If there is one thing that unites Singaporeans together, it’s food. Even better if it’s when a well-loved Singaporean dish gets mangled. Case in point: The New York Times’ Singaporean Chicken Curry recipe, which was uploaded onto its recipe site, NYT Cooking, and then on Instagram on 1 Feb as a Lunar New Year dish.
Looking nothing like the rich and aromatic chicken curry we’re used to seeing here in Singapore, Taipei-based journalist Clarissa Wee’s version of the dish looked pale, watery and unappetising.
Needless to say, Singaporeans — both netizens and organisations — were vocal about their outrage, taking to the Internet to slam the recipe, with some even calling it “longkang water”.
Here are some of the best burns that we could find. Now, where’s Uncle Roger when you need him?
Most organisations took the opportunity to take a dig at The New York Times’ “Singaporean curry” recipe.
Housing & Development Board advised citizens not to pour it down the drain even though it might look like “longkang water”. Singapore Civil Defence Force chimed in and likened the dish to a “culinary disaster”, similar to “the aftermath of an unattended cooking”.
F&B companies chimed in as well, such as Unilever Food Solutions Singapore and airasia Super App. Both promoted their own chicken curry products, saying that it wouldn’t taste and look like drain water.
In a similar fashion, several other organisations such as Nippon Paint Singapore and Bluestone Corporation took a humorous spin on the viral recipe.
Nippon Paint Singapore showcased their “selected ‘curry’ shades”, while Bluestone Corporation (that sells medical equipment and systems) used their ultrasound on an actual chicken.
Hopping onto the bandwagon was Woodlands West NPC, who called the recipe a scam for not using curry powder and leaves.
“Likewise, it doesn’t take an expert to spot the signs to stop the crime,” they wrote, warning citizens not to be a scam victim.
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