In Your Opinion Podcast

Is chilli the most important ingredient in Singapore cuisine?

Adding extra chilli to your meal might give it a satisfying kick, but consider if judging a dish solely by its spice level is a fair critique of our evolving culinary landscape.

ST GRAPHIC: NATASHA LIEW

Lin Suling

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at key issues of the day with newsmakers.

Across Singapore’s diverse culinary landscape, chilli is a common accompaniment to almost any meal — think sambal belachan, chilli paste mixed with garlic and ginger or freshly cut chilli padi.

The unique chilli condiment paired with a meal can sometimes make or break a dish. Do we judge a dish by its chilli — and rightly or wrongly so? Do we wear our tolerance toward spiciness as an undeserved badge of honour? And with the influx of Chinese mala cuisine and Korean gochujang, has Singapore’s chilli culture become more adventurous in the last decade?

In this episode, opinion editor Lin Suling speaks to food influencer Alderic Teo and private chef Schira Hassan.

Highlights (click/tap above):

7:20 Is “not spicy enough” a legitimate criticism of a dish?

8:10 Korean spicy noodles: Why the performative element?

9:30 How to make traditional dishes accessible to a wider audience while retaining authenticity?

11:10 Do people’s spice tolerances decline with age?

22:00 Can the accompanying chilli become the dealbreaker for a dish?

Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Host: Lin Suling (linsuling@sph.com.sg)

Produced & edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong

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