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Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Indonesia Curry Rice: Long queues for highly raved Indonesian-style dishes by Chinese hawkers
When it comes to curry rice, I'm not a difficult one to please. After all, what's not to love about rice and a warm gravy? However, my curiosity was piqued when my colleague brought up the hype around Indonesia at Bendeemer Market & Food Centre. How good could it really be? I just had to try it for myself. It was my first time at this hawker centre, but I easily spotted Indonesia Curry Rice just from the long queue of office workers, ah mas and ah gongs. The stall opens at 10.45am, so I thought I'd be safe if I arrived at 11am. Sigh, lesson learnt: always be kiasu. The queue moved relatively fast, and I had reached the front in about 15 to 20 minutes. For first-timers here, the ordering process might be unclear as they do not state the prices on the signboard, but on a small sign typed out in Mandarin at the front. The concept is similar to cai fan (with fewer options), so you needn't worry too much. I picked out 2 dishes from their signboard, namely the Fish and Chicken, to pair with my rice and veggies. To start, I paired the plain rice with Chicken, Braised Cabbage and a Fried Egg for S$4.50. A classic curry peng combo. The Rendang Chicken came with a decently large drumstick and 2 pieces of potato. The drumstick was meaty and tender, although lacking a bit in the taste department. Frankly speaking, I was a little disappointed by the curry itself. It was savoury and mildly spicy, but overall tasted lighter than I expected. It lacked the rich and herby punch I usually associate with a good rendang curry. This was even before I tried the assam fish, so it can't be that the stronger flavours messed with my tastebuds. I couldn't find that satisfying kick of flavour I was looking for but what saved it for me was their chilli paste, which was aromatic and full of umami. Not too spicy, just a tasty accompaniment that elevated the dish. The hefty serving of braised cabbage was soft, and the light flavour brought out its natural sweetness, which was a nice touch to the otherwise savoury dish. Ordering a fried egg is a must for me when it comes to curry rice, and this one was fried to perfection—crisp edges and a beautifully runny yolk. One Ton Mee: Authentic Sarawak Kolo Mee with incredibly generous portions at wallet-friendly prices at Bendemeer Next, I got the Fish with their signature and Beansprouts, which added up to S$6. While in line at Indonesia Curry Rice, I noticed many people ordering this. Visually, it's messy and gloopy, the first signs of a delicious curry rice. The nasi kuning, or yellow rice cooked in turmeric and coconut milk, was generously drenched in the assam curry. The fish itself tasted fresh, and the flesh was satisfyingly tender. It was doused in the assam curry, which had a slightly thicker consistency than usual. If there's one word I would use to describe the assam curry, it would be tantalising. It was tangy and spicy, with a hint of sweetness all in one dish. In fact, this one was slightly sweeter than others I've tried, which balanced out nicely with the tartness of the tamarind taste, giving it a more full-bodied flavour. The nasi kuning soaked up all the curry perfectly, holding a blend of sweet, spicy, tangy and savoury in every bite. Even on its own, it was fragrant and rich. I regret not getting it with my rendang chicken as well! Complementing the flavour-heavy dish was a mountain of beansprouts, crunchy and light to help cut the potential jelak-ness of the curry. Although the Rendang Chicken was pretty meh to me, the Assam Fish is a standout for sure. Perhaps they've got tastier dishes that I've yet to try. I heard the stingray and beef rendang are also pretty popular with the crowd! For the price point and generous portions, I'd say it's pretty worth it. But as a westie, I'm not sure if I would travel all the way for this. Maybe just for the assam fish. However, if you happen to live or work in the area or pass by this hawker centre, I'd definitely recommend that you give Indonesia Curry Rice a try. Expected damage: S$4.50 – S$15 per pax 11 best Hainanese curry rice stalls in Singapore that serve messy, tasty perfection The post Indonesia Curry Rice: Long queues for highly raved Indonesian-style dishes by Chinese hawkers appeared first on
Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Food Picks: Kitchenman Nasi Lemak serves up Malaysian kampung soul with a chef's touch
SINGAPORE – It is a crying shame that the elusive showstopper of Kitchenman Nasi Lemak, Rendang Chicken ($12.50), is not available regularly on its menu. It is a special item that is available when the chef feels up to the challenge. Ipoh-born co-owner and chef Cheow Kah King, 38, says it is too demanding to cook the dish daily. When he does, he prepares only a small batch of 20 chicken legs. Regulars in the know get first dips on reserving the dish that is usually sold out before lunchtime is over. Lemongrass, galangal, ginger and shallots are blended for the rempah. The dry version that Mr Cheow prepares is exacting to cook, as it takes three hours of minding the fire and constant stirring to prevent the richly spiced gravy from burning. That is not counting the entire hour it takes to toast fresh grated coconut over an ungreased wok to obtain kerisik, a natural flavour enhancer. The resulting chicken is flavoursome to the bone. It is also available in the Nasi Lemak Rendang Chicken ($16.80), which comes with coconut rice, ikan bilis and peanuts, a sunny side up egg and sambal. If y ou cannot get your hands on the rendang chicken, there are other choice items for a satisfying meal. Expect no less than unabashed full-on flavours at the frills-free, 40-seat eatery, which is an ode to Malaysian kampung-style cooking. It is named Kitchenman as a tribute to those who toil in the kitchen. Though not born nor bred in a kampung, Mr Cheow wants to present his reimagined version of kampung-style cookin g. Th at means drilling down to the basics, such as paying a premium for fresh coconut milk, which is notoriously temperamental and spoils easily. Most nasi lemak sellers have switched to using prepacked coconut cream. The signature dish is the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Berempah Leg ($13.80), prepared with fresh chicken thoroughly infused with housemade rempah. The excess marinade is deep-fried and used as an addictive topping for the chicken. The accompanying sambal alone takes five hours to prepare. Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Berempah Leg is the signature favourite at Kitchenman Nasi Lemak. ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO Sambal Fried Fish ($9.50) is a whole kembong fish marinated in turmeric, pan-fried and covered in a Balinese-inspired sambal of red chilli, tomato, onion and garlic, simply seasoned with salt and sugar. Sambal Fried Fish at Kitchenman Nasi Lemak. ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO A sleeper hit on the menu is the Six Heavenly King ($13.80), a medley of brinjal, baby French bean, okra, pungent petai, tempeh and tau kwa. The backbone of the dish is a housemade sambal heavily spiked with dried prawns. Six Heavenly King, a vegetable stir-fry with housemade sambal. ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO Where: 01-08/13 CT Hub, 2 Kallang Avenue MRT: Bendemeer Open: 11.30am to 9pm (Mondays to Saturdays), closed on Sundays Hedy Khoo is senior correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers food-related news, from reviews to human interest stories. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
