Wei Ji Braised Duck: Keeping a family legacy alive
There are many heartwarming stories rising from our hawker heartland. Selling food and providing transport is a lifeline for many in most societies. Visit any metropolis and you will find new immigrants either selling food or driving taxis in order to provide for their families when they are unable find work in their own trade or profession. This was certainly the case for Singapore in the early days when many of our forefathers became hawkers or rickshaw pullers in order to eke out a living.
Scissor Cut Curry Rice: The Origins of Scissor Cut Curry Rice!
Behold, the ugly, gooey, glorious mess that is Beach Road Scissor cut rice. Those of you who have been to the original branch at Jalan Besar will know what I am talking about. It really doesn't look appetizing to those who have yet to experience the epiphany of the eclectic mix of curry chicken, braised pork, stewed cabbage and chilli.
Tuan Yuan Bak Kut Teh: A Very Good Place for Bak Kut Teh!
There has been spate of bak kut teh restaurants opening up in recent years, no doubt buoyed by the success of Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, who showed us how a humble coolie’s dish can be brought into the 21st century by repackaging it so that it will appeal to a younger generation of Singaporeans. […]
If you like Yong Xiang's style of yong tau foo but hate to queue, then an alternative would be this stall situated in a coffeeshop which has managed to escape being transformed into a hipster cafe in Tiong Bahru.
I was on a treasure hunt one day after receiving a heads-up from The Silverchef about a certain char kway teow man in an old coffeeshop around the area. Unfortunately, he didn't give me an address nor did I remember who it was that told me about it at that time. I just remembered vaguely that someone had told me about an old school char kway teow man in a coffeeshop close to Sungei Road Laksa and The Beef House.
Ang Mo Kio 107 Carrot Cake: Friendliest Hawker Award!
So what do you do when the boss just won't get off your back, the goldfish is starting to swim sideways and you just found out that your brand new smartphone has just gone missing? Well, it's time to look on the bright side of life, get something good to eat and let yourself be infected with a contagious smile.
From Hokkien mee to Hainan chicken rice; murtabak to mee siam; you won't find a Singaporean who doesn't reminisce about our local hawker food. When we entertain guests from overseas, these are the dishes which we want them to experience so that they understand who we are.
Simon Road Oyster Omelette: Back at the same spot!
Today we pay tribute to the late Mr Lim Seng Hong who passed away during Chinese New Year this year. I first met him in 2009 at the corner coffeeshop along Simon Road and was at once mesmerized by his frying technique. His pan is tilted so that the oil drains to one side while the eggs crisp up on the elevated side. Once the starch is crispy, the oysters are added and the pan bursts into tongues of fire that lick the luscious bivalves with its smokey aroma!
My quest for the origins of Singapore hawker dishes has brought me to this BBQ seafood stall at Yuhua Village Food Centre where I met the lady who claimed to be one of the first hawkers to serve BBQ Stingray in Singapore!
The couple behind Si Yang Steam Soup have been diligently serving their steam soup since 1982 and had built quite a good business at Ang Mo Kio Blk 728 before the coffeeshop was sold and they had to move to their present location. Since then, their business has dropped by so much that they are considering retirement!
The first thing that strikes you about the lapis is how many layers there are. Then as you peel the layers, just how stretchy they are. Then when you eat them, how chewy and yummy they are. The guys were having fun peeling off each layer, then twirling each layer around the finger before popping the whole finger into the mouth!
Soon Heng Hot and Cold Desserts: Hawkers we grow up with
I get a lot of different reactions whenever I pull out my DSLR camera. Some hawkers ask why I am taking photos. Others continue to work as if I wasn't there. But when Mrs Yang saw my camera, she quickly struck up her kawaii pose!
