Going Global: Meet The Singapore Spice Girl, Shu Han Lee

Ever wondered how Singaporeans are introducing Singapore to the world? Introducing our new digital series, Going Global, which takes you into the lives of Singaporeans who are making waves abroad in the worlds of arts & culture. Fifteen years ago, Shu Han Lee moved to London with one rice cooker, dried anchovies, and blocks of fermented shrimp paste, but no idea how to cook. Today, she's a published cookbook author and founder of the spice company Rempapa, making Singapore cuisine accessible to British households and beyond.

Like any Singaporean abroad, I often find myself with serious cravings for the flavours of home. There are hunger pangs in the morning, which I dream of satiating with a bowl of mee pok dry. Sitting at my work desk in NYC with a bowl of cold salad that I wish was laksa instead, and hoping to finish the day with three dishes and a soup for dinner. These Singapore food-fuelled thoughts are how I stumbled upon Shu Han Lee's Instagram account and cookbook, treasure troves of recipes that she picked up from her mother and then perfected on her own, which she shares with her British followers and homesick Singaporeans all around the world. Then there's her whole line of pre-made spices, from her brand Rempapa (a nod to Rempah, the Malay word for spice paste, the foundation of so many classic Malay, Indonesian, and Peranakan dishes beloved in Singapore). 

"While I grew up in a food-obsessed household, like most mothers, my mother never let us step in the kitchen. Learning how to cook in London started out of sheer desperation. I would call my mother on Skype for recipes for my favourite dishes and found a love for cooking," says Lee, who moved to London for a degree in graphic design at the famed Central Saint Martins. 

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She started sharing these lovingly-dictated recipes on her blog and hosting brunch clubs in her apartment to put her skills to the test, and let her culinary juices run wild, serving up congees and Peranakan curry, unheard of on any menu in the brunch-heavy neighbourhood of Stoke Newington in Northwest London, where she lived. 

These sold-out brunch clubs caught the attention of one book agent and eventually scored Lee her first cookbook deal with an imprint of Penguin Random House. Then, requests for pre-made sauces came from other attendees who wanted to recreate her dishes on their own. From the confines of her apartment, she unknowingly created a community of Brits obsessed with Singaporean food.

"It was a different London back then. Less diverse, not as many Asian food options, and it's always been more of a drinking culture. I remember being in a pub for the first time and wondering when the dinner bit would start," says Lee. 

What Julia Child did for French cuisine in America, Lee is doing for Singaporean cuisine in the United Kingdom - demystifying, educating, and simplifying, while still honouring our cuisine. 

She's modest and takes no credit for the suggestion that I made, exalting other foodies and Prima Taste for doing more and doing it better, but her contributions are obvious to me and the rest of her 43,000 die-hard Singaporean food fans on her Instagram.

"But I do take this role very seriously; I know that what I'm presenting reflects the beautiful, diverse, multicultural Singapore," says Lee.

Starting out by selling Rempapa at the local farmer's markets where she worked part-time, the brand is now available in over 80 stores across the United Kingdom, including Whole Foods Market and Selfridges, known for its excellent selection of gourmet food products. 

In the early days of the business, making Rempah in the United Kingdom was the lesser challenge, even though it required rounds and rounds of testing to create recipes that would last without preservatives. Proving to British retailers that she had a product worth stocking was the bigger battle, requiring an education on the food heritage of Singapore and the necessity of a good rempah for stir fries, curries, and marinades, once so laborious to make, now available in a chic bottle for easy, everyday cooking. 

"My husband's British grandmother remembers when pesto was the most exotic thing. I know we'll reach a point one day where every household has a bottle of rempah in the kitchen," she says. 

To the Singaporean palate, Rempapa is less spicy than what one would find in Singapore for obvious reasons. But what Lee wants to bottle is the rich, complex, homemade goodness of the meals she so misses from her mother's kitchen and to share that with the world. 

With Rempapa taking off, her side hustle is now a full-time venture. Lee recently left her full-time job at an advertising agency to focus on the business and write her second cookbook, where she will again highlight her Singaporean cooking sensibility.

"When you’re living abroad, it’s the simple things you miss the most. You’re not looking to make a classic Chicken Rice with a whole chicken that you want to go out and start selling. It’s the essence that you want and what brings you the most comfort," she says.

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Shu Han Lee's Roasted Pumpkin Masak Lemak Recipe

‘Masak lemak’ simply means to cook in coconut milk. You start with a very simple rempah made of sweet shallots, fragrant lemongrass and spices, then stir in creamy coconut milk. It’s one of those recipes that works for all sorts of occasions, with all sorts of ingredients – so I pull it out of the bag often for family and friends, new and old. Here, I roast sweet winter squash 'til sweet and tender, then let it finish cooking in the oven with the coconut sauce. 

Ingredients: Serves 3-4

• 1kg sweet winter squash (e.g. onion squash or kabocha pumpkin)
• any neutral oil (e.g. vegetable or sunflower oil)
• big pinches of sea salt
• 200ml coconut milk
• 200ml water

For the rempah (spice paste)

• 100g shallots
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
• 3 long red chillies (75g)
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp ground coriander

To finish

• juice of ½ a lime
• handful of fresh coriander
• 1 red chilli, chopped 

• Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Cut the squash into 2-3 cm wedges, removing any seeds and fibrous bits. Toss with oil and a big pinch of sea salt and spread out on a large, deep roasting tray. Roast for 20 minutes.
• In the meantime, blend or pound the rempah ingredients together still smooth. Fry over medium heat till very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and water and bring to a simmer. Season with ¾ tsp salt, or to taste.
• Pour the sauce over the squash, cover with foil, and continue to roast for another 20-25 minutes or until tender.
• To serve, finish with a squeeze of lime, coriander and more fresh chillies if you like.

Shu Han Lee's London Food Recommendations 

When she's not cooking at home, here are the restaurants in London where you'll find Shu Han. 

Darjeeling Express: It was started by a good friend of mine, Asma Khan, who's a bit of a celeb chef now – which is a real joy to see! An all-women kitchen team dishing out the most delicious plates of royal Calcutta cuisine mixed with Bombay street food.

Bao: It's a Taiwanese restaurant chain that grew from a little street food stall. I love their food, and I love everything that they do from a creative and branding front. You can book karaoke rooms in their Borough Market branch - enough said.

Rochelle Canteen: They serve simple, modern British food. They're tucked away in an old boys' school with a relaxed garden space, so it's a real treat to go, especially if you have a rare weekday lunch off.

The Eagle (Farringdon): It's one of the original British gastropubs and is fun whether for a drink or food cooked in an open kitchen.

Towpath Cafe: This café only opens when the weather's nice, i.e. March to October. They serve a changing menu of simple seasonal food. You can't book, so just turn up and enjoy the chilled sounds and sights of the canal while you wait.