Back to Basic: Fried egg and sweet soy sauce

I woke up to another rainy morning in Sydney. I had planned on tagging along a friend to Primo Italiano, the Italian Festival in Surry Hills. Well, that plan got scraped so I had to think of what to eat. My fridge has been quite empty since two weeks ago when projects started to pile up and I had been Chat Thai's VIP take out customer (to my opinion anyway).

Thinking back on how much money I had spent these past two weeks in take outs and celebration of getting my NSW driver's license as well as the end of 2 projects, I decided that I need to save up. So, to the grocery I went. Then I had a flash of idea and a sudden craving of a childhood comfort food. Not surprising considering the weather and how exhausted I have been of late.

A peek to my sauce cabinet confirmed that I have some sweet soy sauce. So I took out the pan, butter, spam and egg. Rice cooker cooked Jasmine rice on the side. Ten minutes later, I was in front of my TV with my breakfast and grapefruit juice. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, more heavenly that the taste of warm rice drizzled with sweet soy sauce and freshly fried egg.

If you never try it, you are missing out big time. There's no recipe to this, just get a bottle of sweet soy sauce, fried some egg and eat it with warm rice.

*Note: some people are fanatical about which sweet soy sauce brand, I don't remember what my mom usually use, but I found that this one, ABC brand is quite nice. A little thick to my liking, but it was there.

Spicin' it up @Minang House

Since yesterday I have been craving ayam panggang (grilled chicken) from this Indo restaurant in Lucky Plaza, Minang House. The restaurant is quite small and you can see all that they have to offer on display. Minang refers to an ethnic group in West of Sumatra, Indonesia which makes sense to those who understand Indonesian because the food that they sell is Minang food. Since the Minangs are muslim, all the food here is halal.The signature of Minang food is definitely heavy spices and some curry, all of them spciy, which is also good for your digestive system. You get to pick and choose what you want to eat. The set menus ranges from 6-9 Singapore dollars. Each set you get a rice and you get to choose 3 other things, which can be a mixture of veggies and meat. The portion is quite generous, I always feel full even 3/4 of my meal, perhaps the coconut base curry is also accountable.


Pick and choose what you'd like to eat from these 'edible' menu

So today, I got myself my ayam panggang, eggplant with chili, sayur nangka (jackfruit curry) and a little bit of cassava leaves curry. Of course with krupuk. The grilled chicken was tender, sweet with just a hint of spiciness. This grilled chicken was definitely soaked in a mixture of herbs before being grilled that's why you could see the yellow color. The jackfruit curry was quite spicy but satisfyingly good, little pieces of jackfruits were tender but still chewy. The chili eggplants were so pretty, the skin color were pinkish purple and white on the inside, the flesh so tender yet still crunchy. Sometimes eggplants can be too overcooked but this one was perfect. I asked a little bit of chicken curry for on top of the rice, and it tastes so good. You could taste the chicken stock on the curry. To make this combination even better, remember to order the Krupuk, only a dollar for a pack, dip it with your curry soaked rice, it's almost heaven.


Rice with grilled chicken, chilli eggplant, jackfruit curry, and krupuk @SGD 6.80 (including a canned drink)

Other Indonesians that I have brought here got really addicted to their food. I was never a believer of eating Indonesian food abroad because they never cook it right, but I make this one my exception. Whenever I feel homesick for some Indonesian food, I would cure it with a meal from here. Better yet, they serve teh botol! Which is the unofficial national drink for Indonesians. Ask any Indos abroad what teh botol is, they'd tell you its one of the best drinks from home.

Rice with omelette, beef jerky, grilled chicken, chili eggplant and cassava leaves curry

Minang House
#02-04 Lucky Plaza
Orchard Rd
Singapore
+65 6887 4702

A rather Indonesian lunch @Waroeng Penyet

"Budget lunch?" That was the title of the email that I received sometime ago from an Indonesian colleague at work. I shall spare you the glibs that went back and forth, suffice to say, the destination of the budget lunch was Banquet Food Court in Raffles Place. An interesting thing that I learnt about this place is that, this is a halal food court! There is a small section that sells pork, but apparently customers are banned from crossing the lines! That means if you are on the halal side of the food court, you stay there. And if you bought from the pork section, you stay there. Interesting!


The ordering area where you can see all of their other sets: ayam penyet (squashed chicken), empal penyet (squashed beef), ikan penyet (squashed fish), lele penyet (squashed eel), bakso penyet (squashed meat balls), etc

We ended up staying at the halal side and I decided to try out the empal penyet set from Warung Penyet. Empal is basically sweet fried beef. The meat is marinated with lots of coconut milk base concoction and simmered on a pan using small fire which ensure that the meat is marinated thoroughly and the end product a tender beef; designed to fall apart at the gentlest prodding. The set came with rice, fried tofu, fried tempeh, sliced cabbage and a slice o cucumber. All these came for just SGD 5.50!


Empal Rice Set @ SGD5.50 including empal, sliced cabbage, a slice of cucumber, freshly grounded chili, rice and crackers with soy sauce (that black thing on the upper left hand corner, on a little sauce bowl all on its own)

Since the shop is called "Penyet", which means squashed , it is only fitting that all the meat that they served are actually squashed. The empal too was squashed. "Sadistic" you said? Nah, not really, if anything it makes the meat more tender and brittle, so that when you touch it, they fall apart. With the chicken it helped separate the flesh from the bones.


Close up of the empal, crackers, a slice of cucumber, sliced cabbage and rice


Close up of fried tahu (tofu) and tempe ~ this pair is nationalistically Indonesian

Each spoonful of bits of empal, rice, with sweet soy sauce and chili was like going back to my childhood. I can taste the sweetness of the coconut milk mix on the beef and the salty crackers (the golden brownish cornflakes look alike on top of the empal) really complimented the empal taste. If you are more adventurous, then do try the chili. Please be warned however, that it is H.O.T. Have some milk or other dairy product nearby to calm the burning sensation your mouth will feel soon after consuming this chili. For your first time, just use a little. Or, mix a quarter of a teaspoon into the soy sauce. Try dipping the kerupuk there too... Don't blame me if you get addicted...

The kerupuk (Indonesian crackers) was just a dollar. I wonder how could I almost forgot the wonderful taste of sweet soy sauce with kerupuk and rice?! It was simple and comforting. I think kerupuk is like pringles, once you pop, you can't stop. Till you finish your order that is. Kerupuk really reminds me of home, as we always have kerupuk on the dining table. It's almost a staple of Indonesian cuisine. At my brother's wedding, the caterer suggested that we served some kerupuk during the dinner. I was startled because I always thought of kerupuk as a cheap food, but then the caterer explained that Indonesian tongues are accustomed to kerupuk, we live with it, we need something that crackles in our mouth. It made perfect sense! Ever thought of that anyone?


Kerupuk! @ SGD1 for the whole lot

I've heard about this Warung before. A friend who used to work in my office and sat behind me told me about this place, but I always told her that it won't be as good as food in Indonesia. Damn, was I wrong... This empal, was good. I'd go back. As a matter of fact. The day following this lunch, I did went and get a take out of the same thing. Yeah, I should be creative, but it was so simple and nice. So I just closed my eyes for a couple of second savoring the taste of sweet soy sauce with rice and crackers. *yummm....

Waroeng Penyet
Banquet Food Court
Underground Level of
Clifford House
Raffles Place
Singapore

we wanted snack, we ended up with dinner instead

Menu for Dessert Porridge (even though I said 'porridge' its not the usual porridge... you just have to try to know)

After a brief parting on the same day, a mere few hours, A and I met up again. Different mall, different mission. Or so it was. We were going to check out some shopping goodies, but by the time I picked her up at Plaza Indonesia, it was 6pm. I was stuck for an hour in Jakarta's traffic. Jakartanians, you know how that feels. By that time, I started getting hungry. So after we checked out our goodies in Grand Indonesia's ground floor A and I headed to the food floor. Since she hasn't been home for a while, I suggested we go to Warung Kopi in Alun Alun so that she can get some Indonesian snack. But of course! How could I dream that A and I would just cross over Alun Alun to the other side where Warung Kopi is?! How naive! We ended up having a detour looking at some handicrafts, batik and Indonesian made bags. Yup, we were feeling nationalistic, patriotic, whatever.

By the time we got to the Warung Kopi, we were hungry for real. Though we had separate dinner plans at our homes, as we looked at the menu, full frontal Indonesian food that we rarely come across having been living abroad for so long! Rawon (Beef in Black Soup), Pempek (Fried fish cake in vinegar sauce), Ice Chendol (I have no idea how to describe this), and Bubur Sumsum (sweet porridge made from rice flour with coconut milk sauce)!


Rice Dishes Menu

Our eyes met, and we dialed home telling our mothers that we were not going home for dinner. She ordered fried duck rice, the specialty. I ordered Rawon. We both were careful to leave room for dessert. For drinks we had the ice tea. Old school style. When it came, the tea was black tea. Strong aroma, reminded me of the tea from Java. By Java I meant places outside Jakarta especially East Java and Central Java, where tea is the staple drink, brewed fresh everyday. Even the sugar tasted different. I could smell the sweetness of the sugar.


Javanese style iced tea

The worms in my stomach had started their demonstration when the Rawon came. Traffic does that to you... Unlike the rawon that I would get at hawker shop off the streets in East Java, this one came in a gleaming white plate. The rice was put on top of banana leave to gives it fragrant and beauty. Salted duck eggs by it's side, fried shallots on top and prawn crackers on the other side. A little platter containing the mini bean sprouts, raw chilli and lime accompanied the Rawon bowl. The Rawon was fragrant, the soup was dark, though not as dark as the ones in Malang area which is what I'm accustomed to. As I dipped my spoon to scoop up the scoop, I could see the cubed beef swirling around in spices. I pour it over my rice and salted egg and it was home at first bite.


Rawon (black soup with beef) and Rice

A's fried duck rice was one of the Warung's specials. The duck was fried till golden crisp, what a savory smell. It came with long beans, grated coconut mix and crackers. She enjoyed her duck. It reminded me of the fried duck from Bebek Bengil in Ubud Bali. I love their fried duck, but if you are in Jakarta then you can come to Warung Kopi and have it there just till you go to Bali.


Deep fried duck rice (Balinese style)

Then, the most awaited moment of the whole dinner, DESSERT! A ordered ice chendol, and me, Bubur Sumsum, my childhood favorite. The ice chendol came first. It's definitely an Indonesian favorite, one that is famous in the neighboring countries though they have their own version. I only like ice chendol when they put tape (fermented cassava, don't judge it till you try it!) in it.

My bubur sumsum took a while since they have to boil it I suppose. When it came, I thought I got the wrong order because it was different than what I remember. In my memory, the bubur was green like pudding, with small pink rubies smothered in palm sugared coconut milk. This was white mush smothered with palm sugared coconut milk. It was definitely a comfort food, not just from the taste and warmth, but since it reminded me of the good times of being a kid.


Bubur Sumsum


Warung Kopi

Alun Alun Indonesia
3rd Floor West Mall

Grand Indonesia

+62 21 2358 0875