Journalists from across Asia showed viewers the vibrancy of the region's food culture in a special live broadcast yesterday evening.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the Asia News Network, The Straits Times' STFood online editor Hedy Khoo and Hong Kong's China Daily senior multimedia producer Natasha Fernandes launched a Facebook livestream relay that took viewers to seven capitals.

Starting at 5.45pm Singapore time, viewers were brought to the streets of Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi and Seoul.

Street food showcased included fresh spring rolls in Hanoi and tteokbokki (rice cakes) in Seoul.

The network's board members and editors also tasted food from different countries in Seoul, where an anniversary gala dinner was held.

The spread included bak kwa (barbecued meat) and fish skin crackers from Singapore, worm snacks from Thailand, and peanut and sesame crackers from Vietnam.

ANN is an alliance of 24 media organisations in the region. ST is a founding member of the network.

Ms Khoo and Ms Fernandes, who helms China Daily's weekly food show Taste Buds, were at People's Park Food Centre in Singapore, where Ms Khoo tucked into oyster omelette from stall 01-1080, which uses its unit number as its stall name.

The stall had updated its traditional recipe by omitting pork lard and using vegetable oil, and was recently featured in ST Food's Cheap & Good series.

"The dish is Teochew in origin, but here, it has evolved to be a dish that is part of our Singaporean food culture," Ms Khoo said.

Other dishes on the table included Hokkien noodles and char kway teow, and sweet treats such as red bean soup, ice kacang and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Despite professing a dislike for red beans, Ms Fernandes, a vegetarian, called the red bean soup "comfort food" and said it reminded her of something she would have at home.