Singaporean cuisine is a culinary melting pot that consists of influences from a variety of Asian ethnicities, including Chinese, Malay, Indonesian, Indian, Peranakan, Thai and Sri Lankan. Multiculturalism has permeated to the very core of Singaporean cuisine and a wide spectrum of dishes can be found throughout the country, from traditional hawker centers to trendy coffee shops. Singaporean illustrator Lee Xi Li cites Singaporean culture as his biggest inspiration, and the young illustrator has created a series of colorful cartoons that showcase many of the country’s favorite snacks.
新加坡是一个融汇了多个亚洲国家饮食文化的美食大熔炉，包括中国、马来、印度尼西亚、印度、峇峇娘惹（Peranakan）、泰国和斯里兰卡等。多元文化主义渗透到这个国家的美食文化中，从传统的美食摊档到咖啡馆，都能找到不同国家的菜肴。新加坡插画师李欣立以新加坡美食文化为灵感，创作了一系列色彩明快的插画作品，展现新加坡最常见的特色小吃。
Lee was inspired to draw after discovering the likes of Herge’s Adventures of Tin Tin, Fujiko Fujio’s Doraemon by, and Guy Delisle’s travel chronicles. His background in architecture also plays a part in his creative process; each illustration is created with a balance of playfulness and artistic precision.
比利时漫画家Herge 的《丁丁历险记》，藤子不二雄的《哆啦A梦》和 Guy Delisle的旅行故事都是当初启发他开始画插画的作品。他曾修读建筑学，这一点对于他的创作也有所影响。他的插图作品充分平衡了娱乐性和艺术性。
Kueh
Kueh can be likened to a type of bite-sized cake that features ingredients such as coconut, pandan leaf, and gula melaka, which are all native to Southeast Asia. “I was fascinated by the plethora of kueh from the various cuisines around Southeast Asia. (Drawing) each piece led to the discovery of kueh I never knew.”
《粿》
“粿”是一种精致的小糕点，一般用椰子、香兰叶和椰糖制成，这些都是东南亚的特色食材。 “东南亚地区有各种不同的’粿’，其品种之多令我着迷。（绘画）每一种‘粿’的过程中，我发现了很多原来不认识的品种。“
Lunar New Year
Traditional snacks play an important role in the Lunar New Year, they’re not only treats made available for visitors but also carefully chosen because of the good luck they represent.
《农历新年》
在农历新年中，传统小吃很重要，它们不仅能用来招待客人，而且寓意着各种好运。
Lo Hei Yusheng
Lee has also illustrated the traditional dish of yusheng, or otherwise known as the “prosperity toss,” which is a prevalent tradition within Southeast Asia. Each component of the salad is coupled with a fortuitous idiom and is usually enjoyed before each meal during the Lunar New Year period.
《捞起魚生》
李欣立还画了东南亚地区的传统“捞鱼生”。这道沙拉美食的每种原材都代表一句祝福语，通常在农历新年就餐前享用。
Mooncakes
While mooncakes may appear similar on the outside, each cake can differ based on regionality. There are a wide variety of textures, ingredients and cooking methods that are used to create these Mid-Autumn Festival treats.
Khanom
Proving that sweet treats in Thailand are more than mango sticky rice and red ruby, Lee drew a wide variety of other khanom, which is a Thai term for snacks and desserts. These delicacies include khanom baa bin, a Thai coconut cake; khanom tuay fu, a steamed muffin; khanom tien, a triangular stuffed dough with filling; and many more.
《月饼》
虽然大部分月饼看上去都差不多，但其实每个地区都有其各具特色的月饼。这种中秋节的特色美食可以有很多不同的口感，配料和制作方法。
《Khanom》
为了证明泰国的甜点不只有芒果糯米饭和“红宝石”，Lee 还创作了一幅 “Khanom” （Khanom即是泰语中甜品小吃的意思）这些美食包括以椰子为原料制成的糕点khanom baa bin、色彩斑斓的泰国蒸米糕khanom tuay fu、类似中国粽子的三角形甜品khanom tien以及更多让你食指大动的泰国小吃。
Dim Sum
Hong Kong-style dim sum is also widely available around Singapore. Lee decided to illustrate some dim sum trolley classics such as the har gao, or shrimp dumplings; char siew bao, otherwise known as barbecue pork buns; and siu maai, which are tiny steamed dumpling. There are also lesser known classics on the illustration, such as beef stomach, duck feet, and taro dumplings.
《点心》
在新加坡也有很多港式点心。李欣立除了画了一些酒楼的经典点心（比如虾饺、叉烧包、烧麦）之外，还画了一些不太热门的点心（比如牛肚、鸭掌、芋饺）。
Beyond illustrating local snacks, Lee also contributes to a variety of local projects that celebrate Singaporean culture.”Growing up in Singapore, I’m most aware of the ever-changing landscape. It was my love for illustration that led me to rediscover my country,” he says. His latest illustration is a movie poster for 667, an anthology of short films by five Singaporean directors who each undergo a journey into their cultural heritage and explain how Singapore became their home.
除了展示当地小吃外，Lee也为各种新加坡文化项目贡献了力量。他说：“在新加坡长大，我感受着这里日新月异的风景。也正是我对插画的热爱让我再一次重新认识这座城市。 ”他的最新插画作品是一部名为《回程667》的电影海报，这部短片是由五位新加坡导演拍摄，并且他们都经历了一次文化遗产之旅以及体会到新加坡如何发展成为他们现在的家。
Website: leexinli.com
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Contributor: Whitney Ng
