Lam Tells Youth to Go to Hainan

Lam (left) in Boao for the annual forum for Asia

 

Hong Kong's dear leader is in Hainan Island or "the Hawaii of China" for the Boao Forum for Asia. It was cancelled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, but back on this year.

Lam suggested a solution for young Hongkongers looking for an alternative place to developing their careers in the Greater Bay Area -- move to Hainan.

Lam says HKers should enjoy the coconut trees

She said people could not only "enjoy the shadow of coconut trees", but they could also feast on Hainanese chicken rice -- a dish that has its roots in Wenchang, Hainan, but is more popularly associated with Singapore and Malaysia.

Lam said Hainan island's leaders have noted Beijing's plans to entice young Hongkongers to other parts of the Greater Bay Area, and they are also taking the initiative to give opportunities to them.

"My colleagues and I were very moved," she wrote on her Facebook.

She wrote that she hoped young people of Hong Kong would move to Hainan to pursue work or internships, and added the island has a friendly local population and is rich in agricultural products.

However, not everyone was impressed by Lam's suggestion.

The Singaporean version of Hainan chicken rice

While some thought the Chief Executive's idea was a good one, pointing out Hainan is a beautiful place and Hongkongers would love it there, others posted sarcastic remarks, accusing her of failing to "fact check" her promotion of Singaporean cuisine.

"Just because the name of the dish has the word 'Hainan' in it doesn't mean it is a Hainan specialty. It's the same with pineapple buns having no pineapples in them, or Swiss Chicken Wings having nothing to do with Switzerland," one wrote.

However that person is incorrect -- Hainan chicken rice is well known in Hainan, though it is a different version from the Singaporean and Malaysian one; it is originally from Wenchang in the northeast of Hainan, and it refers to the breed of the chicken which is quite lean and so the meat is tougher than what most would expect. There are also aren't condiments like chilli sauce or soy sauce, but is rather eaten bland with some chicken stock (and no chicken oil) flavoured in the chicken or the rice.

Meanwhile others had biting remarks like this one: "As an international city, we've got all sorts of different cuisines and we can get any food we want here. Hongkongers should stay in Hong Kong."

The original Wenchang version of the dish

Perhaps Lam could have a rethink another way of enticing young people to the Greater Bay Area? Hainan is basically a tourist mecca and not an economic powerhouse like say Guangzhou or Shanghai... unless her intention is for Hongkongers laze around coconut trees and eat Hainan chicken all day?

A Few Singapore Eats

The most memorable dish of the trip -- black pepper crab at Jumbo

We can't end our Singapore series without talking about the food!

We went to a few good places around the city for some memorable dishes.

The wet and spicy chilli crab also at Jumbo

Our first stop was Jumbo for crab. We went to Dempsey for lunch and we were surprised it was not very busy, but even better for us to have decent service. After we ordered we were given bibs to wear which are fun and useful especially if you are wearing a suit, as some of the other tables were.

The most important item to order here was the black pepper crab, which the four of us somehow demolished quite quickly. The black pepper wasn't too overpowering and the crab was cooked just right with a bit of sweetness and a slightly peppery finish.

Seeing as we were doing well, we also ordered the chilli crab, that came in a thick wet sauce. This one I didn't appreciate as much, as the crustacean seemed to be drowning in the red, orange and white sauce with a spicy end note that made it hard to taste the actual crab meat.

A small (and spicy) bowl of laksa at 328 Katong Laksa

Nevertheless, we also enjoyed cereal prawns that were on the sweet side, razor clams steamed with garlic that were oh-so-good, and tofu topped with seaweed and braised with mixed mushrooms. We also ordered water spinach with salty egg and preserved egg.

We were so full afterwards we walked it off at the National Gallery of Singapore afterwards.

In the evening we went to 328 Katong Laksa for... laksa! That's all they serve really, small or large that was quite spicy the more you ate it, and we had steamed fish paste in bamboo leaves called otak that seemed quite dense.

The next day lunch was Hainan chicken rice. We ordered the lunch special and speculated it was only a quarter chicken; we asked for another order and got another half chicken! We also ordered deep-fried tofu, more otak, this time tasting much better, less fishy and more light, and potato shoots that were on the old side.

A small portion of Hainan chicken rice!

The chicken was delicious, tender, and had a chicken taste which was surprising since they were quite large birds.

While we ate, we also drank a lot of juices, like lime, calamansi and coconut. How refreshing!