My First cooking class

I remembered so clearly, this special private class I did with a family of Hakka sisters in December 2004. YL wrote to me via email when she was still working in Hong Kong, asking me if I could teach her and her 2 sisters how to cook all the traditional Hakka cuisine. Of course, I said YES, as always. YL was delighted and quickly informed her sister in Singapore where the class will be held.

It was a 2 day Marathron cooking class. Besides the traditional Hakka cuisine, the ladies also want to learn to cook some of Singapore's local seafood favourites. YL says that their mom was younger and could teach them, they didn't find a need to learn how to cook. Now that she's aging and tired, they didn't have the heart to ask dearest mommy to slave in the kitchen just to show them a few tricks.

So how could I refuse a request like that?

And so, here is what the sisters learnt for 2 days.


Day 1
Hakka Yong Tau Foo
Hakka Suan Pan Zi(Yam Beads)
Hakka Soon Pan(Soon kueh)
Hakka Ngor Hiang(Meat Roll)

extras because they craved for other cuisines too:
Teochew Stewed Duck

Day 2 menu : Singapore local favourites
Chilli Crabs
Black Pepper Crabs
Masala Vadai
Drunken King Prawns
Buttered Prawns
Thai Spicy Noodles(Glass noodles salad)



Sisters making everything from scratch.


YL trying her hans in making Hakka soon kueh the old fashioned way, by hand.


At the end of class, our bellies are stuffed and happy. There was just so much food we have cooked in 2 days that could feed 30 people.

In all, we cooked and ate 5 kg of Prawns, 5 kg of mud crabs, 3 dozens of soon pan, 1kg of soon pan zi and yong tau foo that could feed 10 persons.

Thanks to YL and YH, for wonderful memories and a jolly good time too!