On The Red Dot: Finding Lost Recipes - Hong Ling's Mum's Thai Laksa

In every home, there are dishes tied not just to flavour, but to memory — lovingly made by someone who may no longer be around. But when that person is gone, can their signature dish ever be brought back?

In this series, we follow Masterchef alumnus Jonathan Ng as he helps four individuals on deeply personal quests to rediscover dishes that meant the world to them.

For actress Hong Ling, it’s the emotional taste of her late mother’s Thai-style laksa — a dish that no one else in the family knows how to make.

For Belinda, it’s a race against time. Her mother Katherine, who once made a unique Nyonya chang (dumpling) every festive season, is slowly losing her memory to dementia. Can the flavours — and the stories that come with them — be recovered before they fade completely?

For Kim, who lost her husband Joseph unexpectedly, it’s isn’t just about the dish. It’s about honouring the man who made Hakka Yong Tau Foo not just a meal, but a way of bringing people together — and understanding how he added his own twist to the dish he loved.

And for Claresta, it’s chasing a taste she can’t quite describe — the elusive magic behind her late husband Chef Stefan Liau’s Cashew and Banana creation. Even with the original recipe in hand, something is missing. Can Jonathan decode the secret behind the flavour — and the man?

Finding Lost Recipes is a journey into kitchens and memories, where grief, love, and food intertwine.