To celebrate the Chinese New Year (CNY) festivities, the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) treated its recruits to a special meal in the cookhouse.
Festive Meal with Symbolic Dishes
In a Facebook post on Tuesday (28 Jan), BMTC showcased the meal, which featured both chicken and fish—baked chicken with lemongrass and coriander, along with steamed fish prepared with ginger and lemon. These dishes were chosen for their symbolic meanings, with chicken representing good fortune (吉祥) and fish signifying abundance (有余).
Accompanying the main dishes were color pepper brown rice, stir-fried xiao bai cai with abalone and mushrooms, braised tang hoon with crabmeat, and tau kee soup.
To complete the festive feast, recruits were served pineapple tarts, a signature CNY treat in Singapore, and two oranges, symbolizing prosperity, happiness, and good luck.
Netizens Praise the Improved Quality of Meals
The post received positive reactions online, garnering 800 likes, over 100 shares, and more than 150 comments. Many netizens praised the quality of the meal, with some noting that it looked far better than what recruits were served in the 1970s. Others called it a “five-star” improvement over meals from decades past.
However, some commenters pointed out that despite the effort, home-cooked reunion dinners remain irreplaceable, and recruits should ideally be allowed to celebrate the occasion with their families.
Regardless, the festive meal was a thoughtful way for BMTC to bring the spirit of Chinese New Year to recruits undergoing training.
Photos: Basic Military Training Centre on Facebook
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