What an ancient Chinese dish can teach people about the ‘proper’ way to eat dishes
The evolution of ‘biluo’ in Tang-dynasty China highlights how there is no unchanging way in which a dish ought to be prepared and enjoyed
It was a familiar situation that I found myself in. I was one of two Singaporeans among half a dozen or more Malaysians, and predictably – and almost always unprovoked – the trashing of Singapore’s food began, especially its supposed unoriginality and blandness vis-a-vis Malaysian fare.
I have learned to grin and bear it, recognising that these barbs are less about food than the complex emotions Malaysians harbour towards their southern cousins, which are shaped by history, resentment and a sense of frustration. That said, the mutual dissing is usually lighthearted, resembling the good-natured ribbing between old friends.
I am not sure if anyone got it, but my point was to illustrate the fallacy underlying such a remark: that there exists an unchanging way in which a dish ought to be prepared and enjoyed across time and place.