#ChineseFoodiesofIG: Helen Goh

 

This is part of an ongoing series of interviews I’m doing with my favourite Chinese foodies that I follow on Instagram. Come and follow the #ChineseFoodiesofIG hashtag on Instagram and leave a comment showing your support for these talented folk!

Where are you from? Where are you really from?

I always seem to get this wrong: when I moved to London and people would ask me where I come from, I’d say I came from Australia. And they’d say, ‘Oh, but you look Chinese’. Other times I would say ‘I’m from Malaysia, and they’d say ‘Oh, but you sound Australian’. And then I got to saying ‘I was born in Malaysia but I grew up in Australia’ and they’d say, ‘Oh, I meant whereabouts in London are you from?’

So now I say I was born in Malaysia and grew up in Australia and now live in West London!

What does home taste like?

Home tastes like congee with all the trimmings. And also challah on Friday nights when I do Shabbat meals with my husband and children.

Share a food memory:

When I was about seven, our school in Klang, Malaysia held a fete on the school sports grounds. My mother made a huge pot of mee siam. As pupils we had to wait for the crowds to disperse before we could get to the fair. My friends and I were so desperate to eat my mum’s mee siam that we pressed ourselves against the wire fence that separated the school from the sports ground and my mother furtively ladled the noodles straight into our cupped hands.

How did you learn to cook?

I grew up with great food on the table every day. So I learnt to eat well from a very early age. But I learned to cook by reading cookbooks.

Ultimate comfort food:

Steamed jasmine rice with fried egg, lup cheong, dark soy sauce, white pepper and hot sambal.

Most underrated Chinese ingredient:

I’m not sure if it is underrated, but dried shiitake mushrooms are amazing

Who's your Chinese food legend?

Debbie Teoh (Nyonya, from Malaysia), Christopher Tan You Wei (Singapore) and Pamelia Chia (Singapore).

Dream dinner party guests:

Derek Sivers, Christopher Tan, Claire Saffitz, Sam Neil, Jacinda Adern.

Favourite Chinese kitchen utensil:

Flattish rice spoon and plate lifter tongs.

What would you like to tell the world about Chinese food?

Cornflour and MSG are not dirty words.

 
#ChineseFoodiesofIGJenny Lauchinese identity, malaysian chinese, baking, patisserie, pastry chef, australiaComment