Functional woks have been transformed by Kiwi artists for an upcoming exhibition.
As a 13-year resident of Singapore who returned to New Zealand 12 years ago, I still suffer from hunger pangs for the food.
"Woks Of Art" - the cleverly ambiguous title of Tiger Beer's celebration of Singapore's food, drink and artistry - captures not only the fact that aseries of talented New Zealand artists have turned functional woks into works of art to be displayed at leading Auckland and Wellington bars this month.
It also refers to the artistry of Singapore's hawkers who are perhaps unparalleled in running up creations that taste spectacular even though they are whipped up in the humble wok in humble surroundings.
Tiger's Woks of Art projects sees woks created by artists like Flox, Erin Forsyth, Louise McRae, Josh Lancaster and Nicholas J. Boyd displayed while they re-create scenes from Singapore streets in events showcasing music, food and art at The Street Food Collective, Little Easy, Wellington's Dirty Little Secret, the Portland Public House and White & Wong's. But, regardless of the eye-catching woks created in the name of art, Singaporeans' overwhelming love of food seems likely to ensure woks continue to produce some of the world's most mouth-watering and addictive dishes.
Tigerwoks, Josh Lancaster.
Tiger have got into that act as well, creating a street-food-inspired bar snack for Woks of Art, called 'hot & spicy chilli crab peanuts' - which sound every bit as good a beer food as one of my personal favourites, ikan bilis, deep fried, salt-cured anchovies, garnished with chilli, onion and peanuts.
Tigerwoks Flox.
I also hugely miss mee goreng - the delicious, spicy noodles served either with sea food or chicken - and sambal stingray. The latter is largely regarded as a rubbish fish here but the stingray wings, done with liberal application of spicy sambal sauce, is a knockout.
Then there's char kway teow, flat wide rice noodles, stir fried with egg, dark soy sauce, shrimp paste, a hint of chilli and often some Chinese sausage and cockles. Or murtabak, the stuffed roti (with all manner of fillings), served with a curry sauce.
Louise McRae.
Perhaps the king of them all is laksa - a spicy noodle soup, laden with seafood or chicken, swimming in a bowl of curry, usually coconut cream-based, vegetables and herbs.
Dates for the remaining Tiger Streets of Singapore events are:
Wednesday April 27, 5pm - 10pm: Dirty Little Secret, 7/11 Dixon St, Te Aro, Wellington Friday April 29, 7pm - late: Portland Public House, 463 New North Road, Kingsland, Auckland Sunday May 1, 1pm - 6pm: White + Wong's, 149 Quay Street, Viaduct, Auckland
