As custodian of the national food culture, and shepherd of Rempapa's culinary journey from past to future, Chef Damian D’Silva knows a thing or two about milestones. And so, this upcoming National Day, Damian collaborates with a pair of local culinary talents to present a series of exciting ‘4-hand’ experiences marking Singapore’s birthday.
National Day celebrates the independence of our nation and the unity and harmony of its multi-racial people. Chef Damian has dedicated his life to a similar aim. At his restaurant, Rempapa, he articulates, showcases, and propagates food traditions through what he calls Singapore Heritage cuisine, cementing the bonds between ethnicities and burnishing the pride of all Singaporeans.
Embodying the Singaporean soul on the plate is the vision and mission of Damian D’Silva, the man known as ‘the grandfather of heritage cuisine’.
This National Day, Damian leads his team in Rempapa's first multi-cultural collaborations as part of the restaurant’s Cultural Celebration Series which debuted this past Hari Raya Puasa. The guest chefs are Marvas Ng, Executive Chef of Path; and Vasunthara Ramasamy (Vasun), MasterChef Singapore Season 2 contestant and passionate home cook.
The chefs will have the opportunity to shine individually and express what Singaporean food truly means to them. By bringing together wisdom and innovation on a democratic platform, Rempapa furthers the conversation on the place of food in our society and its future meanings to us.
Guest Chef Marvas Ng cooked from a young age next to his grandmother and later received training in European and French cuisine. He cut his professional teeth in China and Hong Kong, where the deep culture and pride of the local chefs and his beautiful memories of cooking with his grandmother inspired him to bring stronger Chinese elements into the French cuisine of his training.
Chef Marvas opened and currently helms the Modern Asian restaurant, Path, where he met Damian. Marvas has always admired Damian’s profound knowledge and relentless advocacy in this area. Through this ‘4-hand’ event, Marvas hopes to have a chance to explore Singaporean legacy cuisine which he feels he has still a lot to learn from Chef Damian. In this collaborative effort, the two Singaporean chefs present a sumptuous Chinese feast that weaves a story of heritage and creativity, lovingly interpreted.
When Damian was a judge on MasterChef Singapore Season 2, Vasun was a contestant. During the pandemic, when foodies everywhere were experimenting with sourdough, Vasun, a talented and dedicated home cook, learned the art of thosai-making. In today’s fast-paced, ultra-consumerist society, the laborious task of making thosai the traditional way is largely forgotten. So, Vasun studied the science of fermentation at great length and its applications to thosai – and she developed a method, involving a long and slow fermentation period of up to 16 hours, which captured the deep and complex nuances of the thosai she grew up enjoying.
In line with his own ideals of craft and heritage, Damian is a fan of Vasun’s thosai, and is delighted to share this special treat with local diners. Through the South Indian set lunch that the Rempapa team and Vasun will present, another cherished piece in the mosaic of our culinary legacy, in danger of being lost, will have its day on the table.
Set dinner with Chef Marvas on 6 August 2022
This menu consists of two dishes from Rempapa, two from Chef Marvas, and two collaborated dishes, in addition to two snacks and two desserts. Served in the communal style of a typical Chinese meal, the dinner commences with 2 classic snacks from Rempapa – Slow-Cooked Belly Pork with Ah Seng Sauce and Chi Pao Kai.
These are followed by dishes from Marvas – 16-day Dry-aged Duck Crown served with caramel jus, sautéed kai lan, and mandarin segments; and Iberico Pork Jowl served with tomato salsa and smashed cucumber salad.
Inspired by the traditional roast duck, the 16-day dry-aged duck crown is first marinated in smoked brine for 5 hours, drenched in 'crispy skin water’ – a mixture of light soy, hoisin, maltose and red vinegar – then dry-aged for 16 to 19 days. After which it is hung and slow-cooked over binchotan and bathed with hot oil to achieve crisp on the skin. The roast duck is sliced and served with a caramel chicken jus, sautéed kai lan, and mandarin orange segments.
For the next dish, Iberico Pork Jowl is marinated with house-made char siew sauce of soy sauce, hoisin, honey, rosewater (mei gui lu), fermented beancurd, sesame oil, and garlic. The pork is grilled and served with a tomato salsa of cherry tomatoes, shallots, coriander, fish sauce, salt and pepper, as well as a refreshing smashed cucumber and wing bean salad with Teochew chilli sauce.
The Rempapa team then presents a rich and soulful Collagen Soup, slow-cooked for 12 hours to coax out delicate nuances from the soup base ingredients of matured hen, chicken feet, and pork prime ribs, then sweetened with pumpkin purée, napa cabbage, and wolfberry. Wild hawthorn berry is added to the soup for tartness to balance the overall richness. The following dish – Steamed Golden Pomfret with Herbaceous Sauce – features a piquant sauce made from a blend of Chinese parsley, coriander, Chinese coriander, green chilli, garlic, ginger, and plum sauce.
The collaborative dishes are Asparagus with Sambal Juliana Beurre Blanc, and Chilled Angel Hair Pasta with Majiang Sauce. In the former, asparagus is gently cooked in chicken stock then chargrilled, and paired with Marvas's innovative take on Damian's house-made sambal emulsified into a light beurre blanc. The latter dish – Chilled Angel Hair Pasta with Majiang Sauce – is inspired by a classic Taiwanese noodle served with sesame sauce. The chilled pasta is served with house- made sesame sauce, soybean sprout, beetroot juice-pickled turnip, fresh Japanese cucumber, and yellow and white sweet corn. Rounding off the meal is a dessert of Osmanthus Jelly and an assortment of Kuehs.
This Chinese set dinner by Rempapa and Chef Marvas is priced at $168++ per pax for a minimum of 4 diners. Served communal style, it comprises 2 snacks, 6 main dishes, and 2 desserts. Available for one evening only on 6 August, Saturday, for 2 seatings – 6pm to 8pm and 8.15pm to 10.30pm.
Reservations can be made through pre-payment ticket sales from today onwards.
From 8 to 12 August 2022, diners can also enjoy the following dishes during dinner service at Path: 16-day Dry-aged Duck Crown ($88++), Iberico Pork Jowl ($38++) and Asparagus with Sambal Juliana Beurre Blanc ($28++).
Set lunch with Vasun on 13 August 2022
Served communal style, the menu consists of three thosai and three chutneys from Vasun and three side dishes from Rempapa, in addition to an assortment of kuehs for dessert.
Presented as an appetiser, the Kuzhi Paniyaram with Chutney & Podi is a well-known snack in the Chettinad region. The ball-shaped crisp dumplings, studded with ginger, coriander, and green chilli, are made with a fermented batter of ponni raw rice and topped with green coconut chutney. Offered on the side is peanut podi – this specialty from Andhra Pradesh is made with two types of chillies, white sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, jaggery, asafoetida, and toasted dried coconut meat. Each Indian household has its preferred podi variation; Vasun has fond recollections of her grandmother preparing the condiment, which lends distinctive aromas, textures, and flavours to dishes.
The golden brown Masala Thosai is made with parboiled rice and Vasun's personal blend of dried lentils, then stuffed with a flavoursome potato palya. The spiced filling is made with waxy potato, onion, green chilli, coriander, turmeric, curry leaves, and mustard seeds cooked in coconut oil, then finished with a touch of ghee.
The Egg Podi Thosai is served as an accompaniment to Rempapa's Sri Lankan Chicken Curry. Made with the same batter as masala thosai, this thosai variation is served with egg, minced onions, green chillies, coriander, and peanut podi. The curry is prepared with dry spices such as cloves, cinnamon, and star anise tempered in ghee, followed by a wet spice paste of Bombay onions, Bentong ginger, and garlic. Kampong chicken thigh and meat curry powder are added. A touch of coconut milk is poured in just before the chicken is cooked through, and fresh calamansi juice is added to finish.
Vasun presents three chutneys – Green Coconut Chutney, Tomato Thokku, and Kaara Chutney – that offer layers of texture and flavour to accompany the thosai. Mildly spicy, the Green Coconut Chutney highlights the refreshing profiles of coriander and green chillies, while the Tomato Thokku features tangy notes from fresh tomatoes and tamarind, along with a myriad of spices and herbs.
Smoky and spicy, the vibrant Kaara Chutney is a Tamil Nadu-style chutney made with dry red chillies, garlic, and shallots.
From the team at Rempapa comes two more side dishes. The first is a moreish Dhal Tadka that brims with flavours. Shallots, curry leaves, and mustard seeds are tempered in ghee until golden brown, then poured into red lentils that were cooked with coconut milk, chilli padi, tomato, curry leaves, and pandan leaves. Moringa leaves are added towards the end of the cooking process to bring more texture. The second dish – Coconut Sambol – is a quintessential Sri Lankan condiment that pairs well with rice, idiyappam, and bread. Coconuts are a hallmark of Sri Lankan cuisine; here, the relish is made with freshly grated coconut meat combined with green chilli and shallot and finished with lime juice. A delightful balance of spicy, sour, salty, and sweet.
This Indian set lunch by Rempapa and Vasun is priced at $68++ per pax for a minimum of 4 diners. Served communal style, it comprises 3 thosai, 3 chutneys, 3 sides, and 1 dessert. Available only on 13 August, Saturday, for 2 seatings – 11am to 1pm and 1.15pm to 3pm. Reservations can be made through pre-payment ticket sales from 20 July onwards.
Takeaway multi-cultural kueh box available from 6 to 9 August 2022
To celebrate Singapore’s rich multi-cultural cuisine this National Day, exclusively from 6 to 9 August, Rempapa is offering a takeaway 10-piece Multi-Cultural Kueh Box with traditional sweet treats from Chinese, Indian, Eurasian, Malay, and Peranakan cuisines. The kueh box is specially curated by Chef Damian with heritage selections such as Chinese Ang Ku Kueh, Indian Putu Bambu, Eurasian Sugee Cake or Putugal, Malay Sarang Semut, and Peranakan Kueh Salat.
Each box is priced at $22+. Pre-order is available from today onwards. Orders must be placed at least 48 hours in advance, e.g. for collection on 6 August, order must be made on 3 August.
a. 2 Paya Lebar Rd, 01-01/02/03 Park Place Residences at PLQ, Singapore 409053
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