Traveling Taste Buds

Born in New Orleans, growing up in Malaysia, I am very adventurous when it comes to food. When I learned I would be moving to Houston I was worried that I might feel like an outsider, but was instead pleasantly surprised with what I found. My new school, The Village School, was just as much, if not more diverse than my old school in Borneo. With a new class full of kids from around the globe, it didn’t take long for me to figure out the city was just as diverse.

Traveling around Southeast Asia, I got to try out many unique foods from different cultures. My favorite part about Houston is the fact that I can find the same kind of diverse flavors from around the globe, in one city.

My favorite dishes from Southeast Asia are Roti Canai and Char Siu Pau. Roti Canai is a type of flatbread served usually with some sort of dipping sauce or curry. It is crispy and rough on the outside, and warm and smooth on the inside. Char Siu Pau is a type of dim sum that can be served either baked or steamed. I prefer it steamed. The bun develops a thin crisp layer when steamed, that covers a light doughy bread encasing a warm barbecue pork filling that melts in your mouth.

Living in Houston, I have developed an array of new local foods that I find quite appetizing. My favorites include barbecue pulled pork and beef fajitas. I think the reason I like barbecue pulled pork so much is it has the same essential make up of Char Siu Pau, just cooked differently. My dad now makes barbecue pulled pork sometimes for us at home. I look forward to traveling to new destinations, and exploring more delicious dishes.