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Aunties have fun learning how to cook up a storm

Dignity Kitchen conducts lessons for people to pick up skills on how to be a hawker

Trainees (from left) Hoo Jan Wah, 77, Tan Soi Noi, 60, Ng Siew Tim, 60, Heng Tang Kwee, 69, and Chia See Moy, 68, watch intently as Mr Wang (not in photo) stirs assam paste in the wok. Some of them cover their faces with cloth as the chilli from the
Assistant manager of operations Wang Jue Lee (third from left) teaches clients of Pacific Activity Centre at the organisation’s Yishun branch how to prepare ingredients for a Thai-style fried seafood dish. Mr Wang has been teaching at the centre for about four years. At the session, he shared a tip on how to keep prawns fresh for a longer time: Freeze them in sugared water. ST PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
Trainees (from left) Hoo Jan Wah, 77, Tan Soi Noi, 60, Ng Siew Tim, 60, Heng Tang Kwee, 69, and Chia See Moy, 68, watch intently as Mr Wang (not in photo) stirs assam paste in the wok. Some of them cover their faces with cloth as the chilli from the
(From left) Madam Ng Siew Tim and Madam Hoo Jan Wah look at pictures of the freshly steamed crystal prawn dumplings on the phone while Madam Heng Tang Kwee wastes no time in sampling one. The most difficult part of making the dumplings is flattening the skin – it cannot be too thin, for the fillings will spill, and it cannot be too thick, or else there will be a mouthful of dough when eating them. ST PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
Trainees (from left) Hoo Jan Wah, 77, Tan Soi Noi, 60, Ng Siew Tim, 60, Heng Tang Kwee, 69, and Chia See Moy, 68, watch intently as Mr Wang (not in photo) stirs assam paste in the wok. Some of them cover their faces with cloth as the chilli from the
Trainees (from left) Hoo Jan Wah, 77, Tan Soi Noi, 60, Ng Siew Tim, 60, Heng Tang Kwee, 69, and Chia See Moy, 68, watch intently as Mr Wang (not in photo) stirs assam paste in the wok. Some of them cover their faces with cloth as the chilli from the paste stings their eyes and throats. ST PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
Trainees (from left) Hoo Jan Wah, 77, Tan Soi Noi, 60, Ng Siew Tim, 60, Heng Tang Kwee, 69, and Chia See Moy, 68, watch intently as Mr Wang (not in photo) stirs assam paste in the wok. Some of them cover their faces with cloth as the chilli from the
Trainer Lisa Hassan (front, in black), 51, shows off her “tarik” skill to her trainees. She does not recommend beginners holding the bottom container as they may get scalded if they are not careful. She also runs the beverage stall in the Dignity Kitchen foodcourt. ST PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
Trainees (from left) Hoo Jan Wah, 77, Tan Soi Noi, 60, Ng Siew Tim, 60, Heng Tang Kwee, 69, and Chia See Moy, 68, watch intently as Mr Wang (not in photo) stirs assam paste in the wok. Some of them cover their faces with cloth as the chilli from the
Mr Wang takes his trainees on a shopping trip at a supermarket near Dignity Kitchen, where they are taught how to select the right ingredients. ST PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
Trainees (from left) Hoo Jan Wah, 77, Tan Soi Noi, 60, Ng Siew Tim, 60, Heng Tang Kwee, 69, and Chia See Moy, 68, watch intently as Mr Wang (not in photo) stirs assam paste in the wok. Some of them cover their faces with cloth as the chilli from the
Sharp-tipped chillies (left) are spicier than blunt-tipped chillies, although they are both grown at the same farm, says Mr Wang. ST PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
A student moulds a traditional mooncake from dough and fillings. The dough is first flattened, then smoothly wrapped round the filling, before pressing it into the mould. They were making cranberries walnut mooncake. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Cups of coffee and tea with different shades of brown. Each cup contains different blends, mixed by Head of Training Mr Loy Teck Wee, 65, as he taught his class. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Cups of coffee and tea with different shades of brown. Each cup contains different blends, mixed by Head of Training Mr Loy Teck Wee, 65, as he taught his class. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Madam Chia See Moy (left, dark pink), 68, shows Mr Loy Teck Wee, 65, some pictures on her mobile phone. They are having a tea break in the Dignity Kitchen's food court. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Gavin Foo Photojournalist
Updated
Oct 15, 2018, 12:11 PM
Published
Oct 15, 2018, 05:00 AM
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Do you thirst for a cup of Clementi (iced lemon tea) or ma-ha teh (pronounced Mahathir, with macadamia oil and ginger tea)?

Mr Loy Teck Wee, 65, head of training at Dignity Kitchen, was teaching his class of seven how to brew and serve these fancy concoctions in his local beverage and teh-tarik class recently.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 15, 2018, with the headline Aunties have fun learning how to cook up a storm. Subscribe

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