The "Ng" will probably indicate that she is a "Hokkien" from
Fuchien.
It is the Malays that are descendants from Yunnan Province as
claimed by ex-PM Mahathir in his book The Malay Dilemma.
Seriously, the cuisines between Peninsular Malaya and
Singapore may have similar names but they definitely do not taste
the same.
To claim that theirs is the original cuisine from
Malaysia and all other similar named dish are copies - would
be a complete fallacy that serves the vanity of a small
minded person.
If they claim that Malacca Laksa or Penang Laksa is Malaysian it
is quite alright, and that the Katong Laksa is unique to
Singapore - all are the creations from a mix of Chinese with Malay
recipes by the Babas, can any one be considered the original
when they developed on their own and feature different tastes ?
Even the Malacca "Popiah" is different from Singapore's; and the
KL "chee cheong fun" is served cold - when the same is served
piping hot in Singapore and Hongkong; and between Singapore and
Hongkong the sauce is different too.
The Philippine "Lechon" is almost similar to our Roast Pig in
taste and texture and presentation - except that there is the
accompanying sauces and the accompanying dishes are different.
Incidentally, the Hainanese on Hainan Island are confused as
they have no clue about this famous dish that was developed by the
culinary skills of the Hainanese that migrated to Southeast
Asia.
The Hainanese Chicken Rice different in taste and with different
style of the all important chilli sauce being prepared -
some with grounded garlic mixed into it, some offer thick black
sauce, and some with a onions in the rice, while others place
yellow ginger when the rice is steamed.
Is there any purpose to claim that any dish is the national dish
of any one Country ?
It tantamount to asserting a false claim that the Chinese landed
first in Peninsular Malaya, and the Malaysian Chinese are the
original migrant that left China.
Is there any purpose to such a childish and mindless claim ?
In Hainan today, the chicken dish is known as Wen Chang Chicken
文昌鸡。It is different from other chicken dishes in that the chicken
is boiled, rather than braised or roosted, the cantonese call it
白斩鸡。this is what the hainanese brought with them out of Hainan to
other countries.
the rice that comes with it, whether in bowl, in rice balls as
small as golf ball as seen in Malacca, or the big ball we see in
Toa Payoh, and the different sauce, are all
local variations.
Obviously the claim serves the Malaysia tourism minister a
purpose, after losing the ownership to the heritage of a dance to
the Indonesian. Like many Malaysian politicians, taking on
Singapore is deemed an easy way to gain some
points. But we all know it is childish and mindless to
use any issue as such for political reasons.
