Noodles

I love noodles. Is it because I am Singaporean? Probably. Analyzing my life experiences to figure out my obsession with noodles, I have discovered that I love noodles probably because I ate Mee Pok at the school canteen for 10 years - Mee Pok, or Mee Kia "gaan, ai ham jio!" Egg noodles dunked in hot water, with some chili/soy-based sauce, slices of fish cake, and pork crackling - with or without soup. The SCGS mee pok stall was the best. They even used to sell to households on Emerald Hill, with the assistant tapping away a forgotten Chinese rhythm on bamboo sticks to let them know he was taking orders.

So, Easter Sunday at Davidson, NC, all I wanted for lunch was some version of mee pok and I chanced upon an excellent substitute. Simply Asia Spring Vegetable Instant Vermicelli served with Aidell's Teriyaki and Pineapple Chicken Meatballs, with a couple of drops of Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow chili oil. Yes, rice vermicelli not egg noodles, chicken meatballs and not fish cakes. Hey, I was desperate! It was very good! And if you could overlook the fact that it was instant noodles, it was quite a healthy meal.

My seven-year old asked me the other day if I had one day to live, what would I want to eat. My answer? Mee Pok.

Cinnamon