Hi! I’m Su-Lin and I love food! I love to cook and I love to eat. I was born in Kuala Lumpur and grew up in Malaysia, Singapore and Canada. Why Tamarind and Thyme? It’s a mixture of the flavours that I encountered in my childhood. Why the blog? Well, it’s as much for me as for you – I like keeping a record of the great places I eat and recipes I make and thought I’d share this too.
I live in London, one of the most expensive cities in the world and the “without going broke” part of my blog is my attempt to eat well without emptying my bank account. Sure there’ll be expensive dinners here and there but it’ll all be balanced by budget restaurant eating and lots of cooking at home. And I’ve got to save up for another love of mine, travelling!
I like: potato crisps, root beer floats, chai tow kueh, fried chicken, Sichuan food, going out for dinner, foie gras, crumbly shortbread, brunch, fry-ups, lemon tarts, kueh ubi bingka, rillettes, barbecue, Yorkshire pudding, buttery croissants, roti canai, pork pies, cavolo nero, spaghetti with tomato sauce, okonomiyaki, eating around the world, sambal belacan, weekend eating, fresh mozzarella, my farmers’ market, whipped cream, dark chocolate, char kway teow, hazelnut spread from Le Pain Quotidien, French fries, hot salsa, homemade chocolate chip cookies, …
I dislike: hot cinnamon candies, anise sweets, beetroot, food touching each other on my plate, boiled pork liver, warm milk.
More of my photos (both food and non-food) can be found on Flickr. I’m also on Twitter.
My email address is tamarindandthyme AT googlemail.com.
Mon, 11 Jun, 2007 at 02:50
Congrats on your new blog and look forward to seeing what’s going on in London. I’ve never been, but maybe someday….
Mon, 11 Jun, 2007 at 21:27
Thanks very much, joanh!
Wed, 15 Aug, 2007 at 21:15
Hi, SU-Lin. Thanks for visiting my site. Just thought I’d do likewise.
I’ve only ever been to London once, when I was very young. It’s my understanding that there is a charge to even step outside your house nowadays?
Thu, 16 Aug, 2007 at 18:39
Hi Graeme! Thanks for dropping by! About that charge…you know, it sure feels that way!
Mon, 20 Aug, 2007 at 16:00
oomgg I love food and I love eating.. Loved that… nice blog
I love food too may only thing I really love in this world lol
Mon, 20 Aug, 2007 at 20:48
Thanks, dinsan! Thanks for dropping by! Haha, I’m actually eating as I type this…looooove food!
Sun, 30 Sep, 2007 at 20:30
ahh–my dream: Living in London–! But yes, everything is so expensive there–and I love your posts here on the blog. I was brought here via tastespotting to your loco moco post.
Mon, 1 Oct, 2007 at 18:50
Thanks c(h)ristine! Yes, things are expensive…but cooking at home needn’t be (it just means that I don’t eat out as often as I’d like)!
Wed, 9 Jan, 2008 at 20:42
Hi Su-Lin
I found your site whilst looking for ideas of where to eat in Singapore (my boyfriend and I are there for 3 nights in April, on our way back from a diving holiday in Sulawesi).
We’re staying in Bras Basah Road and are thinking about trying the Maxwell Centre one evening, as we don’t want to travel too far for our dinner! Is it worth a visit, or can you recommend anywhere else in that area?
Thank you
Kirstie
Thu, 10 Jan, 2008 at 14:04
Hi Kirstie! Thanks for dropping by. I’ve sent an email to you.
Fri, 25 Jan, 2008 at 07:26
Hi! I stumbled on your site through Chowtimes.com. I’m so glad to have found it! London is my favourite city and I haven’t been there for 6 years! I’m definitely going to view your site more often. When I go back to London, I’ll use it as a tourist guide!
Sat, 26 Jan, 2008 at 23:46
christine: Thanks for dropping by! If you need any further recommendations, feel free to email me!
Sun, 3 Feb, 2008 at 17:02
[...] We’ve been tagged three times for this meme by Su-Lin at Tamarind and Thyme [...]
Wed, 20 Feb, 2008 at 09:22
This is a beautiful blog , will be keeping eye on it
Wed, 20 Feb, 2008 at 21:19
Thank you, Becky!
Tue, 4 Mar, 2008 at 08:30
Hello Su-Lin – thanks for swinging by Gastronomy. Have bookmarked your site and will check back often. Cheers!
Tue, 4 Mar, 2008 at 22:11
Hi Gastronomer! Thanks for dropping by too!
Sat, 10 May, 2008 at 07:44
Hey Su-Lin, great blog, found you by accident whilst trawling for suckling pig on flickr. Keep it up!
Sat, 10 May, 2008 at 18:59
Hi Les! Thanks for dropping by – are you looking for a good place for suckling pig?
Sun, 11 May, 2008 at 07:42
Not really, just pics of them. To give you my two pennies worth, I recommend China China in Chinatown. Their pig is consistently out of this world. If the Si-fu (chef who chops and dishes out the meat) at the nearby Tai Kar Lok weren’t so moody, I’ll put them up there as well as with the former. Cheers.
Thu, 21 Aug, 2008 at 00:12
Thanks for dropping by, Su-Lin! I like your blog and you know what? I lived in London for six months back in 2000, so I remember how pricey it was. I’ll keep checking back to see what bargains you find, to keep in mind if I get to visit London again!
Fri, 22 Aug, 2008 at 23:03
Hi angi! Thanks for visiting! Oh, things are much pricier now than in 2000…
But it’s still fun over here!
Mon, 1 Sep, 2008 at 00:49
Hi, Su-Lin,
thanks for your comment at my blog.
but boy, you have a serious food blog or what! it looks really cool, and i’m jealous for the fact that you actually enjoy cooking
Tue, 2 Sep, 2008 at 23:09
Hi aixxx! No way, sometimes I just don’t have the energy to cook and so we get takeaway or go out. You’re amazing that you cook almost everyday – and for lunch and dinner! And not easy stuff too; I notice that you rolled sushi today! Impressive stuff!
Mon, 29 Sep, 2008 at 21:30
Hi Su-Lin,
Thanks for dropping by our blog! I am literally floored that there are people in London who know about Mongolian food, I figured it would be a more difficult cuisine to track down. (I wonder if any shops in the city sell yak butter?)
Looks like we’ll be able to get lots of ideas for future meals from your blog, so I will definitely be back!
(Where did you live in Canada by the way? I’m from Toronto, where I lived until a year ago.)
Wed, 1 Oct, 2008 at 15:55
Hi Andrea!
Thanks for dropping my mine! Welcome to London! I lived in Vancouver up until 1998 so I really should be celebrating 10 years in London right about now!
Sun, 26 Oct, 2008 at 03:37
alright. this is my first trip here to your site…and i am enjoying what i am seeing..
those food makes me hungry everytime..
will drop by more often than u know now and then.. =)
Mon, 27 Oct, 2008 at 22:50
Hi roses! Thanks for dropping by and I hope to see and hear from you in the future!
Mon, 27 Oct, 2008 at 23:43
Su-Lin,
I love yorkshire pudding, spaghetti with tomato sauce, sichuan food, buttery croissants and whipped cream too ! Yummmm
Loving Annie
Thu, 30 Oct, 2008 at 21:10
Hi Loving Annie!
I think I’m going to have to add more things to that list but the problem is that doing so just makes me hungry!
Thu, 4 Dec, 2008 at 20:30
hi su-lin,
thanks for dropping by my blog – your blog is lovely and I have linked you up on my blog and will definitely drop by again.
genuineness
Tue, 24 Feb, 2009 at 18:01
Hi genuiness!
Missed your comment in December but I see it now! Thanks for dropping by too!
Wed, 27 May, 2009 at 08:04
[...] About [...]
Thu, 11 Jun, 2009 at 17:20
OH MY GOD i LOOOOOVE root beer floats! Must be old skool Malaysian memories, except we did it with Sarsi over there. Just found your blog, looking forward to reading it
Fri, 12 Jun, 2009 at 13:32
Hi catty!
I just discovered your blog too! I always stock up on cans of A&W root beer everytime I’m in a Chinese supermarket in London – nice to see that they’re easier to find nowadays!
Wed, 17 Jun, 2009 at 17:15
Hi Su-Lin,
Will be back for more!
I’m so glad I found your blog! I’m a Singaporean moving to London soon and am so happy to read about the food and reviews on your site
Fri, 19 Jun, 2009 at 11:09
Hi Eunice!
Thanks for dropping by! I’ll see you around then! Hope your move to London is a smooth one and that you’ll enjoy yourself here.
Sun, 16 Aug, 2009 at 14:21
Hello Su-Lin, I enjoyed reading your blog and looking at those gorgeous photos. I’m looking forward to more of your food adventures in London.
Mon, 17 Aug, 2009 at 21:53
Hi Divina!
Thank you so much for your kind words! There’re definitely more posts coming up!
Mon, 21 Sep, 2009 at 02:59
hi Su-Lin really nice to meet you, we share the same Chinese name! my friends in mainland call me like that too. i am also interested in London urban way of cooking,so going to browse here definetely, cheeeers
Wed, 30 Sep, 2009 at 16:55
Hi radha!
Thanks for dropping by! What a coincidence that we both have the same name! Strangely, my real Chinese name isn’t exactly Su-Lin but that’s the name I go by!
Mon, 2 Nov, 2009 at 20:31
many, many thanks for visiting my blog and for commenting. i do appreciate it, as i have launched the blog but a little over a week ago. there are so many gorgeous, vibrant and informative blogs like yours around. have come to know of many other fantastic ones through your blogroll. shall be visiting your site v often. best wishes, shayma
Thu, 5 Nov, 2009 at 00:07
Hi shayma!
Thanks for dropping by! And you’ve got a great blog there – loved your post on basmati rice.