit card - and you do not want to anyway.

One who goes for street food anywhere also enters a world unseen from a hotel restaurant, allows you to better understand the people and opens doors to other perspectives.

Language can be yet a challenging but delightful interim barrier, but hey most societies do use English, perhaps not in selected communities and even migrant enclaves in Western cities.  Some street food stall holders can cling on to conservative attitudes of not wanting them or their food to be photographed.

Street food reproduced by migrants in their settled countries can taste different from their nations of origin.  Usually they cost more than the same dishes in their hometowns. Street food can however remain precious to immigrants, part of the pyschological comfort required when they find themselves far removed from family and the hometown.

Street food reproduced at airports do cost more and taste less.  Several Asian airlines include their iconic street food dishes as part of the on board menu. 

For me, one of the most memorable experiences of street food was discovering Teochew styled roast goose at a popular one person stall in the thick and thin of the morning markets at Shantou on the southern coast of Guangdong Province.   The cooked meat hung seductively, language used was Mandarin for which I am not well versed with and the serving area kept rather clean.  Using hand signals and eye contact, the seller and I developed an optimal exchange.  The latter had a good demeanour, even if he was real busy and I enjoyed a social exchange away from the plasticised environment of street food outlets back home.  Every bite of the yummy roast goose was savoured with gratefulness.

#yongkevthoughts

Where We Are Born, Where We Are Now

 Where we are born holds our cradle of culture and emotion.

Life's mobility offers us more options and choices.

Truly the world can be our oyster when possibilities seem endless.

Choices can only be open for a while before they close again, as history shows.

I value what my country of birth has taught me, but any society can change.

So I am content to practice the best of what my country of birth has taught me, wherever I am.

Paper, Where Art Thou?

An update.

 So paper continues to be on the way out in our daily lives. Or so it seems, perhaps reinforced by the need to be more contactless, surfaceless and storageless in this Age of Technological Revolution.

It can be interesting we are not always offered the paper receipt or invoice at cafes, newsagents, produce outlets and eating places, as the transaction is already captured online.  If you want a copy of the receipt, you have to give an email address - and such email addresses can be further possibly be spamned or hacked.

Paper based products are still gooxld to blow a nose, absorb the excess oil after a deep fry and in demand for our delicate bums after answering Nature's call.  Yet the wheels of contemporary commerce discourage paper trails with their consumers, embedding the writing in the wall for printers and the use of the still pervasive suburban post box.

Paper shredders can go the way of the extinct Dodo bird.  People may still enjoy the feel of the ever shrinking daily newspaper and love their grilled fish served on printed paper.  The disposable virus protector face mask is essentially crafted from paper layering.  Magazines are no longer the companions on rainy days, long train rides and at afternoon tea sessions at home that they once were.  Are trees being saved with a reduced usage of paper, or trees are depleted anyway for other stronger reasons?

Electronic screens are increasingly held more than paper pages.  Libraries and street bookshops are still significant custodians of knowledge on paper despite it all.  The vulnerabilities of holding knowledge and information on paper are highlighted by the storage of things and data on virtual clouds and internet files, but the latter has other risks inherent and subject to hacking, contamination and identity theft.

Butcher paper, art materials and Origami still retain an elegance and usefulness about paper.  The historical transformation of paper originating from papyrus reeds to its important role in spreading knowledge and equity, as accessible printed items can never be underestimated. 

Contemporary technology has led us to increasingly abandon paper as a medium, but perhaps paper will still be utilised for other but more niche purposes.  The role of paper as money in currency circulation has also been questioned, as governments moved to plastic at the close of the 20th century and then to digital monies in the 21st.

Paper has served to facilitate the societal arrangements and needs of humankind for a long time.   Their creation, destruction and disposal has meant various things in different cultures and religions.  Paper has been laminated, bound and preserved.   We used to put down our innermost thoughts, write our qualifying exams and declare our economic transactions mostly on paper.

Stationery still comes in countless forms on paper despite the advent of the digital age.  Our writing instruments still require paper instead of non paper materials.  It may be still too early to witness the demise of paper use.

#yongkevthoughts

And When Being Back in Penang

  

The land jutting out in the city centre comes to view with a hundred details.

 There is a mixture of architectural styles. What I like most of all are the Victorian styled terrace shophouses, with louvred windows, strong supporting columns, the covered five foot ways and the coloured tiles of the roofs.

Welcome back to George Town, and you can most likely see it first from the air as your air craft is landing.   

Sited on the north-eastern corner of an island smaller than Singapore, with a geographical feature of an island shaped like a tortoise and named after the areca nut palm.   The settlement has had humbled beginnings, with this cape partly cleared of the jungle by the cannon shooting of coins to help accelerate clearing of the jungle.  

The conurbation that developed is a testament to the days of monsoon winds powering sails, of adventurers from another side of the Earth and of trading and the search for spices driving schemes, financial power and politics across various cultures.

George Town, on Penang Island, thrived on the exchange of goods and produce that were sourced nearby or in exchange as an entrepôt facilitation between China, the South-east Asian isles, India, the Middle East and Europe.   The original engine of growth can be seen in the dry goods provisions, porcelain displays and crafts stocked in shops and markets full of character located in what UNESCO has deemed to be a world heritage quarter.

The streets laid out by Captain Francis Light and his able administrators are still there, luring backpackers, youthful tourists and well heeled groups cycling or walking on them or seated on pedalled rickshaws.  The walls of buildings tell a thousand stories, many of them faded and jaded, but there are also others well maintained with fresh paint or with street murals.

There can be several things to do during a short stay, but having a foodie trail seems to dominate.  Penangites are dominantly Hokkien, with food, cultural practices and traditions from the southern Chinese province of Fujian.  They, along with others from a China in dynastic turmoil, migrated since the 1800s for opportunity and risk to make a better life.

The street food from these Hokkiens include Lobak meat and veg rolls, oyster omelettes or Orh Chien, Char Koay Teow, Char Kueh Kak ( savoury radish cake) and prawn stock flavoured noodles ( Penang Hokkien Mee).  Add the Cantonese migrants who brought along their roast meat styles, Chow Hor Fun ( stir fried broad rice noodles oozing with wok heat), yum cha dumplings and claypot rice with Lap Cheong cured sausages.

People snack several times from food courts and street stalls a day and night here, but the servings are small, varied and so appetising anyone easily joins into this regime.  

Penang had fusion a long time ago.  The hybrid between East and West can be observed in the way of dress, eating habits, creative dishes and social attitudes.   The ability to obtain ingredients from various parts of the world is emphasised in what they have as day to day food.  You can have American styled burgers, Japanese ramen, South Indian banana leaf rice, English fish and chips, Italian pasta and pizza, Aussie beer, Tandoori chicken, German frankfurters, Chinese hotpot, Thai stir fries, Eurasian Sugee cakes, Straits Chinese delicacies, Vietnamese spring rolls, Malay Rendang and bacon on toast without any problems at all - and the only advice is to avoid the midday sun.

The island is essentially compact, with most of her population packed on to its eastern side.  To her west, quality durians have been cultivated on hilly slopes that look out to where the Andaman Sea meets the Straits of Malacca.

Penang's northern shores host a winding and mostly narrow road that stretches from Tanjung Tokong ( Temple Cape) to Teluk Bahang ( Bay of Heat).   Residences cling on to hill sides and intersperse with contemporary architecture hotels and resorts.

Food stalls, souvenir outlets and night clubs congregate at Batu Ferringhi ( Rock of Foreigners) that heralded the hype beach scene in South East Asia from the 1970s.

In the middle of this Pearl of the Orient stand out two landmarks that have withstood the test of time.  The Kek Lok Si ( Temple of Ultimate Happiness) exemplifies the best of Buddhist architecture with Thai, Burmese and Chinese influences - and has a giant statute of the Goddess of Mercy Guan Yin.  The beautifully lit up KLS can be best experienced during the 15 days and nights of the Chinese New Year festival.

Penang Hill began earnest existence as a British colonial hill station, replete with bungalows that were built from around a hundred and more years ago.   The views of Penang Island and the surrounding mainland of the Malayan Peninsular are inspiring anytime,  but more so at sunrise and sunset.

What are the downsides of contemporary Penang? 

The lack of public transport infrastructure is so obvious to residents or visitors alike.
The population has increased several fold but many of the roads remain as narrow and unchanged as when I grew up there.   Vehicle numbers have spiked beyond the ability of current roads to cater to them.

With two landmark Penang Bridges connecting the rest of the peninsular Malaysia to this small island,  long weekends and festive periods result in congestion, crowding and chagrin for the island's residents.  Traffic jams have caused a normally 30 minute car ride to Penang's Airport from the UNESCO Heritage Quarter of George Town into an uncertain delay and stress for many airline passengers.

High rise residential reality of the 2020s signals a change from single storey accommodation of the mid 20th century.
The cooks who are behind Penang's well known and unique street food are no longer the Chinese, Malays and Indians but these days can be from Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam.  French or Italian culinary are so protective of their strict traditions, but are Penangites equally so?

What business or industrial sector will make Penang's future?  The making of chips once made Penang famous as "Silicon Island" throughout the IT world.

Tourism revenues continue at its pace, with more investment in new hotels in the past few years.  Is medical tourism still growing, with costs cheaper than Singapore but more expensive than Thailand?

In the socio-political landscape of the Federation of Malaysia, Penang is one of the few hubs with a Chinese demographic (others can be the Klang Valley in Selangor, Ipoh and Taiping in Perak, Kuching and Sibu in Sarawak and the Johor Baru region next to Singapore).
How can present Penangites and their diaspora living overseas do effectively to better Penang's future in economic 
growth in a diverse society?

The big question remains, what can Penang do to differentiate herself from her competitors?

#yongkevthoughts

Australia - Give It A Fair Go

How many club memberships, living in Australia, have you chalked up over the years? I am not referring to exclusive country or city clubs where you network with the rich, politically connected and inner sanctum of useful contacts. The prevalence of these other clubs I am talking about here, across the many suburbs of this Great Land, often depend on turnover, a huge but cheap membership base, gaming machines, a bistro of varying quality and some measure of community activities. Increasingly significant is the local barista. Over many years, so many blends of coffee beans have come out of Australia, establishing Aussie brands in this space with a strong reputation beyond its shores. The routine of having brunch or breakky has contributed to the new styled cafes mushrooming with new fangled food recipes accompanying the beverage. Tea has nevertheless not lost its embedded loyalty, together with other penchants for avocado smash, sourdough toasts, Granola mixes and sauteed mushrooms. Beer craft and wine appreciation communions now express themselves in watering holes not just in the cities, but also in populated regional hubs. The accompanying pizzas, burgers and randomly performing local musician adds extra zest and layers of attraction to visit such venues. The traditional Aussie pub though still stands tall, but can face challenges without the tribes gathering pre and post footy games, the family gathering for a wholesome Aussie roast and its truly vital role in the fabric of its local community. And then in capital cities, Asian run bistros seem to be a contemporary cornerstone of those RSLs and comparable clubs. Vietnamese and Chinese operators provide alternative menus to pasta, Wellingtons, schnitzels and salads. Migrant food has also been hipsterised and hybridised with fusion offerings, contemporary presentations and more use of alternative ingredients. Outlets offering such experiences are evolving a unique trend in the development of what foreigners increasingly acknowledge as uniquely Australian. Drop by a new styled bakery run by Koreans, French and Japanese here - while we still have access to traditional stuff from the Italians, Lebanese and our grandmother's Aussie cookbooks. The roadhouse is so important for many remote communities, truckers and tourists out in the Woop-Woop. It is a petrol station, sandwich bar, souvenir shop, grocery outlet, cafe, toilet stop, rest area and contact point for many both enduring and enjoying the vast, seemingly empty land that is Australia. Our borders with other countries has been closed for so many months, but we still enjoy the Long Drive within our own state or when varying governments permit, across to other states on this continental island. Straight roads for many kilometres delightfully surprise our visitors - and also coastal scenic drives, sojourns across farmlands, adventures across deserts or Alpine country. What most of us agree upon is to avoid traffic jammed scenarios in our capital cities during the so called rush hour - or the increasing high tolls on roads labelled as Connex. The water source, whether it is a constructed indoor or outdoor pool in suburban hubs, lake or a rock pool along one of our countless beaches, beckons many and perpetuates the influence of water in the life of many Aussies. Most Aussies still reside within 100 km of its magnificient coasts. Swimming and surfing are anchor sports, whether competitive, recreational or for exercise, in the fabric of this Great Southern Land. Not many activities are as physically wholesome, mentally refreshing and rewarding as interacting with water. Expressing one's self, taking part in public protests and telling a yarn also run through the veins of Aussie history. At times, the giving of opinions, as overly encouraged by social media channels, politics and so called democratic freedoms, can lead to no action and just talk. The contemporary disease of mixing of facts with diverse views, manipulation of selective truth and aggressive marketing agendas by strong vested interests, has however thrown more than a spanner in this unrelenting confusing cauldron. The unique spirit of being a larrakin still is very much alive in the Australian character. However, this can be challenged by some aspects of a rising trend of political correctness which can at times lose this essential quality of humour and humaneness in negotiations, dealings and various transactions of society. Australia has always thought itself as the Land of the Fair Go. Building upon layers of viable cultures, philosophies and traditions, we and our society have special routines, daily regimes and refreshing attitudes, when we zoom in on the beneficial and positive ones. In the course of a day, each of us can find opportunity to have that healthy breakky, soak in a rewarding outdoor activity, press on with that work challenge, catch up with mates and try that unusual dish down the road. #yongkevthoughts

What's For Lunch?

 

Not Too Long Ago

As the year 2018 came to a close, there were many reflections by the media.

I absolutely love history and how it has shaped our present and future. 

In 1978, the Lunar Year of the Fire Snake, Deng Xiao Ping commenced the liberalisation of the economy for the common man and woman in China. Forty years on, the transformation of the world's most populous country in many aspects of life, business, infrastructure, trade, technology and nation building, has astounded Western societies.

In February that year, the Sydney Hilton was bombed involving violent terrorism, a rather rare event for an Australian city, when compared with our current decade.   The iconic Mardi Gras began as a protest march on the streets of Sydney.

Grease, the dance movie starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, was released in June to a raptious audience.

Robert Menzies passed on, marking an end to a significant political era.

Refugee boats from Vietnam floundered off the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia, which had a government towing them back to the sea. Many were put in camps in Thailand and on Pulau Bidong off the Trengganu coast. Under the auspices of the UNHCR, those who survived their ordeal migrated to Western countries, when it was obvious the neighbouring ASEAN nations did not want to accept them.

Ten years ago, Beijing hosted its first Olympics, marking a significant rite of passage. The Prime Ministers of Canada and Australia made formal apologies in their respective Parliaments to their indigenous peoples. 

Stirrings of the internet only began 30 years ago. 1988 also witnessed the opening of an impressive long tunnel between the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Honshu. The Phantom of the Opera debuted on stage, Home & Away began on Aussie TV. The Estonians began their unique Singing Revolution, which eventually culminated in the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Twenty years ago, anti-Chinese riots broke out in Jakarta, with reportedly a thousand people killed. The first Euro coins were minted in France. Titanic became the first movie to gross over a billion US dollars. The Good Friday Agreement was signed between the Irish and British Governments in Belfast.

In 1998, both Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur opened their then spanking new airports. Dictator General Augusto Pinochet was arrested and indicted of crimes in Chile.

Fifty years ago, the Battle of Khe Sanh raged on in what is called the American War in Vietnam. The Tet Offensive witnessed the Vietcong roaming downtown on the streets of Saigon, a forerunner of the eventual collapse in 1975. Extensive anti-Vietnam War protests break out in Western cities and the My Lai village massacre occurred in April of 1968.

1968 also witnessed the creation of the United Methodist Church, the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy, the appointment of Pierre Elliot Tredeau ( father to Justin) as Canadian Prime Minister and the opening of the hit musical Hair!, the TV classic Hawaii Five-O, the CBS news program of 60 Minutes and the cult cinema series, The Planet of the Apes.

Czechoslovakia was invaded by the Warsaw Pact countries. Yale University announced the admission of female students. Mexico City hosted the Summer Olympics. The Malayan Communist Party launched a second insurgency emergency. Thames TV began transmission in London.

Where Christmas Can Be Not A Holiday

The other day I wanted to Facetime with a nephew in Bangkok, but I did not realise that Christmas is not a public holiday in Thailand, the only Asian nation not occupied by foreign powers in the 19th and 20th centuries.

I then checked that Christmas is a public holiday, still, in all the Asian nations which were colonised by the British a century or more ago, apart from Brunei, which has recently banned any celebrations of Christmas, and Pakistan, which was a nation created for Indian Muslims in 1947 when the British colonials left. 

China, Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea and Burma had varying degrees of Western colonial rule, either in parts of or the whole of their country, but do not recognise Christmas as a official holiday, except in the SARs of Macau and Hong Kong.

You may have noticed the much more impressive commercially sponsored lights for Christmas in places such as Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Saigon, Seoul, Taipei, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur when compared with Australian cities.

Most Asian nations also do not have a significant Christian majority like the Phillippines and Papua New Guinea.

Indonesia, a Muslim majority country, however offers two public holidays for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

North Korea does not recognise a holiday for Christmas whilst South Korea does.

Christmas in Australia is marked by hot temperatures and excesses of a relatively rich society. 

There are public messages by the reps of the Catholic and Anglican Churches, by the Queen of the United Kingdom and Head of State of 15 Commonwealth nations - and through overwhelming advertisements on screen media. 

There is over eating, intense shopping, over consumption of sea food, increased demerit points for traffic offences, superb alcohol sales, airport over crowding, electronic system failure of one kind or another and over exposure to the strong sun. Someone said to me do not blame the festive season, it does happen on other days as well.

Restaurants and cafes tend to close from Christmas Day. Fruits are a plenty Down Under unlike in the northern climes. Tradies go on long holidays. Neighbours disappear for their annual trips, or get more than their usual share of visitors. The beaches, cricket grounds and parks are inundated with people. Incidents of accidental drownings, bush fires, vehicle crashes and domestic violence are highlighted by the media more during this holiday season, when more people, especially families, gather and travel than at any other time of the Australian year, except perhaps for Easter.

The Australian government maintains a military presence in several areas overseas - and no matter what our political leanings are, our thoughts and prayers especially go to the individuals who cannot be with family during Christmas.

Lunar New Year - Symbolic Meanings and Good Omens

Lunar New Year of the EARTH PIG

5 Feb 2019 to 24 Jan 2020

Note: Lunar New Years usually start any date between the 19th of January and the 19th of February of any Gregorian calendar year.

Rat 2008 – Ox 2009 – Tiger 2010 - Rabbit 2011 – Dragon 2012 – Snake 2013  – Horse 2014 – Goat or Sheep 2015 – Monkey 2016 – Rooster 2017 – Dog 2018 – Pig 2019.   Apply multiples of 12 to identify past and future years.

No sweeping of the broom or cleaning the house or doing laundry for at least the first 3 days of the Lunar New Year, lest good luck is inadvertently lost.   Get a haircut before New Year's Eve and avoid doing so in the first lunar month.

The Yee Sang is a raw fish salad that nurtures the stirring of positive vibes.  Banquet dishes are chosen carefully to be consumed for positive vibes and play on Chinese language pronunciation:

Lively prawns Prawns or Ha sound like laughter!   Steamed fish is served whole, for its connotation is to be well off.    Chicken sounds like luck.   Lettuce, or Sang Choy in Cantonese, refers to growing money.

Dried oyster, or Ho Si, means good things.  Zyu Dau, or pork knuckles in Mandarin, suggests of good things being achieved effortlessly.  Black moss or Fatt Choi alludes to wealth and prosperity.    Pork represents strength, wealth and blessings.    Scallops and clams served encourage the opening of new horizons.

Lotus seeds, pomegranates and duck in the menu wish young couples of fertility and to multiply.

Spring rolls represent gold bars for wealth.     Melons are signs of family unity.   Noodles signify a long and fulfilling life.    Mandarin oranges represent gold and are especially exchanged between relatives and friends. Pomelo gifts signify abundance and prosperity.   Dumplings look like gold ingots.

The tangerine plant or Kat is placed proudly in the front of houses, especially modified miniature shrubs, as its name in Chinese refers to good luck.   The Li or plum blossom stands for hope and renewal.  

  

It is a must to obtain a new wardrobe for the Lunar New Year. New Year means a new start. Maybe commercialism has added pressure to this philosophy.   Avoid buying shoes during the traditional first 15 days of the Lunar New Year. In Cantonese, the word for shoes also suspiciously sounds like having a regretful sigh!

Red packets (Hong Bao or Lai See) are filled with money and given for good luck by married members of a family to younger relatives and children of good friends.

Sweetness is exemplified by the making of a variety of snacks and cakes. The glutinous sticky rice cake or Nin Gou means tall cake, emphasising one getting to higher achievements or growing taller in stature year after year. Tong Jyun or sweet dough balls signify the roundness of a reunion.

It is popular for households to display red cuts of festive designs like lanterns, calligraphy and zodiac animals. Good sayings with Chinese characters are often hung upside down, for such an arrangement also suggests the "arrival" of good luck.

Traditional greetings during the festive period emphasise on good fortune, prosperity, a wonderful and smooth path, excellent luck, family happiness, an achieving career, good business and scoring good results in study.    Avoid using, giving or receiving sharp pointed objects during the first few days of the Lunar New Year.    Lion dances bring good vibes to businesses and households.

Culture, Community, Country

In a world of increased mobility, do you feel if your country is the same as your culture, if your goverment synchronises with your personal values, if your religion or language remains part of the national tapestry and if your citizenship is your ethnicity?

There are still homogenous demographics remaining within several nations, despite the rise of multi-cultural diversity in Western societies and the historical mixing of different races within countries formed from the legacy of colonialism.

Thailand, Japan, China, both North and South Korea, Russia and Latin American nations have a high degree of having a shared spoken and written language, which further strengthens their sense of cultural heritage. Thailand is perhaps the only non European country in the world to be not subject to colonialism.

In terms of having less diverse populations, Japan does stand out due to their de-emphasis on accepting migrants and their geographical nature of being a string of islands. 

In contrast, Australia, Israel and Canada have allowed the settlement of peoples from around 200 other nations. Israel welcomes migrants with a shared cultural and religious background. Australia and Canada especially encourage the use of languages other than English.

The USA had been heralded as a promised land attracting, amongst many, war torn migrants from Europe, Spanish speakers from south of its borders, students from an Asia with rising incomes and Middle Easterners. The USA claims to be the original melting pot in nation building in recent history.

The European continent saw the regular redrawing of national boundaries due to war, political alliances, royal marriages, religious transformations and internal migrations, especially in the past 200 years before the 21st century.

Immigration can change the nature of societies - look at France, Australian capital cities, the proportion of non Muslims falling in Malaysia, Birmingham in the United Kingdom and Germany in recent years.

The island nation of Singapore utilises racial numbers as a critical factor in ensuring racial harmony in a small country. South Africa has up to a dozen official languages. The modern Republic of India was federated from lands with different languages and ethnicities collated under the rule of Britain and the former British East India Company.

There are small islands in the South Pacific that are still linked politically, culturally and financially to European masters, a legacy of the 19th century.

The carving of territories by colonial powers, at times subjectively, has divided people of the same culture across different nation states - think for example, of the Kurdish; the indigenous peoples of Papua New Guinea; and the Arabs.

Indigenous peoples across many parts of the world have lost their original nationhood. Those still having some structural sense of independence are grouped around New Zealand, where the Maoris perhaps maintain the highest level of political dignity for indigenous peoples.

Increasingly it can get harder for an individual to assert that my country, my government, my culture, my religion, my personal values, my citizenship, my mother tongue and my ethnicity share a high degree of commonality.

Perhaps the idea of a nation state is increasingly irrelevant. World citizenship can resolve many administrative issues. However the inherent nature of mankind can continue to be divisive, to differentiate and to dominate over others.

#yongkevthoughts

Korean and Japanese Culinary

Fish and Tonkatsu broth for the Ramen at Gumshara, Haymarket, Sydney NSW.

There can be a camaraderie of the cave when dining the cuisine of north-eastern Asia.    Whether it is due to the colder weather, the cultural imperatives or the nature of the food, one feels warmer inside and it is like a return to the sanctity of the village you know with your heart.



There is an emphasis placed with hot temperatures on the stove.   The Ramen stock soup must be sufficiently hot, and it is a breach to serve lukewarm.   The coals under the hot plate at your table are kept a constant watch by the Korean restaurant staff as you place the sheer thin slices of beef or belly pork to get them going.  Teriyaki requires a hot plate that provides texture and seals in the flavours of the slices of marinated meat.   The warmth  of the cooking is matched by the warmth of the wood, decor and design of the layout of the place you eat in.  And then you embrace the warmth of the company at your table.....

Thinly sliced delights ready for the grill - Madang, Sydney NSW.  The Samgyeopsal, or unmarinated pork belly, in the foreground, assures of a good cut from the butcher.

It can be an eye opener watching how the Korean staff handle the hot metal and containers holding the burning coals, all right in front of you.   The unavoidable smoke form the ambers and cooking is best handled sitting outside  - they evoke the rather harsh winters form the countries of source.   With a contrast of cold and heat, the people who gather instinctively huddle closer, with barriers broken down, deeper understanding gradually achieved and the food in front of them tasting better.



Omelettes, pancakes and potato noodles can be viewed as rustic food but offer all-in-one wonders combining aromatic ingredients.   They provide sustenance, enhance the flavours due to the pan fry approach and is street food on the go.  I often find my mates and I fail to finish this category of food on a dining or lunch table as our attention gets diverted to other offerings.  I must say wholesome food such as this is never to be under estimated, especially on cold days and when lots of physical exertion occurs.   The other practical dish is the Bibimbap, a bowl of every thing, including meat, veg and sauces.   I always love a quick lunch of the Japanese rice bowl or Don - whether with Tempura, Katsu or with grilled eel.



And how does a diner counter all this seeming heat and grill?   One can first think of the cold brews that best accompanies Japanese and Korean food - whether they have labels like Hite, Kloud or Sapparo, it is best to get these on tap or from a refrigerated store.   The drink routine is critical, for it sets the pace, frees up discussion and facilitates sharing moments.    The audio crescendo of the place rises with each drink consumed, but  the tone becomes more informal and relaxed as well.    How does an intern maintain composure, circumspect and manners as seniors provide an atmosphere not otherwise seen at work?


Shochu is fermented usually at 25 percent alcohol from various options like barley, rice, buckwheat, brown sugar or even sweet potatoes.    Hailing from Kyushu, the brew is weaker than vodka but provides more oomph than wine or Sake, which is made solely from fermented rice.  The Koreans have their own version called Soju.



The other mitigating factor are the cold serves that can come as entrees or sides.  Sobas in the Japanese islands and Naengmyeon in the Korean Peninsular may have a common origin, but the presentation is different, distinct and both delicious.    The Koreans stir mix a chilli based sauce on to the vermicelli, topped by hard boiled egg and cucumbers.    The Japanese view the noodles as the centrepiece and I reckon there is always a Zen like presence in served Soba   - brought to you on a wooden board, they signify minimalism like a garden of carefully designed stone layouts, with a most enticing egg in a side bowl.

Sashimi Bento selections, Shellharbour Stockland, NSW.

The significant component of raw items in northeastern Asian menus signal the importance of freshness in food eaten.   This was an early and strong manifestation of the slow food movement and the need to reduce the distance between source and consumption.    Long before the organic and simple foods campaigns of the past few decades,  the culinary style was concocted in a more natural world far from processing and manufacture, with the salmon and tuna were out there by the sea shore or riverside near the village.    The epitome of Korean freshness may be is the Sannakji, which implies having live and moving octopus on your plate!


The penchant for guests sitting beside a long bar counter not only mitigates the question of space in more crowded societies, but also allows the transparency of diners watching front up on how their food is prepared.   This available intimacy means one who consumes can relate better to the other human being who prepares and cooks.   It allows building up a relationship and so increases the chances of having regulars come back for meals.   It also echoes the nuance that eating is not an experience to satisfy the palate, but rather that it is part of a more holistic occasion to give eye contact, test the aromas, hold a conversation and enjoy the texture of food up close.

Naengmyeon is served with an iced broth;  slices of boiled egg, cold boiled beef, lightly pickled radish, Korean pear and cucumbers; red chilli paste; vinegar garnishing; spicy mustard oil or sauce; and thin noodles.

The ambiance of the hearth, the security of being around familiarity and the essence of reassurance perhaps can be best symbolised by the warmly served dumpling.   A gulp of the fillings, whether prawn, pork or veg, within the tenderly folded casings, once placed within your mouth,  makes one recall the gentle things in life, the touch of puppy fur and the exquisiteness of good fabric.   Gyoza and  Mandu are accompanied by carefully made sauces that are often soy based, tempered with slices of heartwarming ginger and which provide a dipping routine that does not over power the palate.   The mildness of this entree dish then gives way to the grilled effect of meats later on, or the sauciness of Shobu-Shobu, the Nippon hotpot, or the Korean Jeongol.


And then there is tea, with a whole complexity of intricacy if one delves into the sophisticated, allows the palate to explore and enjoys beyond the mere act of consuming the nuances of tea leaves.   The higher levels of tea sipping experience may seem to be complicated to an outsider, but each measured step, pause and proper lift of hand have meanings that soothe the soul, encourage the appetite and honour the culture.   Tea can be rice based and flavoured, as popular in Japan, or brewed with Ginseng, a root so much respected in Korea for its properties and meaning.



North-east Asian cuisine also can be as simple as deep fried seafood balls or Yakitori, or as sophisticated in making the vinegar flavoured rice for wrapping with the delectable slices of raw and carefully chosen fish, Sashimi.    North-eastern Asian culture encourages and nurtures partaking food on a communal basis.  Snacks to share together or eat one's self include  breads, which in Japan have fillings that range from melon, pork cutlets, red bean paste and curry sauce - Pan.    There are also stews, braises and desserts that are meant to get neighbours and family to sit down together.

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The cultural and ethnic backgrounds of Japan and Korea do differ, although they can share common factors in their cuisine.   The freshness of salads from Western backgrounds contrasts with the pickles and preserves presented as Korean Banchan entrees (as in cabbage chilli preserved Kimchi) and Japanese sides  (think of Tsukemono or "fragant dish").   Japanese can be said to be more subtle in their food, due to the predominance of rather fiery taste chilli paste used in many Korean dishes.     Seaweeds, red beans and soybean are loved ingredients in both cultures.    Soups in Korea tend be beef or rib based or laden with a rice cake base,  whilst Japanese soups are favoured with Miso, Shio or Shoyu.     There is a Korean sausage roll called Sundae while the Japanese take pride in their Wagyu (which literally just means 'Nippon beef").    Korean noodles or Guksu tend to be served in three categories - hot, lukewarm and cold.    Apart from Soba, Japanese noodles are served piping hot, like Udon and Ramen.



The use of dainty chopsticks is an expected feature, although the traditional Korean ones are made of copper.   Japanese chopsticks are often more colourful but shorter than Chinese ones.   You can also observe that chopsticks in Japan have rounded ends, in China squared ends and in Korea more rough ended.   Koreans provide you with chopsticks and a metal spoon at the table, with no folks.    Aussies give you folks and knives, with no spoons.  Thais offer you both folks and spoons.   Small ladle spoons are given to individual diners  for Chinese meals, while it is all right to best show appreciation by drinking your Miso soup straight up the mouth.



The Japanese concept for a taste (as opposed to Western concepts of sour, sweet, salty and bitter) like Umami echoes the unobvious, the subtle and the unforgettable sensations on our palate which escapes definition.   It is akin to savoury, but that does not totally capture its intent in meaning.   Across from Kyushu island, the  Korean soy paste of Doenjang does capture this Umami flavour.




Both cultures do emphasise on presentation and layout for the customer.   Meat is sliced finely instead of being given a whole chunk piece on your plate.   The offering of freshly picked vegetables, especially lettuce and tomatoes, is accompanied by the Western habits of dressing like Mayonnaise.   You may smile at the guest seated on your right, whether along a counter bar or at the next tightly placed table.    We look for the green coloured mustard paste with Nippon food or the Kimchi at a Korean joint.   Staff like to adorn themselves with colourful aprons and headgear, engage in banter amongst themselves to create the effect of being down a village lane or in a Izakaya.    Your food is prepared with an earnest concentration.   You are truly at home, even if not every body knows your name.  
Kanpai!!!   Geon Bae!!!