Pad Thai That Touch My Heart - Ah Loy Thai

The foodie trek finally is coming to an end. I decide to end it at Shaw Centre (Beach Road) - Ah Loy Thai. Ah Loy Thai is one of the most elusive Thai restaurant I ever encountered as they do not operate in the afternoon or Sunday as a result I never got the chance to taste their Thai food.  

We reached Ah Loy Thai at 6pm and was delighted they are open for business. We are lucky the dinner crowd haven't came in yet. Ah Loy Thai is a no frills Thai restaurant as they do not charge GST or service charge. Basically, you tick down your orders on menu chit, paid for it at the cashier and sit down wait for your order to be serve. We order 2 Pad Thai ($4.80/pax) and a Thai Green Curry ($5.50).

 

 

As we gingerly wait for our orders, the dinner crowd finally comes and Ah Loy Thai  was fully packed in minutes with queue growing. At last, our Pad Thai and Green Curry finally came. When I took my first bite into the Pad Thai, I was amazed of the "Wok Hei" this Pad Thai packed. So far I haven't come across a Pad Thai that was cook with enough "Wok Hei" to touch my heart. The Pad Thai is adequately season with fish sauce coupled with generous serving of Sotong and Prawns that wasn't overcook. It might be a tat oily for some but the lime slice provide is adequate enough to reduce the excess oily feeling this Pad Thai might render.

I moved on try the Thai Green Curry and I find it not too thick (like soup curry) and not overwhelming with coconut cream which is a plus as I have bad experience with thick Thai Green Curry that gave me indigestion. My friend is surprised to find fish ball in the green curry as he no idea that fish ball can add as a accompaniment. The chicken pieces is chunky enough but wasn't as tender as I hoped. Ah Loy Thai would be the contender to rather expensive Thai Restaurant like ThaiXpress or Lerk Thai offering same kind of Thai food.

Temple Street Cookware Shops - Sin Huat/Lau Choy Sing

After finish my bowl of Lor Mee, it is time to move on to my next destination in my Foodie Trek that is cookware shops along Temple Street as I looking for some unique cookware to showcase my culinary creation.

The first cookware shop we set foot is Sin Huat. Sin Huat houses a wide assortment of cookwares as well as F&B industrial appliances ranging from blender to griller/oven. It is like mecca for all culinary artists irregardless if you are professional or amateur. I was deeply in trance when I step in the first level that houses the F&B appliances, pots/pans, glassware which is quite bizarre and not sold at your average supermarket or departmental store.  

I have no idea there is a second level at Sin Huat. So I happily prance up to the second level to find unique dining ware arrange in 4 rows of glass shelf. Some of the dinning ware shown below is even used in famous restaurant like Taste Paradise. But I didn't manage to find the dinning ware I wanted, so I proceed to Lau Choy Sing further down. Lau Choy Sing was bustling with customer therefore, I cut my trip short. However, I manage to find a cheaply price unqiue ceramic ware at Moderne shop across Temple Street.

Famous Lor Mee??? - Yuan Chun Famous Lor Mee

After Maxwell Ham Jin Pang, it time to move to the next destination in the Foodie Trek is Amoy Food Centre that is located behind Maxwell Market. There are quite a few notable hawkers in Amoy Food Centre. I already set my target on the Amoy Street Lor Mee that was widely reported in the papers and TV. As it is our first time going to Amoy Food Centre, it took quite a while to reach there as we got lost when we took a wrong turn.

When we reached Amoy Food Centre at 2pm, a lot of stalls had already closed. However, lady luck is smiling in my favor as Yuan Chun Famous Lor Mee is still open for business. As I notice they are about to close judging there is not much Lor Mee toppings left on the counter, I quickly proceed to order a small bowl of Lor Mee ($2.50).

Yuan Chun's Lor Mee is traditional style Lor Mee served with stewed pork belly, steam fish and fried crispy flour. However, it didn't hit me as the ideal Lor Mee I used to have when I was just a kid as the noodle isn't cook thoroughly as I can still taste the rawness. The stew pork belly and steam fish is rather dry maybe due to long exposure to atmosphere. Overall, it is a major disappointment (partly maybe because I came late during their closing) if compared to the Lor Mee I had previously in Tiong Bahru Market(Link). However, I will give the benefit of doubt to foodies that swear by Yuan Chun Lor Mee and reassess Yuan Chun Lor Mee at a later date.    

DIY Salty Fried Bun - China Street Hum Jin Pang

After having chicken rice, we still have some void left in our stomach. We decide to have Hum Jin Pang (literally translate as Salty Fried Bun) instead. Ham Jin Pang is a traditional bun that is cooked by frying. It is available either salty or sweet with red bean fillings inside. 

China Street Hum Jin Pang is one of the oldest resident hawker in Maxwell Market as far as I know. I have been eating their Hum Jin Pang since I was a kid and their Hum Jin Pang is simple down to earth without frills that capture heart of locals with price affordable ($1 for 6 buns) for all levels of life be it rich or poor.

The Hum Jin Pang is able to priced cheaply is due to the owner do not hire any extra helper and her belief Hum Jin Pang should be affordable to all walks of life. This belief really touch me as so far there isn't much hawker or restaurant dare lay claim on such belief.   

To keep cost low, everyone who ordered Hum Jin Pang will have to assist the owner to fry the Ham Jin Pang. Once you just place your order with the owner, pick up the long wooden chopstick and you ready to go. As my friend is not so adept in frying Ham Jin Pang, I took his place and fry our share. The main trick is to fry the Ham Jin Pang till golden brown then take out and drain on the colander. After that, you dip the Ham Jin Pang in caster sugar and pack it into paper bag. Ham Jin Pang is best consume when it newly fried as you can feel the outer crispy El Dente bun texture with traces of red filling spilling out that compliment with it. For those who never had freshly fried Ham Jin Pang to give it a try as it will be memorable to eat your own fried Ham Jin Pang.

El Dente Rice - Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

I met up with my dead beat friend (just complete his 10km Nike Run in the morning) at Outram MRT station. He wanted to tag along as I planning to go and feast on a few well known hawkers that lies along Chinatown. The first foodie trek stop of the day is Maxwell Market that lies along Maxwell Road. Maxwell Market house a lot of famous hawker foods that appeared in lot newspaper, magazine as well TV.

We decide to settle for hainanese chicken rice at Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice as we are both famished from the long wait for him at the MRT and his 10km run. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken rice have gain a lot of accolades from newspapers & TV naming it one of  the top chicken rice stall in Singapore. I persevere on even though the queue for Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice is snake-like long. My perseverance is finally rewarded when the auntie asked for my order.

I ordered 2 small plates of Hainanese Chicken Rice ($2.80) as I plan to save my stomach for others along my foodie trek. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken rice is very generous as they don't skimp on the meat even if it is just for $2.80. First bite on the rice, bring you nice aroma of pandan leaf chicken infused rice. The rice is very El Dente like risotto but not dry which is very nice, so far not much chicken rice I ate can match Tian Tian on El Dente department. Tian Tian's rice is oilier than normal chicken rice, if you are counting calories you might want to reduce intake.

Tian Tian's Hainanese Chicken didn't leave me much of an impression as the chicken meat is pretty firm (for those who like firm chicken meat) but I prefer it to be tender like one of the notable one I had in Golden Mile Market. It might be due to the type of chicken use as different type of chickens - farm or kampong offers different meat texture when cooked. Tian Tian's chili sauce is standard kalamansi chili blend with garlic and ginger which is slightly spicier than others. Overall, it is quite a nice chicken rice as for whether it is worth the queue is highly depends on individual. As for me, I will probably give it a miss.

Saturday Cooking Spree Afterthought

While cooking is a chore for most, cooking really bring me a lot of pleasure if compared to other types of hobbies. The sight of seeing the person you cook for enjoying the fruits of your labor is priceless. I would always go the extra miles to made a particular recipe or dish more flavorful or appealing as cooking for someone you know is very personal.

The same cannot be said for restaurant as every dish or recipe are subject to economy of scale and chef in the restaurant are subjected to cooking for many clientele at a single night as a result it might lack a personal touch. This is just a general statement as there is still a lot of great restaurants and hawkers out there serving great food even go to extra miles to customise to your taste. I know a few restaurant that go the extra miles to customise the dish to your preference.

I didn't cook much this Saturday as I plan to go on foodie trek with my friend in Chinatown district. However, I whip up a fast brunch peri peri winglet, ham mesculin salad, garlic potato soup accompanied with toasted garlic french bread for my mother before I moved out. There is a few hit and miss in this Saturday foodie trek which I will post later.

Pasandra Pork Curry

Pasanda Curry is a popular  Pakistani/North Indian curry meat dish originate from a meal served in the Court of the Moghul Emperors. Pasanda was originally made from leg of a lamb, flatten into strips. Mughal empire religious belief originate from muslim, therefore Pasanda Curry is only available in lamb, beef, chicken or prawn.

I decide to add a twist of chinese element into Pasanda Curry. Instead of using the meat commonly use for Pasanda Curry, I decide to use pork as the main ingredient for Pasanda Curry. I decide to use sliced Pork Belly as it is readily available in local supermarket in Singapore and the fat layered between the flesh will add additional flavour to the Pasanda Curry.  The Pasanda Pork Curry came out pretty well within my expectation. It is pretty thick and warmly spiced with a slight tang. For those who don't like tangy curry, you could replace yogurt with whipping cream or coconut cream. It is best serve with rice or naan.

Pasandra Pork Curry

• 125g Pork Belly Thin Slices
• 1 Medium Tomato Chopped Finely
• 1 Onion Chopped Finely
  
• 1 Teaspoon Ginger Puree
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Puree
• 4 Oz Water
• 1 Tablespoon Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Ketchup
  

Marinade

• 2 Tablespoons Plain Yogurt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Salt

Combine all the dry spices and salt in a mixing bowl and add in the yogurt and stir it into a paste. Add in the sliced pork and made sure the paste is evenly coated in every pork slice and leave it to marinade in the fridge overnight or at least 3 hours.

Heat a non-stick pan and add in the oil. Add in the chopped onion and cooked until it turn brown and soften. Add in the chopped ginger and garlic and fry it till you smell fragrant release by the garlic and ginger. Add in the chopped tomato. You can add a bit of water if you find the mixture too dry. Fry until the oil separate then add in the marinate pork. Turn up the heat and fry for 5 mins add in rest of the water and turn down the flame and let it simmer for 10 mins then you are ready to serve it over rice or naan. As the curry aged, it get more flavorful.