Riyadh Muslim Food: Crispy Fluffy Prata made with Passion

With ieatjr

Five Prata Stack 70cent each

Ah Prata, one of my all time favourite breakfast food. I don't know why, but it might have something to do with how my Pa used to bring me to the coffeeshop in Toa Payoh Lor 8 to eat prata. If I remember correctly, $1 used to buy 10 pratas and you could bring an egg to the prata man so that he can add it to the prata for you. As with most kids, I started off eating prata dipped in sugar. Then gradually, I learnt that dipping it in the curry can be quite shiok, albeit a little spicy. But I still liked the sugar so I ended up dipping in the curry, then the sugar. I sometimes still eat it that way nowadays.

Speaking of eating Prata as a father and son (or daughter) thing, I too brought my son to eat prata with me on this occasion. He still does not want to dip in the curry, hopefully one day he will realise what he has been missing. It's amazing that my fondest memories with my Pa are just these simple things we used to do together while my brothers were still to young to tag along. So I guess it is important to remember to spend one-on-one time with your own kids regularly so that they have some fond memories to accompany them for life.


Mr Abdul Aziz explaining how to make a perfect prata

Unfortunately, with the proliferation of 24 hour prata joints, the standard of Prata in Singapore has been waning and in some places it is just plain bad. The reason is very simple. It all has to do with ownership and passion. In the past, men from India used to come to Singapore to etch a living for themselves. So they would open a prata shop and through sheer hard work and long hours, make a name for themselves. Nowadays, the guys flapping the prata are all hired men from India and Malaysia, and unless the boss correctly incentivise them, it is difficult to ensure quality.

I have been hunting around for stalls where the owners still take pride in making their own dough and flapping their own prata. A place where they are still passionate about a simple dish which has been taken for granted and neglected.

Mr Abdul Aziz of Riyadh Muslim Food is just one such person. His father was the one who started the famous Thesevi's which made Jalan Kayu prata a household name. When he parted ways with his brother, he started up his little stall here in an industrial park in Defu Lane. That was 20 years ago and he is still doing much the same as his father had done.



It is heartening to see a bucket of handmade dough instead of what most stalls do nowadays which is to buy them ready made. So whenever I eat at a Prata stall, I always lookout for the dough in a bucket rather than in a cardboard box. Amazingly, his dough is still handkneaded and not made with a machine. Mr Abdul tells me that handknead is still best and he doesn't have space to put a mixer in his small shop. He still adds QBB pure Ghee in his dough to give that savoury buttery taste as well as Carnation evaporated milk. The other ingredients are Prima's Ikan Terbang brand Flour, salt and sugar. The was tight lipped about the proportions. Doh! Or should I say, Dough!


Special order Double Dough prata $1.40

Aside from the dough, the secret to a really good prata is simply passion and technique. Although Mr Aziz does not personally flap each prata nowadays, at 70, he is still there at the stall every minute of its opening to make sure that each prata comes out the way he wants. That is the work ethic of the first generation migrants of Singapore and amazingly, Mr Aziz still holds an Indian passport even though he has been here since the 50's.



The pratas here are hard to beat. As with the Jalan Kayu pratas, they are small but crispy and flaky and very flavourful. As far as prata goes, this is probably one of the best ones around and the best thing is that they insist on making the prata when you order, so you are assured of fresh pratas all the time. They still do some ready made ones for those people who are in a hurry, so make sure you let Uncle know that you are in no hurry for a great prata. 4.6/5

Conclusion

This Prata is really special. It might not be as convenient as a 24 hour prata stall, but the limited timing just means that each prata is still made under the strict supervision of the Prata master. If you really love prata, this is one place you have to visit.

Riyadh Muslim Food
Blk 32, Defu Lane 10
Stall 12, Soon Soon Lai Eating House
6.30am to 7pm daily
Closed last Wed of each month

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Sajis Indian Food: Mee Siam from my School Days!

Have you ever had one of those experiences when you eat something and suddenly felt as if you were being transported back in time to a scene from a distant past? I am sure you have. Actually taste and smell can help trigger memories which are hidden in the subconscious mind.

For example, there is one particular smell that I sometimes still come across that would invoke memories of my days at the PAP kindergarten in Toa Payoh Lor 1. It might have been the mixture of dilute red bean soup, mildew, sweat and dried urine but I haven't come across the exact same sort of smell in kindergartens nowadays.

When it comes to food, there is one that really transports me back to my primary school days at St Andrew's Junior School. I wrote about this before in my previous post on Rajis Indian food. It is a really simple dish of Indian Mee Siam which is simply Orangey Beehoon in a sweet gravy served with hard boiled eggs, but the taste is distinctive and very unlike the more common Nonya and Malay version of the dish. We used to buy a plate for 30 cents and the old man gave us a quarter of an egg cut with a piece of string hanging from the handle of the pot which I am sure was not changed for the 10 years I was in school. In fact, I think I might have eaten eggs cut from the same string as my seniors for who knows how many generations. Wierd thought that we might all be united by the same string.

Anyway, I know I am not the only one reminiscing about this type of mee siam as I did come across a lady who was asking me for exactly this Indian Mee Siam. It's just one of those fast dissappearing heritage foods that you might like to try before it's too late.

Tastewise, its sort of sweeter than the other versions of Mee Siam but savoury at the same time. In case you are wondering, the principal ingredients that go into the Mee Siam is Tau Cheo (Bean Sauce), Candlenuts and dried whitebait. This is actually my favourite version of mee siam and I wonder why it is not readily available. Maybe I am one of the few that likes it because I grew up eating it in school? 4.5/5



I don't know if Indian rojak is also losing popularity or not, but it seems to me that you don't really see a lot of this nowadays except in 24 hour joints where the rojak is procured from a supplier. Sajis still insist on making their own fresh daily and it is a tradition that I hope will enjoy a renaissance. To say that it is losing popularity simply because it is FRIED FOOD would not make that much sense since we are all enjoying deep fried stuff like Tempura and Donuts. Perhaps the dish needs to have a little makeover to appeal to the younger generation?

Conclusion

This is in all sense of the word, "Old School" Mee Siam!

Post Script:

What new flavours of Indian Rojak would you like to see? Maybe something more healthy? More vegetables perhaps? Or maybe something more fusion like cheese or salami? Or perhaps it is something that you used to enjoy that is not available nowadays? This stall owner is quite open to exploring new ideas so write in and let us know!

Sajis Indian Food
Blk 262 Waterloo St
#01-29 Nan Tai Eating House
9am - 7pm
Closed: Last Monday of the month
Sabeek 81395647

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Iniavans: Comfort food for my Indian friend

With ChinChaiGuy


I hope you realize just how much a part of you food really is. You are what you eat - literally. Don't you find it amazing that a simple thing like milk can eventually turn into hair, flesh, fat, nerves etc etc? Well, that's all a baby eats for the first six months so whatever growth it experiences is all made from that milk! Just as amazing as how corn can turn into a mouthwatering USDA Prime Steak. But aside from being the very building blocks for your body, food has also a big role in programming your personality.

I know myself that even though I love a hamburger, the thing that I really cannot do without is rice and soy sauce. Same thing with my long time best friend, ChinChaiGuy. Being married to a Chinese girl, he has been made to eat Cantonese style steamed fish, herbal soups and the like almost every day. Exquisite cuisine to be sure -- if you are Cantonese. But for my poor friend, what he really wants, even though he is a chin chai (not fussy) kind of guy, is to dig his fingers into some rice and spice!



Now I have eaten in Little India quite a few times and I will say this -- It is good to go with an Indian friend. It's one of the few places in Singapore that I sometimes feel like a foreigner. You know how many times I get the "Pffffttt" look when I ask for fork and spoon? They really can't understand how we "chopstickers" can enjoy our food if we can't lick it off our fingers. So when I am with my friend, he does all the ordering including getting the fork and spoon for me.

Now, even though I call him the ChinChaiGuy, he really isn't all that Chin Chai. He does have restaurants that he would never go back to again and he did take a long time choosing a wife. (Well longer than me anyway and I am not Chin Chai ok?) So I can at least trust that he brought me to a decent place to eat.

This place sells South Indian food and that means lots of spicy goodness. The first thing that I would recommend is the Dum Briyani. For those who complained that the Briyani at Ali Nachia was a little to plain, you would be happy with this one. This is chicken Dum briyani and each and every grain of rice is coated with curry spices. I nearly thought I was eating rice mixed with curry, but then again that is what Dum Briyani is. 4/5

Now all the rest of the curries were pretty good as well. I enjoyed most of them, but you know, I just felt there was not one that stood head over the rest. Not that I can remember anyway, cos after a while, the taste of all that spice becomes un-differentiable and all I could sense was the heat. It was just like the first time ChinChaiGuy invited me to his home in Sec 1 and his mother's curry was so hot that I spent the rest of the night gasping for air in the void deck. My friend, on the other hand, went home truly rejuvenated that day with enough fiery spice in him to prepare an equally fiery Sunday sermon that coming week. Just in case you want to hear what the curry did to the sermon, please click here. (Title of the sermon was: "Is there more to life than this?" It should have been "Is there more to life than curry?)

Conclusion

Overall a pretty decent meal, but then again it tastes much the same as many other Southern Indian eateries in Little India. I am not a big expert when it comes to spicy food and I must admit that I don't really have a favourite place for South Indian food.

So where would you all recommend for a die die must try South Indian joint?

Iniavans Indian Cuisine
37 Chandar Road
Tel: 62965915

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Saravana Bhavan: Intentionally Vegetarian

With iwatch_ueat, Nuffthing and davienne

Ghee Roast "Rocket" Dosa Masala $3

I have said it before and I will repeat it again. Of all the different vegetarian cuisines, the one that would come closest to converting me into a herbivore has to be Indian vegetarian. Yes, it comes closest but I am still far from chanting "Fish are friends, not food"!

Very far.

But you know, the day may come when I finally have to succumb to having to lower my cholesterol levels and protecting my heart. Thankfully, I have not reached that stage just yet.

If you have been to Chennai, you will know of this very famous restaurant chain. If you have not, you might not -- but now you do, like I did. This restaurant was recommended by one of our readers, Raihana Starbuck, who quite kindly shared her family's favourite eating spot with all of us. She said that "this is the only place in Singapore which has food like what it does in India". Having never had the opportunity to visit India, I thought I might go try it out and get a taste of some "real" Indian food.

What struck me most about the place is the apparent mismatch between the prices and the environment. For $3, you could sit down and enjoy the Ghee Roast Masala Dosa in air-conditioned comfort. And the Dosa was excellent, crispy and thin on the outside with a soft fluffy centre. The coconut and onion tomato chutneys tasted fresh and had a nice bite to it. The addition of the Ghee to the Dosa really gave it even more ooompph, which of course does not help if you are eating this to cut down on your cholesterol intake. The only drawback was the (potato) masala which could have been more tasty. 4.25/5


Idli $2.80

Nuffthing asked what this dish was. So I described it to him as "Wha Kor Kueh" in curry, which I thought came quite close. Idlis are steamed rice cakes which is what Wha Kor Kueh is. In retrospect, I think I should have likened it to Putu Piring without the gula melaka. At any rate, the idli is served in their standard dhal and drizzled with ghee which as I mentioned earlier, always adds oommmph to any dish like how pork lard does to Chinese dishes. 4/5


Vadai $2.20 for 2

The Vadais were served fresh and were nice and crispy on the outside and fluffy and savoury within. My only complaint by this stage is that they seem to serve the same dhal for every dish. I was kinda hoping to taste something different. But I guess it is my own fault for not knowing what to order. 4/5


Masala Tea $1.30

Don't forget to wash the whole meal down with some Masala Tea. Masala Tea, like Teh Halia is a wonderful way to finish off the meal as it serves to wash down all that spice and oil and aids in the digestion of the food. Aside from that, the four of us had some fun practicing our Teh Tarik skills on the table. Some Masala Teas can go a little too heavy on the spices, but I found this one just nice. 4.25/5

Conclusion

Well, I really enjoyed the whole experience and managed to save a few chickens in the process. Truth be said, I don't think I have ever had bad Indian vegetarian food. Then again I haven't really looked. Actually I wouldn't mind going on an Indian vegetarian trail to find the best Indian vegetarian food in Singapore. Perhaps you all can write in and let me know?

Update: 7 Sep 2008

Update: 30 Nov 2008

TKY has informed us that the restaurant is now situated at 86 Syed Alwi Road Singapore 207663.

Saravana Bhavan
86 Syed Alwi Road
207663
62977755
7.30am to 11pm daily

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The Prata Place: Prata in AirCon Comfort

One of the good things about Reservist training is the fact that I find myself in a part of Singapore that I seldom go to. That means that I get to eat and blog some of the stuff from a different part of Singapore.

I am one of the Reservist Doctors at the Combat Support Hospital which is based in Nee Soon Camp, which means that my Reservist Kakis and I have been eating at some of the places near the Upper Thomson area like Shanghai Renjia and Cafe Ole. In case you are wondering, the Combat Support Hospital is a Mobile Field Hospital with surgical facilities to take care of soldiers injured during conflict. It's something like M*A*S*H for those who can still remember the TV series.

Another good thing about Reservist Training is being able to meet up with old friends and speaking Army Lingo again. Yes, the SAF has got its very own brand of English that is an even worse aberration of English than Singlish. Here in the SAF you don't "Authenticate", you "Authonticate". You are not an SAF "Officer", you are an SAF "Occifer". Most of the time when you meet a fellow Occifer, the greeting is not "Good Morning" but "How Shag is that?" But the one that really gets me is the word "Bah Long Long" which means someone who is simply doing nothing. Where in the world did they get this word from?

One of my regular haunts whenever I am on Reservist is this Prata Shop which is just outside Nee Soon Camp. The Prata here is excellent and they have a wide range of curries to go along. This is also one of the most comfortable places to get a nice prata with a cup of Teh Tarik. Although they brand themselves "Crispy Prata", they are in no way like Prata House. Instead, it is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Just the way I like it. 4.25/5

Conclusion

Something to look forward to for breakfast just before booking into Camp for training!

The Prata Place
1 Thong Soon Ave
Springleaf estate
www.ThePrataPlace.com.sg
Open from 7.30am to 12mn

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Sajis Indian Food: Indian Rojak: Singapore's very own

With Tag (He has eaten this since school days!)


I don't remember the last time that I was so excited about an Indian Rojak! I guess its been a while since I have come across one that is truly exceptional. When you come across one that has the credentials of Sajis it is hard to keep your saliva in your mouth!

For me it was the sight of the beautiful prawn fritters that really sealed the deal. Have you seen anything so magnificent before? It was really a feast for the eyes and a tease for the palate.

This stall traces its roots all the way back to the 60's when current stallowner, Sabeek's Grandfather started working for his Great Granduncle in the Sarabat stalls at Waterloo St near the old SJI. I was told that in those days (I was not even an idea then) that was where all the greatest Indian Food and Sarabat stalls could be found.



Here's an interesting bit of history that I learnt from Sabeek. Indian Rojak is a dish that was invented by the early migrants to Singapore. In those days, the Malays were selling all sorts of Kuehs by the roadside and the Indians wanted to get a piece of the action. So they also started to make their own Kuehs to sell. Instead of offering the usual chilli and tomato sauces, they developed their own sauce which has a unique combination of sweet, sour, savoury and spiciness.

The rojak here was really fantabulous. So good that we went for a second round of rojak even when we were so full from eating the chicken rice next door. All the stuff were fresh and the sauce was just perfect. Amongst my favourite was the Vadai. The quality was a little different from what I was used to. The Vadai here is really crumbly and very very pang (savoury). When you put it in your mouth, it just breaks apart, releasing the Umami flavours of the lentils and spices. Shiokalingam Nah! 4.75/5

The other stuff that got me real excited was the Mee Siam. I got there too late and the bee hoon was sold out. However, Tag managed to persuade the owner to give us a bowl of the mee siam gravy. He said that it was something I die die must try.

Now Indian Mee Siam is something I have not tasted for 20 years. The Indian Mee Siam that has been indelibly etched into my psyche is the one that I ate for 10 years in the St Andrew's School tuckshop. Oh yeah, for 30 cents the Indian Uncle throws some bee hoon into a small orange plastic plate and pours the sweet mee siam gravy over it. Then he cuts the egg with a string that is tied to the handle of the big aluminum pot. You know, I have eaten it for 10 years and I suspect that he has never ever changed the string!

Anyway after I left school I never came across another Indian Mee Siam again until last week. I always assumed that it was just a peculiar Tuckshop food. The first taste of the sauce brought back all the fond memories of my days at the old St Andrew's School. Back in the days when the highlight of school was playing football at recess time and marvelling at the tadpoles in the big puddle in front of the goal posts.

I don't know what was your experience with Tuckshop food, but St Andrew's Tuckshop in the 70s and 80s had some really shiok stuff. Aside from the Mee Siam, there was the Char Kway Teow which still tastes better than most of the Char Kway Teow we eat now. I would have given it a 4.5. I also remember the Chai Png stall where students used to scoop their own gravy to put on the rice. The curry gravy was really shiok and we used to fish out all the chicken wing tips from the bottom of the pot.

So was it just nostalgia or was the food really that great? Maybe you can share your own experience with Tuckshop food?

Conclusion

Seriously shiok Indian rojak! Is this the best or is there another?

Sajis Indian Food
Blk 262 Waterloo St
#01-29 Nan Tai Eating House
9am - 7pm
Closed: Last Monday of the month
Sabeek 81395647

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R K House: Tasty, Buttery Prata!

With Tag Tag, iwatch_ueat and carnineviand


So this is the famous RK House Prata which does not sell any pork since they are a Halal restaurant. Those who don't know what it is all about can click here.

But anyway, I did not want to cause any problems so I ordered my usual "Double Dough Prata stretched thin and made thick and fluffy" Of course, that is the paraphrased version, I had to describe my request with my best Indian accent together with head rocking and animated hand motions!



When the prata arrived, it was not thick and fluffy as I would like it to be BUT boy it was tasty. The dough is crisp on the outside, soft and stretchy on the inside and it leaves a nice buttery, sweet taste at the back of your throat. Mmmmm lovely. People who take their prata with egg may miss the subtle flavour of the prata dough that can only be fully appreciated if you order the prata kosong (plain). 4.25/5

Conclusion

There is a lot of potential for this place to produce the ultimate Roti Prata. The dough has got a the right taste and texture. It remains for the prata man to really stretch it thin and really make it thick and fluffy. For those who love curry, you might be better off ordering the special curries rather then settling for the standard curry accompanying the prata. I am certainly planning to go back again to have another go at the ultimate prata soon.

Update: 3 Jan 2009

I was back at RK yesterday and I am sorry to report that they have now started to outsource the dough and the Prata has lost that buttery taste! It now taste like just another ordinary prata shop. 3.5/5

R K Eating House
1 Kensington Park Road
24 Hours

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Casuarina Prata: Is this still the same Prata?

With iwatch_ueat, Hjuanie and Liverpool

Double Dough Prata $1.20

It was an appointment with inevitability. Sooner or later I had to blog about Casuarina Prata. No self respecting prata lover should leave this earthly realm without having tried Casuarina Prata at least once.

It had been at least 3 years since I ate this prata, so I was taken by surprise that the whole stall had been revamped. Instead of the little coffee shop, now they have taken over the corner 2 shops and upgraded it into an air-conditioned restaurant. I get very apprehensive whenever facilities are upgraded because sometimes it means that the food gets altered as well, and it is usually for the worse.



As usual, I ordered a double dough prata because I felt that by using 2 doughs, the prata is more fluffy and substantial and it actually becomes the size of pratas that used to be sold in the good old days.

We were quite excited when the prata was served because it really did look light and flaky on the outside which is what Casuarina is famous for. I think you can sense what I am about to say next. The texture was good but that was about it. It was severely lacking in taste and we all thought it was pretty bland. It did not have that nice buttery taste which I remembered from past visits. Better than most pratas but not like it was before. 4/5

Conclusion

I am not sure if this is just a one off, or if they have really changed their dough formula when they moved to their new premises. Liverpool was understandably upset, being a Casuarina virgin, his first experience was not as great as it was hyped up to be. Perhaps our Casuarina Prata Veterans can give their review of the current Casuarina Prata?

Casuarina Curry
126 Casuarina Road
off Upper Thomson
64559093
Weekdays 7am to 11.30pm
Weekends & eve of Pub Hols
7am to 12am

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Sitara: On the hunt for the perfect Naan!

With damien, liverpool, iwatch_ueat and introducing our travelling Aussie foodie: Blindate

Butter Chicken $12.50

This restaurant was recommended by one of the many "Anonymous" readers of the blog in the Tandoori Restaurant blog. He mentioned that the food here was similar to Tandoori, but the prices were slightly lower. Now that sounds good to me!

When we got to the restaurant, we discovered that both restaurants were actually under the same ownership! A quick glance at the prices confirmed that the prices in general are around 20% less. The butter chicken costs $12.50 here compared to $15 at Tandoori. Could it be that I could get the same standard food at Tandoori at a 20-30% discount?


Keema Kulcha $4.50

The Keema Kulcha (Naan with minced mutton) was the first to arrive and the sight of the Naan gave us a very good first impression. The Naan bread was soft and chewy, the way it should be. The flavour of the mutton keema was good, though it was quite mild and did not have a strong spicy mutton flavour. You'd be disappointed if you were expecting it to be like a murtabak. 4/5 However, it was great when dipped in the mild, creamy butter chicken gravy. The butter chicken was very good. Mild, creamy and very tasty, it was different from the one at Tandoori, but just as good with the Naan bread. Hard pressed to say which one I prefer. 4.5/5

The plain Naan was a big disappointment, instead of being soft and chewy like the Keema Kulcha, they were stretched too thin and so were hard and un-pliable. Not good, not good. 3/5


Keema Mattar $11

The Keema Mattar here is quite good though again it was a bit on the mild side. Not for those who like their fiery, but for me it was quite good. 4/5


Paneer Tikka $8

At last we come to the Paneer Tikka which is currently my favourite Tandoori dish. I got hooked on this after my visit to Tandoori Restaurant and have been trying to find a cheaper version which is equally shiok. Unfortunately this wasn't it. I was expecting the Paneer to have the same creamy quality as the other side, but it was flat and the tikka seasoning did not have that ooomph. 3/5

Conclusion

Overall, a mixed review. Some stuff were really good, some bombed out. If I were craving for really good Naan, I think I will stick to Tandoori. But if budget is a factor, then this place does serve pretty decent North Indian food at reasonable prices.

Sitara Restaurant
291 Serangoon Road
#01-01 Serangoon Building
(Opp Mustafa's)
62913211

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Al Ameen Eating House: 24 hour Naan Satisfaction

With Chicken Rice Man and Food Guru

Butter Chicken $6 and Palak Paneer $6

I have been trying to find a cheaper alternative to Tandoori Restaurant since I ate there last month. A fresh chewy naan with smooth and creamy butter chicken is one of my top 5 eats! But the $15 butter chicken over at Tandoori is not something that I can eat every week, delicious as it is. I needed to find a satisfying meal for less than $10.


Chicken Tikka $6

This place is one of the eating haunts of Ninja Hello Kitty, so it must be of a certain standard, although he did warn me that the standards have dropped a little since he blogged it. And it is one of the few places I can find Naan after 10pm in the evening. So I made the 30 min journey to the West to try it.

The butter chicken was delicious AND quite good value. At $6 per bowl, it was almost one third the price at Tandoori but good enough that I would eat it again. It is less creamy but nontheless still rich enough and was strong on the tomato paste. 4.25/5 The Palak Paneer (Pureed Spinach with Cottage Cheese) was however quite dissappointing. The cottage cheese was tasteless and hard and the gravy was only colour with little ooomph. 3/5

The chicken tikka was impressive on display but not very good in the mouth. It was a bit dry when it should have been oozing with juices if it was freshly grilled from the raw state rather than being double grilled. 3/5


Cheese Naan $2.50

The Naans on the other hand really saved the day. The cheese and plain Naans were excellent. Chewy, fresh and fragrant it was as good a Naan as any. And the best thing was it is only $2.50 for the Cheese and $1 for the plain, which means I can have 2 or 3 without having to break a $10 note! 4.5/5



Conclusion

Great place to eat but you must order the right stuff. I would go back and order the Naans and the Butter Chicken and maybe try some other stuff. For around one third the price of eating at Tandoori Restaurant, I can get 80% of the satisfaction. For me that means I eat here every month and eat at the restaurant twice a year!

Al-Ameen Eating House
No. 2,3,4 Cheong Chin Nam road
Opposite Beauty World Centre
64621996
Open 24 hours

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Devagi's: Recipes from a cookbook comes alive!

With holydrummer, iwatch_ueat and Power Aunty and the PowerGang

Hyderabad Dum Briyani Chicken $9.90

Ever looked at a cookbook and wonder what the stuff actually tastes like in real life? I have, and when I try to follow the recipe the dish may end up looking almost like the photo, but tastewise it falters half the time. Perhaps its just my poor cooking skills, or could it be that they just publish a recipe that looks good on paper so they can sell cookbooks?

Well, wonder no more! If you are a fan of everything spicy and especially if you own any of Devagi's 16 cookbooks, you can now taste the original dish as depicted in her cookbooks, cooked by the cook (chef lah) herself!

Yes, Singapore's very own Spice Queen and media spokesperson for the Asia Food Channel -- Devagi can now be hired (well sort of right?) to whip up your favourite spice dish from any one of her cookbooks right here in her restaurant. Then you can see how it compares to your own version when you tried to follow the recipe!

Devagi fuses Indonesian, Chinese, Thai and Malaysian influences into her own South Indian style cuisine. Sounds like how your own mom cooks? Well yes, this is the true Singaporean homestyle cooking, except of course that it is done at an expert level.


Ikan Bilis Fried Rice $6

The Ikan Bilis fried rice for instance is a fried Briyani rice with ikan bilis and infused with indian spices and raisins. It combines a wok hei flavour of a good fried rice with the spicy aroma of a briyani. This sort of "Chindian" dish should really hit the spot for a guy like Gurmit Singh yah? I jest. The flavours combine very well and we all liked it. 4.25/5 There were other "Chindian" dishes that we sampled as well, like the stir fried long beans with egg and the stir fried cabbage with dried prawns and masala.


Grilled Sambal Fish (John Dory) $13

Another dish which was pretty good was the Grilled Sambal Fish. The Sambal has got a strong Indian influence and is almost like a cross between Sambal and Tandoori fish. It was great with the cinchaluk. 4/5

We also sampled her Hyderabad dum briyani which is the top selling dish there. Unfortunately, it did not quite hit the spot for me that day. It could be that she did not cook it with saffron that day which she normally does. 3.5/5 There are also many different versions of Fish Head Curry to suit a whole range of tastes.

Conclusion

This is the kind of place that the Tourism Board would promote. Uniquely Singaporean cuisine, cooked by a famous TV personality and Chef. Great place to bring your foreign visitors to introduce them to Singapore's multicultural cuisine. But come prepared to be spiced up. I had a spice overdose that day because after the fifth dish, I found it increasingly difficult to tell the difference between the various curries!


Devagi's Restaurant & Café
#01-03 Thomson Imperial Court
200 Upper Thomson Road
Tuesday - Sunday & public holidays
12 noon till 3.00 pm
6.00 pm till 10.00 pm
Mondays closed
6255 2440

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