Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
If you ask me, the healthiest possible dish you can find in a local hawker centre is thunder tea rice, otherwise known as lei cha. Those who frequent Amoy Street Food Centre would most likely be familiar with the popular stall, Lin Da Ma, which specialises in lei cha rice and noodles.
For the uninitiated, lei cha is a Hakka dish originating from Southern China, typically featuring rice topped with various vegetables and nuts, and served with a special tea soup made from tea leaves, herbs and nuts. This nutritious dish is often perfect for health-conscious individuals— the amount of fibre in this dish makes it extra wholesome!
Unlike other stalls that tend to appeal more towards vegetarians, Lin Da Ma markets itself as a stall “suitable for meat lovers”. Their lei cha is served with fried ikan bilis, and you can even opt to add on handmade meat balls.
Lin Da Ma often sees long queues during lunch hour, with many lining up to enjoy a bowl of their delicious lei cha. To avoid the queues, be sure to head down during non-peak hours.
What I tried at Lin Da Ma
I opted to try the Lei Cha with Brown Rice (S$5.30), which came topped with assorted chopped vegetables, ikan bilis and peanuts. The tea soup came in a separate bowl.
Texture-wise, the tea soup was a little thick and slightly grainy. Though the portion wasn’t very big, the soup managed to coat all the rice evenly, giving the entire dish a creamy consistency.
The lei cha had a slightly minty taste that didn’t overpower the rest of the dish. Each bite was refreshing and nutty, with the flavours from the herbs shining through. I especially liked how texturally interesting the dish was— the rice was soft and mushy while the assorted veggies were crisp and light. The firm crunch of the peanuts tied the whole dish together, making this a very satisfying meal.
I was surprised to see Lei Cha Handpull Noodle (S$3.60) on the menu at Lin Da Ma— I’d visited a few lei cha stalls in the past, but had never come across lei cha noodles in my life. Out of curiosity, I decided to place an order for it, and opted to add on the stall’s Specialty Meatballs (S$1.20 for 3 pieces) for good measure.
The tea soup in this dish was the same as the one in the Lei Cha with Brown Rice. It was herby and fresh, and coated each noodle strand well. The noodles were springy in texture, but I felt that the dish was less satisfying than its rice counterpart— the rice version had a much creamier texture and plenty of vegetables to supplement it, while the noodles were only topped with peanuts and a smattering of shredded cucumbers.
Regardless, this was a very interesting dish and I liked how there was also a jammy egg on the side to further elevate its flavours.
The Specialty Meatballs were a surprise to me— I had initially expected them to have the same taste and texture as most regular meatballs, but these reminded me a lot of falafel balls. They were crisp on the outside yet soft and slightly crumbly within, with just enough savoury flavours and saltiness. They made for a nice pairing with the milder tastes of the Lei Cha Handpull Noodle.
Final thoughts
Lin Da Ma offers some pretty delicious bowls of lei cha, as well as more unique additions that you probably won’t find at other stalls. While the lei cha here did not taste all that different in comparison to other places, I found that the affordable prices and reasonable portions made this a stall worth visiting, especially if you’re in the market for some good ol’ thunder tea rice or noodles.
Do head down to Lin Da Ma soon to try these for yourself!
Expected damage: S$3.60 – S$7 per pax
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