Fondly known as the “grandfather” of heritage cuisine, chef Damian D’Silva has spent a lifetime unifying elements from Chinese, Indian, Malay, Peranakan and Eurasian kitchens to showcase Singapore’s multicultural cuisine.
His restaurant Rempapa has won accolades for championing culinary traditions and flavours in time-honoured recipes that are a bridge across different facets of Southeast Asia.
Members at 67 Pall Mall Singapore – a private club for wine lovers – can now enjoy this elevation of heritage cuisine through its Resident Chef Series. The club (home to the biggest wine list in Singapore, and one of the largest collections of fine wines in the world) launched the programme in 2022 and has since seen two chefs share their unique culinary styles and expressions.
From January to March 2024, D’Silva will be the third resident chef, and present special menus each month. The dishes are not found in Rempapa and you’ll probably not find them anywhere else (except in home kitchens). D’Silva describes them as “lost”, lovingly prepared and crafted by those who came before us. More than just food, they serve as a gateway to Singapore’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.
A prime example is Babi Masak Gragoh, a rapidly vanishing dish of Malaccan heritage that can only be found in Peranakan homes where pork belly is cooked with fermented krill, garlic, blue ginger, and red rice yeast. While Malay ingredients are incorporated, the dish draws primarily from Chinese influence, and the two blend to achieve an intricate flavour profile.
Kerabu Ikan Tenggiri can be found in menus, but not this rendition. D’Silva’s version follows the one his grandad presented on special occasions. It is a refreshing salad where mackerel is tossed in a dressing of calamansi, sand ginger, salted egg and peanuts.
Sotong Masak Hitam and Ayam Bakar are more familiar dishes. The former, slow braised in a rempah blend of shallots, garlic, red chilies, lemongrass, galangal, fresh turmeric, and its own ink, is wonderfully tender.
The chicken is similarly delicious, marinated in an aromatic blend of fenugreek, lemongrass, chillies, shallots and other spices, chicken is cooked over low fire and finished on a charcoal grill.
Singaporeans are no stranger to Ngoh Hiang, but this Teochew variation incorporates yam, crunchy water chestnuts and fried shallots alongside pork liver and dried mushrooms. It’s a labour-intensive dish crafted from a recipe handed down by D’Silva’s grandfather, and was the highlight of birthday celebrations within his family.
For those who are hesitant when it comes to lamb, D’Silva’s version of Lamb Gulai could change your mind. A dish with Indonesian, Malay and Indian influences, it is cooked in a coconut curry of spices and fresh coconut milk for a complex yet well-balanced result.
Come February and March, the menu will change to feature other dishes such as Pork and Pineapple Curry; Singgang Mangger; Debal with chicken, roast pork and pickles; Oxtail Semur; Sambal Juliana with Brinjal; and Jiu Hu Char.
During his residency at 67 Pall Mall, D’Silva will also conduct exclusive masterclasses which will allow members to discover the complexities and distinct flavours of Singapore heritage cuisine with the fine wines from the club’s collection.
67 Pall Mall is at 1 Scotts Rd, #27-00 Shaw Centre, Singapore 228208.
