With holydrummer and iwatch_ueat
So many people were afraid that I would miss out on this stall! Well, I don’t like to dissappoint people, so here it is!
The enterprising Granny of Yue Lai Xiang actually started off selling Jiu Her Eng Chye (Cuttlefish KangKong) before diversifying to Cheng Tng (See previous blog). Stall owner Mr Jason Lim claims that his Grandma is probably the first to come up with the dish if not one of the first. In the past, the dish was much more popular, but nowadays it is something not commonly found in any food centre. This begs the question why?
Economic theory tells us that in a free market economy, if there is market for the product, then there will be entry of competitors until equilibrium is achieved. So if there are not many stalls around selling Cuttlefish Kangkong, it must mean that the dish is not that popular amongst the average Singaporean. But then, this stall still pulls quite a crowd and is often sold out by 8pm everyday. So why are there no new competitors in the market? This dish, afterall seems simple enough. Or is it?
For the uninitiated (like myself), this dish is very much like rojak. The cuttlefish is first soaked and boiled and cut into pieces, mixed with cucumber, tau pok, lettuce, pineapple and doused with a sweet sauce and chilli sauce.
Jason stressed that it is important that the cuttlefish is of good quality. Here they only use Korean Cuttlefish which is supposed to be the best. The texture of the cuttlefish is springy and non fibrous. If you like sweet stuff, the chilli and sweet sauce will not dissappoint. It is still made from the same recipe handed down by Grandma. I found this to be a refreshing dish good more for an appetizer or side dish rather than a main meal. 4/5
Conclusion
Don’t eat much Cuttlefish Kangkong, so my opinion may not be the most trustworthy. If you are a fan of this place, do write in and share with us how to appreciate this dish!
