Stories of Yesteryear – From Book to Cook
"From Book to Cook" is a cooking show on Singapore’s old recipes found in the National Library collection. In every episode, our librarian-host Paddy Ong and a guest cook will make a dish or two from a vintage recipe. What happens when you put a librarian in the kitchen, armed with traditional kitchen tools and recipes from the past? Catch the series to find out! This series is produced by the National Library Board.
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"From Book to Cook" is a cooking show on Singapore’s old recipes found in the National Library collection. In every episode, our librarian-host Paddy Ong and a guest cook will make a dish or two from a vintage recipe. What happens when you put a librarian in the kitchen, armed with traditional kitchen tools and recipes from the past? Catch the series to find out! This series is produced by the National Library Board.
Curry powder is now commonly sold in pre-mixed packets, but in the past, people used to bring their spices to spice mills to have them ground, before mixing them at home. Well-known chef, cookbook author and culinary consultant Devagi Sanmugam talks about what life was like back then. She also whips up a quick beef rendang using a recipe from 1920, cooked with curry powder and eaten with spaghetti.
Curry powder is now commonly sold in pre-mixed packets, but in the past, people used to bring their spices to spice mills to have them ground, before mixing them at home. Well-known chef, cookbook author and culinary consultant Devagi Sanmugam talks about what life was like back then. She also whips up a quick beef rendang using a recipe from 1920, cooked with curry powder and eaten with spaghetti.
Because of a rice shortage during the Japanese Occupation, people ate sweet potato and tapioca instead. Writer and cookbook author Lee Geok Boi shows us what the human imagination is capable of by taking these humble root vegetables and turning them into two delicious dishes, using only ingredients that were available in Japanese-occupied Singapore.
Because of a rice shortage during the Japanese Occupation, people ate sweet potato and tapioca instead. Writer and cookbook author Lee Geok Boi shows us what the human imagination is capable of by taking these humble root vegetables and turning them into two delicious dishes, using only ingredients that were available in Japanese-occupied Singapore.
In this episode, we make an unusual version of nasi lemak using a recipe from 1953. The recipe comes from a book by Siti Radhiah, a Malay cookbook author who was also the wife of writer Harun Aminurrashid. Is it really nasi lemak if it doesn’t use pandan? Join librarian and food researcher Toffa Abdul Wahed as she makes this unique nasi lemak and two side dishes.
In this episode, we make an unusual version of nasi lemak using a recipe from 1953. The recipe comes from a book by Siti Radhiah, a Malay cookbook author who was also the wife of writer Harun Aminurrashid. Is it really nasi lemak if it doesn’t use pandan? Join librarian and food researcher Toffa Abdul Wahed as she makes this unique nasi lemak and two side dishes.
In 1967, the Singapore government launched the Eat More Wheat campaign to reduce rice imports, because it was expensive compared to wheat. Award-winning cookbook author and culinary instructor Christopher Tan tells us about the campaign and makes a unique milk noodle soup dish from a 1969 cookbook, which was published in conjunction with the campaign.
In 1967, the Singapore government launched the Eat More Wheat campaign to reduce rice imports, because it was expensive compared to wheat. Award-winning cookbook author and culinary instructor Christopher Tan tells us about the campaign and makes a unique milk noodle soup dish from a 1969 cookbook, which was published in conjunction with the campaign.
Home economics was taught in Singapore schools to train teenage girls to be good homemakers. The changing syllabus for this subject over the different decades tells a story of the “ideal” Singaporean woman and gender roles. Food writer and researcher Sheere Ng explores home economics while making a unique pasta dish, one that she was taught in her home economics class. (Hint: It involves a sauce that normally goes with fries.)
Home economics was taught in Singapore schools to train teenage girls to be good homemakers. The changing syllabus for this subject over the different decades tells a story of the “ideal” Singaporean woman and gender roles. Food writer and researcher Sheere Ng explores home economics while making a unique pasta dish, one that she was taught in her home economics class. (Hint: It involves a sauce that normally goes with fries.)