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Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan is a New York-based food and fashion writer. She is the author of the recently released A Tiger In The Kitchen, a food memoir about learning about her family in Singapore by cooking with them.

In Singapore, Ghosts Are Real, Scary, and Hungry

In Singapore, Ghosts Are Real, Scary, and Hungry

During the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts, locals don't swim (for fear of being drowned). But they sure do cook.… More »

Southeast Asia's Coffee Culture

Southeast Asia's Coffee Culture

Caramel Macchiatos have nothing on the wok-fried coffee beans, coconut-jam toast, and elaborate ordering jargon of Singaporean coffee houses… More »

In Search of Singapore: Ending a Quest for a Taste of Home

In Search of Singapore: Ending a Quest for a Taste of Home

After looking for traditional Singaporean food in the U.S. for 17 years, a woman raised on the island finally finds it… More »

Behind the Scenes of the 'Top Chef DC' Finale

Behind the Scenes of the 'Top Chef DC' Finale

A local talks to Top Chef's head producer about why the contestants are flying to Singapore—and where they're eating… More »

A Remembrance of Beef Ball Noodles Past

A Remembrance of Beef Ball Noodles Past

When a hawker disappears, a Singaporean expat searches for the soups of her youth, and finds both food and friendship… More »

Chinese Cuisine's Southern Comfort

Chinese Cuisine's Southern Comfort

Rice porridge is a world away from grits, but the Teochew cooking of China's southeast is just as homey.… More »

In China, Relearning Eating Etiquette

In China, Relearning Eating Etiquette

Visiting her ancestral village with her father, the author fumbles her way through meals.… More »

A Day-After-Christmas Treat

A Day-After-Christmas Treat

What to do with holiday leftovers? Make curry devil, Singapore's signature Boxing Day dish.… More »

Recipe: Damian D'Silva's Debal

The dish is a classic in Singapore's Eurasian cuisine, which first developed in the 19th century when Dutch, British, and Portuguese traders began migrating to Singapore and marrying into local families.… More »

Shark Fin and Memory in Singapore

Shark Fin and Memory in Singapore

A beloved dish raises questions about animal cruelty. Is it okay to eat an inhumane meal if it's traditional?… More »

Fried Chicken the Malay Way

Fried Chicken the Malay Way

Returning to Singapore, the author learns to make a beloved dish from her childhood friend's mother.… More »

Recipe: Aunty Jianab's Ayam Masak Merah

Ayam masak merah is a Malay fried chicken that's cooked in a dense, crimson chilli gravy that is both spicy and sweet.… More »

As Street Food Dies, One Remains

As Street Food Dies, One Remains

Singapore's once-ubiquitous food carts have disappeared, but a cook known as the Satay Man carries on the tradition.… More »

The Secrets of a Family Recipe

The Secrets of a Family Recipe

Long after her grandmother, a legendary cook, died, the author learns to make her signature dish: otah.… More »

Recipe: Otah

The paste--also known as otak or otak-otak--is a spicy mousse, usually made with mackerel, that is wrapped in banana leaves and then steamed or grilled. It can be eaten on its own, mashed into rice or slathered onto bread for a savory lunch or breakfast.… More »

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