This year’s National Day Rally (NDR) speech made waves online for the number of times the word “family” was mentioned.
Delivered by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Aug 23, the speech focused largely on new policies that signalled a fundamental shift in the state’s support for marriage and parenthood.
“Today, families everywhere are under growing pressure. Young couples hesitate to start a family. They worry about the responsibilities and cost,” PM Wong said in his NDR speech.
Addressing these concerns, it was announced that every Singaporean child born will now receive almost S$70,000 in direct financial support as they grow up.
While the funds will help to defray expenses for basic necessities such as school fees and supplies, it cannot possibly cover the actual cost of feeding a family.
Although there are many hawker centres and eateries that offer tasty and affordable meals at every turn, it may not be as cost-effective for larger families. Another factor to consider is dietary restrictions, as some children may be lactose intolerant or allergic to certain foods.
It explains why recipes that only require a few ingredients or feature plant-based alternatives tend to do well online. The two-ingredient tofu naan bread by Momma’s Kitchen Lab is one example.
The digital content creator, who is based in the United States and has 38.9k followers on Instagram (as of Aug 27), shares wholesome recipes that are egg-free, easy to put together and most importantly, kid-approved based on feedback from her son.
Typically, naan is made with yoghurt, milk or yeast, but this recipe swaps out the dairy for soft or silken tofu. The second ingredient is self-raising flour, which acts as the rising agent, so no need to wait for the dough to proof.
In a bowl, combine 300g of silken tofu with 350g of self-raising flour. Add salt to taste and stir the ingredients together with a fork until it comes together and is slightly tacky to the touch. Be careful not to over knead the dough, as that will deflate it and result in a dense flatbread.
Section the dough into eight portions, and roll each one out as you would a regular roti. Cook it on a dry skillet or tawa-style pan on a medium-high heat for several minutes on each side.
As the dough comes into contact with the hot surface, the trapped steam within it creates raised pockets of air that char to create the signature golden-brown spots on the naan.
An optional last step is to brush the warm, fluffy naans with butter or ghee infused with chopped garlic and fresh herbs such as coriander.
For a price breakdown, a 300g box of silken tofu and a kilogram of self-raising flour retails for around a dollar and S$3.30 respectively. That means the overall cost for eight homemade naans is S$2.10, making it a budget-friendly choice for families.
