What’s Cooking: Shioketh brings Singapore cuisine, street food to Hawaii

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The film “Crazy Rich Asians” introduced mainstream audiences to Singapore, a small island nation in Southeast Asia, known as a food mecca.

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Emily Terukina moved to Hawaii 12 years ago from Singapore, and started Shioketh, a food business bringing the bold, comforting flavors of her island upbringing to her new home.

She says it’s an homage to her grandmother and mother and allows her to share the flavors she grew up with, while introducing the local community to the vibrant food culture of her home country. Through Shioketh, Terukina celebrates Singaporean street food and the diverse Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Southeast Asian influences that make Singaporean cuisine so unique.

She joined HNN’s Sunrise to prepare Singapore laksa, a spicy coconut noodle soup filled with flavor and family memories.

“Laksa is a beloved Singaporean dish that represents the multicultural nature of Singapore’s food scene,” she said. “The combination of coconut, spices, chilies, aromatics, noodles, and savory toppings creates a dish that is comforting, bold, and packed with flavor.”

“Sharing laksa through Shioketh is my way of bringing a little piece of those memories from Singapore to Hawaii and introducing others to a dish that means so much to me,” she said.

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She also showcased nasi lemak, a popular dish made up of rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, served with an egg, marinated chicken and chili sauce.

Terukina also manufactures food products under the Myna Trading Company brand, including a Malay-style anchovy and peanut crunch mix called ikan bilis, which is great as a topping or snack, and a pandan-infused coconut and egg jam called kaya.

“My goal is to show Hawaii that Singaporean food is approachable, incredibly flavorful, and worth exploring,” she said.

Formerly a regular pop-up at Hapa Market & Grill in Palolo, Shioketh can now be found every third Saturday at Wahiawa Market Day at the Wahiawa Value Added Product Development Center, 1001 California Ave., from 9 a.m. til 1 p.m.

For catering and pop-up information, visit shioketh.com or follow on Instagram @shioketh.

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