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In Singapore’s hot and humid climate, waking up to a cool drizzle might be my top blessing. So in true Singaporean fashion, I put on the fluffiest jacket I had and made my way down to Old Airport Road Food Centre for something warm.
One of my childhood breakfast staples was Hong Kong-style chee cheong fun — full of ingredients within thin sheets of steamed rice flour. And that soupy, light soy-based sauce? I just can’t get enough. Though stores selling this sort of chee cheong fun have dwindled over time, Freshly Made Chee Cheong Fun still stands strong.
For more than 20 years, Freshly Made Chee Cheong Fun has been providing a hearty breakfast to customers. They specialise in congee, dumplings and of course, their only chee cheong fun.
What I tried at Freshly Made Chee Cheong Fun
Did you really think I wasn’t going to get chee cheong fun after all that preamble? That said, I was also excited to try their speciality congee loaded with goodies, plus a couple of dumplings for good measure!
Don’t let appearances fool you, because this bowl of Signature Congee (S$6 for Regular, S$7 for large) was LOADED. Underneath a layer of smooth rice gruel lay shrimp, pig liver, meatballs, fish slices and century egg.
The congee is served hot with fried scallions and spring onions as well as a splash of fragrant sesame oil and light soy sauce. The aunty seals the deal with a fine dusting of white pepper powder and out comes their best-selling congee.
Apart from their signature, they also have bowls of Slice Fish Congee (S$4.50 for Regular, S$5.50 for Large) and Lean Meat Century Egg Congee (S$4.50 for Regular, S$5.50 for Large).
Just take a look at that. The shrimp was fresh and crunchy, and the liver had that soft, powdery mouthfeel. One thing I loved most was the century egg, where there was no sudden burn from the intense flavour. Perhaps because it was sliced into bite-sized slices and simmered in the congee for such a long time, the century egg was creamy and mild.
And the fish? They were these thick chunks that were incredibly meaty, without any day-old fishiness. I suspect the meatballs are handmade; they were medium-sized spheres of chunky minced meat flavoured with spices.
With the addition of light soy, the congee had just the right amount of seasoning – savoury without being too heavy. It was appetising enough to make me polish off the whole portion, and with the deep-set bowl, every bite was hot till the end.
After the seafood galore from the congee, I chose to get two rolls of the BBQ Pork Chee Cheong Fun (S$2.50 each). These thin, ethereal sheets of rice flour and starch hid finely chopped char siew. The meat added a sweetness that paired well with the sauce and switched up the soft texture with some chew.
And this is exactly why I love Hong Kong-style chee cheong fun: this runny sauce seeps into each of the layers, filling it with the juiciest, light-yet-decadent bite ever.
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Now, I was a little nervous about Freshly Made Chee Cheong Fun’s chilli when I first saw it. Can you blame me? I knew from experience that the darker the chilli, the spicier the taste. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised: it was more savoury than spicy, bringing a gentle umami to the plain chee cheong fun.
The chilli was chunky with stir-fried belacan, or shrimp paste, and immediately brought a punch of fragrance. Mixed with garlic, dried chilli, sugar and shallots, the sauce was a heavenly combo with the chee cheong fun. If I had said no to the chilli at the counter, I bet I’d be kicking myself.
Rounding up this meal was the smallest serving size of Freshly Made Chee Cheong Fun’s Steamed Dumplings (S$4). These 4 parcels of wonton skin packed with mincemeat and crunchy water chestnut were served over a bed of steamed bok choy.
The dumplings were served with the same sauce as the chee cheong fun, but I think they would still taste great without it. The filling was just the right ratio to the skin and was seasoned well. I noticed that they didn’t start sticking to each other when they began cooling — even the parts that weren’t in contact with the sauce.
Again, I tell you: the chilli is amazing. Even though both the sauce and the dumplings contained seasonings, their pairing did not make the dish too salty. Magic? Witchcraft? All I know is that the belacan enhanced that meaty pork flavour and seeped into the juicy depths of my halved dumpling.
Final thoughts
Freshly Made Chee Cheong Fun offers a full package deal: good food, good times and good prices.
The Signature Congee warms both the heart and the stomach, and the BBQ Pork Chee Cheong Fun brings back childhood memories. The dumplings? You can never go wrong with dumplings. Trust me.
So yes, expect me to be back soon. And if you’ve been tempted by this article to take a trip down to Old Airport Road Food Centre, maybe I’ll be sitting right behind you, half a dumpling on my chopsticks.
Expected damage: S$4.50 – S$11 per pax
Order Delivery: foodpanda
CCK Chee Cheong Fun: Wrinkled steamed rice rolls at 4am with bouncy prawns, egg & minced meat
