Celebrating National Day: Tucking into chicken rice in London for a taste of home

Celebrating National Day: Tucking into chicken rice in London for a taste of home
Ms Trishna Goklani, who has lived in the UK for the last five years, will be having a meal of chicken rice on National Day.
PHOTO: The Straits Times, India Hartford-Davis

SINGAPORE - This National Day, Ms Trishna Goklani, who has lived in the United Kingdom for the last five years, will be having a celebratory meal of chicken rice.

"If I don't manage to cook it from scratch, I'll head straight down to Mei Mei London, one of my favourite places to have a taste of home," said the 27-year-old, who works as a digital and social lead at an online independent marketplace, referring to a restaurant serving Singaporean cuisine.

She first arrived in London in 2016 to pursue a degree in fashion journalism at the University of the Arts London.

Asked if the idea of home or being Singaporean has changed for her since the pandemic, the former Temasek Polytechnic student said that home has always been more of a feeling rather than anything tangible.

"So I don't think anything has changed since moving abroad. But that being said, nothing can take away the pride of being Singaporean.

"I do miss the little things about being in Singapore, like the supper culture and, of course, all the incredible food we have."

Read Also
Singapore football cheer remix a hit, just in time for National Day
singapore
Singapore football cheer remix a hit, just in time for National Day

She was last in Singapore in December 2019 to attend a cousin's wedding, but has not been home since because of the pandemic.

Her wish for Singapore this year is for racial relations to improve - an issue that has made headlines lately.

She said: "As a minority who has spent a good portion of her life in Singapore, I think it's about time we discuss the issues of racism, which has always been there, and giving minorities like myself a safe space to share about these things, instead of sweeping them under the carpet under the guise of 'keeping the racial harmony'. I think we can do much better."

ALSO READ: Kids Central, country erasers and $0.50 McDonald's ice cream: Singaporean residents share their favourite memories to celebrate 56th National Day

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.

homepage

trending

trending
    Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni's $514m defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively
    Gossip mill: K-stars roasted for making their mums wash dishes, Sammo Hung opens Douyin account, K-pop girl group's bodyguard chokes and shoves fan
    Taiwanese actress Esther Liu announces marriage and pregnancy
    'A quiet spot to hang out': Car enthusiasts mourn closure of '40 tiang' Lim Chu Kang Road
    'Modern kampung spirit': Neighbours leave heartfelt notes on newly-weds' apology notice for wedding 'gatecrash' noise
    US deploys Marines to LA as Trump backs arrest of California governor
    Best fixed deposit rates in Singapore (June 2025): Minimum deposits from $500, rates up to 2.45%
    Bishan bak kut teh stall owner died of overwork trying to repay $100k debt, says wife
    I was 'overwhelmed': Gan Siow Huang apologises for delayed handshake at Cantonese culture festival
    Ruby Lin strikes touristy Merlion pose in Singapore at Vivian Hsu's 'recommendation'
    Singapore women's football team withdraw from Asean Women's Championship
    15 university students die after bus collides with MPV in Malaysia

Singapore

Singapore
    • Singaporean man arrested in JB for road rage and allegedly damaging another vehicle
    • 7 designs, 41 artists: NDP 2025 packs to feature artworks by people with disabilities
    • Tengah and Brickland to have 8 new bus services by end 2026: Jeffrey Siow
    • 'I suppose this will be my life': Geylang resident dismayed as neighbour blasts music past midnight
    • 2 women arrested for theft at Changi Airport transit area within an hour
    • NUH withdraws bankruptcy bid against former patient after finding out he was in nursing home
    • Over 20,000 devotees attend Sri Sivan Temple consecration, crowd almost breaks through barricades
    • 40 Singaporeans going on 'Single's Inferno' trips to Japan to find love, minus the cameras
    • Mum of 6 who juggles 3 jobs starts free breakfast club for children in Ang Mo Kio
    • Cyclist sent to hospital after accident with police vehicle along Keppel Road

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • Korean conglomerate heiress to debut in new K-pop co-ed group Allday Project
    • Gossip mill: Liu Wai Hung to open entertainment complex in Malaysia, officials indicted in late Lee Sun-kyun case, Hong Kong actor with cancer performs to pay bills
    • Ayden Sng sells his 'go-to' drink Milo Dinosaur in China cafe for reality show Smile at You
    • Hazelle Teo announces engagement to pianist James Wong
    • Sean 'Diddy' Combs' ex testifies he kicked, dragged her in attack last year
    • Sly Stone, leader of 1960s funk band, dies at age 82
    • Lily Allen's music seeing 'resurgence' online among 'young kids'
    • Jason Biggs once climbed into trash bin in desperate search for drugs
    • Sean 'Diddy' Combs' legal team requests mistrial
    • Zawe Ashton and fiancé Tom Hiddleston expecting second child

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • A taste of home: Burmese friends open cafe in Bras Basah selling authentic Myanmar cuisine
    • 'I'm doing all this from my heart': Senior volunteer on his love of helping the community for almost 30 years
    • Unable to bear children, she proposed annulment of marriage so he could start a family. He chose love
    • Pamper yourself on your next shopping trip with these exclusive deals
    • 20 Father's Day 2025 deals and promotions: Dad dines free, Porsche test drive experience and more
    • More younger Singaporeans are getting Botox and collagen shots. How effective and safe are they?
    • Warning: These World Chocolate Day destinations might melt your heart (and tastebuds)
    • Today's norms, tomorrow's 'you did what?!' moments - 60 Singapore things we'll one day have to explain
    • Land Rover Defender lineup gets facelift
    • Top picks for Father's Day 2025 in Singapore: Best restaurants, experiences and gifts

Digicult

Digicult
    • Slim, sleek, but slightly too short-lived: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review
    • World's best Dota 2 teams to compete for $1m prize pool in Singapore in November
    • Initiative by IMDA, AI Verify Foundation tests AI accuracy, trustworthiness in real-world scenarios
    • Under siege? Helldivers 2's latest city to be invaded by aliens could be spoof of Singapore
    • Honor 400 Series launches in Singapore with first free in-device AI image-to-video tool
    • Home Team humanoid robots to be deployed by mid-2027, $100m to be invested: Josephine Teo
    • Ado concert review: Singer without a face ignites fans while in cage with only silhouette visible
    • EU and US authorities take down malware network
    • Google Pixel 9a: The best AI-centric phone under $800 in 2025?
    • Western intelligence agencies warn spyware threat targeting Taiwan, Tibetan rights advocates

Money

Money
    • Best credit card promotions in Singapore (June 2025): Citibank, DBS, HSBC, UOB and more
    • Queenstown 5-room loft breaks national HDB record at $1.65m
    • The biggest misconceptions about buying property in Singapore's CCR in 2025
    • 9 best personal loans in Singapore with lowest interest rates (June 2025)
    • SG60 Baby Gift: What to expect if you're expecting
    • The surprising reasons some Singaporean buyers are choosing smaller condo units (even when they can afford more)
    • 'Thank you for your hard work': Scoot gives 4.91 months of bonus, shares on TikTok
    • US House plans quick action on Trump cuts to foreign aid spending
    • 4-room HDBs without million-dollar sales - where to still find value today
    • $1.16m for a 4-room HDB flat in Clementi? Why this integrated development commands premium prices

Latest

Latest
  • British girl who took life was radicalised by US neo-Nazis, inquest says
  • Los Angeles wildfires were 10 times bigger than utility's AI forecast
  • Musk's father says Trump dispute triggered by intense stress, has to end
  • Russia says plan to boost role in Africa includes 'sensitive' security ties
  • 6 detained for abuse of patients in Bulgaria nursing home
  • Mpox is still a health emergency, WHO says
  • Russia launches biggest drone attack on Ukraine, targets military airfield, Kyiv says
  • Frederick Forsyth, Day of the Jackal author and MI6 informant, dies at 86
  • Monash IVF reports 2nd embryo incident in 2 months

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • Government official impersonation scam: Syndicate received gold bars worth $500k, cash from victims
  • Queues at VEP application centres in Singapore, JB after news of enforcement from July 1
  • Wrong food delivery: Man 'feels unsafe', calls police
  • Malaysian woman apologises to 11-year-old daughter for 'only' spending $300k on her birthday
  • Boy, 4, caught smoking under a Bangkok bridge sent to government-run shelter
  • 'I feel incredibly honoured': Drum major who dreamed of role as teen leads Singapore Police Force Band in centennial celebration
  • Over 170 travellers nabbed for evading GST, smuggling large sums of cash in island-wide operation
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.