Christina Arokiasamy The Spice Merchant's Daughter

06/23/2026

Singapore-Style Curried Vermicelli

This delectable dish features golden-hued rice vermicelli, tender shrimp, Chinese char siu, crisp vegetables, fluffy omelette strips, and fragrant curry powder, all brought together in one vibrant and satisfying dish.

Interestingly, despite its name, Singapore Noodles is rarely found in Singapore itself. The dish is believed to have originated in Chinese restaurant kitchens outside Singapore, particularly in places such as the United States and Australia. Perhaps it was inspired by the rich blend of Chinese, Indian, Malay, and other culinary influences that have long shaped Singapore’s food culture.

• 1/4 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil, divided
• 2 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce, divided
• 1 bundle (about 5 1/2 ounces) dried rice stick noodles
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder, divided
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/4 pound Chinese roast pork (char siu), cut into thin strips
• 1/4 medium onion, sliced
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 medium carrot, julienned
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Pat the shrimp dry and place in a small bowl. Add 1 teaspoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce. Set aside.

Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand until pliable, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, 2 teaspoons curry powder, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, sugar, remaining fish sauce, and 2 teaspoons water. Mix well and set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok over high heat. Add the eggs and cook briefly, stirring gently until just set. Break into small pieces and transfer to a bowl.

Wipe the wok clean. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat until smoking. Stir-fry the shrimp for 30 seconds. Add the roast pork and onion and stir-fry for another 30 seconds. Add the red bell pepper and continue cooking briefly. Add the carrot and remaining curry powder. Season lightly with salt and toss until evenly coated.

Transfer everything to the bowl with the eggs.

Wipe the wok clean again. Add the remaining oil and heat until smoking. Add the rice noodles and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Pour in the prepared sauce and toss until the noodles are evenly coated, adding a teaspoon or two of water if needed.
Return the egg, shrimp, pork, and vegetables to the wok.

Toss everything together until well combined and heated through. Remove from the heat, add the scallions and sesame oil, and toss once more before serving.

Photo credit: The Woks of Life.

06/22/2026

LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN WINGS

2 ½ pounds chicken wings
Juice of 1 - 2 lemons
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1¾ cups plain yogurt
3 tablespoons Ginger Garlic Paste
½ teaspoon Garam Masala
1 tablespoon Pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
Lime wedges for garnish

1. Cut the wings in half at the joint. Discard the wing tips (the smaller section of the wings). Put the chicken wings in a large bowl.

2. Mix together the lemon juice, paprika and salt. Rub each chicken piece thoroughly with the mixture.

3. Combine yogurt, ginger garlic paste, garam masala, and pepper a in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth. Pour the marinade over the chicken and mix. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours or, preferably, overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

5. Remove the wings from the marinade and arrange on an oiled rack. Place the rack on a baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes, brushing with the remaining marinade periodically.

6. Turn the oven to broil, and broil the wings, which will take about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the wings are brown and crisp on the outside but still tender on the inside.

06/21/2026

Have a blessed Sunday. I am thankful for you and for having you as part of this journey.

06/21/2026

Arokiasamy speaks to Saveur. When you unwrap sticky rice from bamboo leaves in Malaysia, where the dish is called bak zhang, you’ll often notice. ...

SAVEUR senior culture editor Megan Zhang hunts down different regional varieties of sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves—just in time for Dragon Boat Festival.

06/20/2026

World Table™ Was Created by Culture Generation

World Table™ was created by Culture Generation, a 501 C 3 nonprofit orginazation to celebrate minority immigrant restaurants, markets, and cultural food stories through community rooted culinary tourism. Our work began in Kent for over 25 years, with the trust of local immigrant owned businesses, and we remain committed to protecting this trademark work, honoring the BIPOC immigrants behind the food, and making sure their stories are represented with care, respect, and integrity for the people by the people!

06/20/2026

I created this recipe after tasting many basil and tomato salads dressed with Italian balsamic vinaigrette. I began wondering how those same beautiful tomatoes would taste with brighter, tropical flavors.

This version brings together ripe Campari tomatoes, Thai basil, soy sauce, sambal ulek, fresh lime juice, sesame oil, and a little palm sugar or honey. You may find yourself wanting to drink every last spoonful of the dressing.

Ingredients:
8 ripe Campari tomatoes, quartered
½ cup Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fried garlic in oil

Dressing:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/2 or 1 tablespoon sambal ulek
1 teaspoon palm sugar or honey

To prepare, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, lime juice, sambal ulek, and palm sugar or honey in a small bowl. Stir well until the flavors come together.

Place the tomatoes and Thai basil in a bowl. Pour the dressing over the tomatoes and toss gently. Spoon the fried garlic oil over the top and serve at room temperature.

06/19/2026

Malaysian Chicken Curry

Even after 28 years plus of living in the United States and enjoying a variety of international foods, this Malaysian Chicken Curry is still one of those dishes that I must come back to at least a few times a month.

This homemade Malaysian Chicken Curry can be paired with a stir-fried vegetable dish and a plate of rice to make a complete home meal.

2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, thighs or breasts
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 (3-inch) piece cinnamon sticks
1 whole star anise
1/4 teaspoon cloves
3 green cardamom pods, crushed
1 large red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons Ginger Garlic Paste
1 medium sized potatoes, washed, peeled, and quartered
2 tomatoes, quartered
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ to1 tablespoon meat and chicken curry powder, storebought
1 ½ teaspoons salt, to taste
1/3 cup Kara coconut milk

1. Cut chicken thighs in half or if using breasts, cut into 5 pieces. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the curry leaves (make sure the curry leaves are dry or it will splatter in the oil), cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and cardamom pods. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3. Add onions, and cook until translucent and light brown, about 7 minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste, stir and cook for a 1 minute.

4. Add the chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, turmeric, and meat curry powder and mix well. Cover, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes until the potatoes and chicken pieces are tender. Note that the curry will naturally release water from the meat as it cooks so there is no need to any any water to the pot. If you prefer your curry to have a thick sauce, do not cover the pot.

5. Add the salt and the coconut milk, stirring to mix thoroughly. For a creamier curry you can add same amount coconut cream as well. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until a little oil appears on the surface. Remove from the heat and serve warm.

06/18/2026

Food has the power to connect us all. At Culture Generation, we are dedicated to sharing the rich heritages and stories of our local BIPOC and immigrant-owned culinary businesses with deep care and respect.

We are hard at work preparing for our upcoming Flavors of Afghanistan Culinary Journey on Saturday, July 26. This special experience is filling up quickly! Join us as we celebrate community, culture, and economic support for local food businesses.

06/17/2026

Spiced Grilled Lamb Chops

Lamb chops with just the right amount of fat on the bones, paired with fresh rosemary and bay leaves from my garden.

The chops have been marinating in pesto oil, therefore you don’t need to add any more oil when grilling them. Delicious platter of succulent chops with bits of salty fat bursting in each bite.

Serves 6

5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
4 fresh bay leaves or 6 dried bay leaves
8 garlic cloves
2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
12 (1¼ inch-thick) lamb loin chops
1 lemon, cut into wedges

1. Prepare the spice marinade by adding rosemary, bay leaves, garlic, black pepper, kashmiri chili, salt, Worcestershire sauce and extra virgin olive oil into a food processor and blend until you obtain a rough marinade.

2. Put the lamb chops into a non-metal bowl then pour the marinade over the meat and mix well making sure the marinade covers both meat and bones. Set aside in the refrigerator to marinate for 3 hours.

3. When ready to cook, heat oil in a cast iron pan or grill over medium high heat but not smoking. Carefully place the lamb chops into the pan and cook until well browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the chops and cook until brown another 3 to 4 minutes for medium. Transfer to a cooking rack to rest, while you continue to cook the remaining lamb chops. Once the remaining chops are cooked allow them to rest for 2 minutes before serving.

4. Arrange the lamb chops on a serving platter, garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

06/16/2026

Behind the scenes today at Chontong Thai Cuisine in SeaTac, filming the story of Thai food through the people, fresh herbs, curries, noodles, and family ....