Taking the Pisang

Hot on the heels of reported cardboard in Chinese steam buns comes the news of hawkers in the neighouring state of Johor Bahru, Malaysia adding plastic straws and bottles into their cooking oil. Supposedly this enhances the crispiness and longevity of their fried bananas - goreng pisang.

"Would madam like some PVC with her order?"

This potentially carcinogenic concoction and others like it are being noted in Malaysian blogs and have been reported in Singapore's New Paper this morning.

It would be wrong to blame the Japanese for starting this trend. Their plastic food presentations are designed solely for presentation purposes with the aim of to luring customers. The practice of plastic food in the restaurant window has since been widely adopted throughout Asia.

Perhaps the Malaysian hawkers in question took the trend of plastic food a little too literally? I think not.

But it does explain, why on a 2007 journey to Genting, we tasted some of the worst ‘chinese food’ I have ever experienced. I think in future I will be doing what other Singaporeans do - stock up on food rations for the journey in Singapore.

So much for the 'plastic fantastic'.