Some of those invited have now made themselves known to the public. They have passed the "tea test". They are the "new candidates" in their brand new Party whites (2). 24 in all.
There were questions aplenty when they met reporters to introduce themselves as candidates for the coming general election. In reply, everyone of them said they wanted to serve the people, give something back to society.
But no one talked about those tea sessions. What did the PAP serve? No one asked and none volunteered any information.
Those who made it to the final round could well have been invited to the Istana (3) where the hosts are justly proud of their special blend of Chinese tea. It's a smoky Lychee. Fragrant and smooth.
The chefs there do a rather good Sago Pudding with Gula Melaka (4) too. It's their signature dessert. The sago is springy, the coconut milk just the right degree of lemak (5), with the Gula Melaka rounding it off on a sweet note.
Lychee tea and Sago Pudding. Not quite right for a political talk-fest.
Teh Halia would be better. Ginger tea. Just the thing to get rid of all the hot air.
Then some pineapple tarts. The sweet that signals happy times at Hari Raya, Lunar New Year, Deepavali and Christmas (6). A reminder to those at tea of the people they will serve.
To make Teh Halia, take a palm-sized piece of ginger, scrape off the skin, bruise it with the flat of a chopper and boil it for about 20 minutes. Remove the ginger and use the water to make tea. Add condensed milk to taste. For those who prefer tea without sugar, try Teh C Halia Kosong (7) with evaporated milk instead of the condensed variety.
The pineapple tarts would be a bit more work.
Rub 4 ounces butter into 8 ounces flour, stir in 1 tablespoon icing sugar. Bind the mixture with one egg yolk and just enough cold water to form a dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill it in the fridge for an hour.
Peel and grate two pineapples, drain and set aside the excess juice (drink it), add some sugar to the pineapple and cook it over low heat, stirring continuously till it forms a jam.
Remove the dough from the fridge. Roll it on a lightly floured surface to the desired thickness and cut into small rounds with a cookie cutter. Spoon some of the pineapple jam on each pastry round, arrange the tarts on a tray and bake for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees C.
A simpler way would be to buy the tarts. Try the cake stall run by a friendly couple on the top-floor food centre at Beauty World in Bukit Timah (8). A jar sells for about $8.50.
So yummy and not a bit of work. Then everyone will have more time to talk about how to make this country a better place for all.
Notes
1 The People's Action Party or PAP is the political party which has governed Singapore since 1959. It assesses potential election candidates at tea with Party leaders.
2 PAP members wear all-white at Party functions.
3 The Istana is the official residence of the President of Singapore. It is also the place where the country's Prime Minister, Senior Minister and Minister Mentor have their offices.
4 Sago is made from tapioca. The dessert is served with coconut milk and a thick syrup made from palm sugar known locally as Gula Melaka.
5 A Malay word used to describe the consistency of a sauce or gravy made with coconut milk.
6 The main festivals of the Malays, Chinese, Indians and Eurasians, the four main ethnic groups that make up the population of Singapore. The pineapple tart is one festive tidbit common to all four groups.
7 Literally, Tea Carnation Ginger Zero. Tea made with Carnation Milk, a popular brand of evaporated milk, and ginger. Zero denotes without sugar.
8 A shopping centre in the western part of Singapore.
