Affe #203

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Thomas Binglangur Baffles was sure he was dead and in heaven. He was overwhelmed by the sensory impressions that flooded him. From all sides his eyes saw bright colors and everything smelled of paradise. The only thing he could have done without was the noisy monkeys that ran towards him from time to time – it reminded him that this place was very real. He was right in the middle of the largest hawker market in the Monkeyverse in the bustling metropolis of Singapore. In fact, the market was so famous and old that it was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Primate Heritage last year. There was no question that Thomas couldn't miss this attraction and especially the food here.

The first dish on his to-eat list was one born of frugality. In the early days, a street vendor sold "chicken rice balls wrapped in banana leaves". Chicken Rice was created to stretch the flavor of the chicken and was a ubiquitous sight in hawker centers. It was prepared using traditional methods, in which the whole chicken was poached at temperatures below boiling point to both cook it and make the broth. After that, it was dipped in ice and hung to dry. The broth was used to boil rice after adding ginger, garlic and pandan leaves. It produced an oily, flavorful rice that was the most important part of the dish – since chicken rice wasn't about the chicken, it was about the rice. It was served with a dipping sauce made from freshly chopped red chili and garlic, along with dark soy sauce and freshly ground ginger. To top it all off, it was garnished with fresh cucumbers on the side. It was so delicious that Thomas saw stars and was sure that he had come closer to heaven again.

After a brief constructive pause, he was on to the next task on his list – eating crustaceans should be good for one's health. It didn't take long to find a vendor who prepared the dish and judging by the line of primates they certainly did a pretty good job. Chili Crab was a seafood dish widely associated with the city's national cuisine. Mud crab was used and sautéed in a semi-thick, tomato-chili-based sauce. The dish had a complex flavor, sweet yet savory, with a fluffy texture. It was served with steamed mantou buns, which were used as a vehicle to scoop up the sauce. The explosion of spices in the bright red hot sauce was a good contrast to the previous Chicken Rice. And he understood only too well why the monkeys bothered to stand in line for so long. Thomas had to admit that he was getting a little tired. His whole system was probably busy digesting the chicken and crab in his belly. With a freshly squeezed sugar cane juice in hand, he made his way to the beach. Try as he might, he wouldn't be able to eat another meal right now. However, that didn't stop him from picking up a pandan chiffon cake along the way...

A few hours and a little nap on the beach later, he felt rested enough to continue working on his list. He looked past it: Hokkien Prawn Mee, Fish Head Curry, Bak Kut The, Satay… His gaze lingered on the next item on the list – that would be his next task. Returning to the market, he quickly found what he was looking for. Again, he chose the vendor with the most customers – so many monkeys in one bunch couldn't be wrong.

It wasn't long before a large bowl of steaming contents was in front of him. It was a popular hot noodle soup of this region of the Monkeyverse. The Laksa consisted of thick rice noodles topped with shrimp and fish, prepared with a rich and flavorful coconut soup flavored with sour tamarind. The noodles were cut into smaller pieces so the whole dish could be eaten with a spoon alone. Additionally, the broth was thickened with ground dried shrimp, which gave the whole dish a delicious "sandy" texture. It was really satisfying.

He yawned and felt drowsy again. Maybe he should go for a little walk. Along the way, he might find a spot for a Tau Huay or a Grass Jelly dessert. Thomas checked his list again; it was an interesting requirement from the city government that every monkey had to try all of the dishes listed here before being allowed to move to Singapore.

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