Curry Rice

Many may not understand the true meaning of curry rice as I have experienced it. It is not just curry and rice. We call it ''kali png''. I have written about the wonders of this food before with the very first experience as a child. I used to live with my paternal grandparents at Kim Keat Avenue while my maternal grandparents lived in Jalan Kemaman along Balestier Road. There were occasional Saturday mornings where my paternal grandma would bring me all the way to buy packets of curry rice at this place called Raymond Market. I did not even know the name as grandma have only said it in dialect which after recalling along time back thought it sounded like "Raymond Market". A school friend who read what I wrote communicated with me to confirm that there was Raymond Market indeed. It could probably be demolished and the Whampoa market and hawker centre is probably where it stood.

At the time, this curry rice stall opened from the morning. The aroma of freshly cooked rice and the various dishes greeted me. I saw people placed their orders and the stall owners scooped rice onto take-away packets and the most interesting stuff was you could see them scoop gravy from each dish onto the rice - from the cabbage, from the braised pork, char siew and curry, almost like drowning the rice. By the time we got home, with the gravy absorbed into rice, it still tasted so good! It became an instant favourite.

Over the years, I have repeatedly tried almost all curry rice stalls in Singapore - from Havelock/Beo Crescent to Bukit Merah. From Maxwell to Tiong Bahru.  The Maxwell one has a brother selling the similar curry rice at Old Kallang Port. They were used to be together since their father's day. The Tiong Bahru one originated from Telok Blangah but there is one that is always special to me. They are not the best curry rice stall in Singapore but it is always special to me because they were originally loacted at a food street behind the railway station at Tanjong Pagar where I sued to work nearby and every once or twice a week I must walked over there for lunch or for a take-away and for many years now they have been located at Pasir Panjang. They have been powering the port workers for umpteen years. Even today, they probably start selling from 2 or 4 am till 1 pm. So I decided to find myself there as I have learned that they maybe giving up and retire soon. 

When I got there, there was already a long queue.

When it came to his turn, the guy in front of me in the queue said to the man after placing his order: "swimming pool" and the man replied: "OK, swimming pool lai liao". It means to put a lot of gravy over the rice so that it resembles a swimming pool. 

This is the "Ah Kor" who took over from his father and is still at it. He often banters with his customers and here he was taking charge.

I think some of his family members may have stopped working here and that is why he is short handed and may some day soon give it up. 

The sotong here is sweet, tender and juicy.

I thought this is the simplest and best dish. Cooked and simmered so soft to perfection. It goes down exceedingly well.

The char siew is not the charred and roasted type but the meat is tender.

Besides the vegetable, this is a must have with your curry rice - hainanese pork chop. 

Prawn fritters are a good accompaniment. 

Besides fragrant chicken rice, this is the other rice that is go good you can eat it on its own. Drowned in curry and other gravy!

When I was done, I spoke to "Ah Kor" who is obviously proud to be at it for so long but admitted that they are short-handed and tough and may consider giving it up sometime in future. I was glad I came. It brought back lots of memories from the past. This is my way to pay homage and thank Ah Kor for his contribution.