We're going to Singapore on May 19!

 

To label Singapore as the Asian food capital would be an understatement. Sure, this city-state has Michelin-starred restaurants, but only tourists eat there. The locals prefer to eat at hawker centers and food courts instead -- where the food is abundant, cheap, and really good. From "food opera" to "food republic" to "food village" to "food square," these eating palaces offer an endless variety of pan-Asian fare. From authentic traditional bites to exotic ingredients to creative fusion inventions, if you can dream it, you can find it here. Join us for an authentic Singapore hawker center feast with an all-vegetarian menu:

• Wood Ear Mushroom Salad: crunchy Chinese mushroom salad dressed with garlic, soy, and sesame
• Vada Sambar Chutney: popular south Indian savory donut snack served with lentil stew and coconut chutney
• Green Papaya Salad: zingy and spicy Thai salad dressed with a savory garlic-lime sauce
• Okonomiyaki: a savory pancake from Osaka topped with Japanese mayonnaise and pickled ginger
• Jackfruit Biryani: fragrant spiced rice topped with crisp onions and saffron milk
• Sticky Rice with Mango: fresh ripe mangos with sweet coconut cream sauce
• Specialty beverage pairings all evening long with non-alcoholic cocktail, wine & beer options

This event is co-hosted by Sirisha Bhandaru and Paul Young, two local cooking instructors who have taught dozens of cooking classes around Champaign-Urbana. Sirisha grew up in India but spent many summers with her grandmother, who taught her how to cook authentic dishes from scratch using homegrown ingredients. Paul is a retired professor whose new hobby is recreating ethnic dishes from his culinary adventures around the world. Both Sirisha and Paul love to share their passion for good eats, tasty treats, and exotic international flavors.

All of our Sunday night dinners are all-inclusive prix fixe affairs. This means you get a multi-course dinner complete with beverage pairings all evening long for one fixed price. Unlike at restaurants, all taxes and tips are included as well. Seating is limited, so please book early. To reserve, just send me an email at paul@cooking-with-paul.com

Thanks to Strawberry Fields Cafe for sponsoring this special alcohol-free vegetarian event!

More information about my cooking classes and pop-up events can always be found on my website, where you'll also find over 150 recipes from my classes (no ads!). You can also subscribe to my email newsletter or follow me on Instagram or Facebook and like my posts. Bon appétit!