TMC Student Orientation: Scavenger Hunt Around Bugis

On 10 March 2018, our TMC students, including new students, gathered for a Scavenger Hunt, organized by TMC Student Club. The hunt is specially planned and catered to our students to know more about Singapore’s culture through the searching of local snacks.

Students are split into teams and each was given hints to find various local food items.

Hints for Team One:

Item One:  Sweet, gluey and golden. It can be eaten as breakfast, snack or after-meal dessert

Item Two: Red or White coloured Peach-shaped pastry. Usually eaten for breakfast and used for various offering.

Hints for Team Two:

Item One: Crispy and golden. Usually pair with congee or soy milk.

Item Two: Tortoise-shaped snack in red colour. Usually eaten by Chinese as breakfast, dessert and is used for various offering/celebration.

Can you guess what food items are these? Scroll down for answers!

Given the hints and limited budget of $10, our students headed out to Bugis in search of these mysterious food items.

By early noon, both teams returned to TMC campus with their food items; ready to present to all on their purchased and how these items have fulfilled the descriptions stated.

Team one has purchased “Jian Dui (煎堆)” which is also known as “Fried Glutinous Rice Balls” or “Sesame Seed Balls” for item one; “Chinese Steamed Bun” for item two.

On the other hand, team two has purchased “YouTiao (油条)” also known as “Chinese Fried Dough” for item one; “Ang Ku Kueh (红龟粿)” which translates to “Red Tortoise Rice Cake” for item two.

In addition to the description made by both teams, they also mentioned about the origin, how are those pastries named in different countries and what they (pastries) are usually paired with in their home country. Do you know that in Thailand, the locals do consume and enjoy “Ang Ku Kueh” with coffee?

Through this session, the students and staffs have reached more than our objective, which is to impart Singapore’s culture to our new International students, because we have learnt about different practices in different countries through the sharing by each and every one. It was a fruitful learning trip for us!