Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
In the past week, word has spread (around Toa Payoh) of a new stall with a rather interesting signature dish. Since I’d never encountered coconut chicken soup before, Steam Rice Kitchen warranted at least 1 visit for a taste of this peculiar concoction.
The stall has only recently shifted to Toa Payoh North from their previous location along Upper Changi Road at Bedok. As explained by the owner, footfall had been dwindling since she opened her first stall in May this year.
The coconuts are of the sweeter variety, sourced specifically from Thailand. It takes a total of 4 hours to prepare the coconut soup from preparation to simmering ingredients within the coconut shell itself. You can also request to have the leftover coconut juice after, as not all of it is used.
A bowl of rice is served alongside each order of the Signature Coconut Chicken Soup (S$7.90). Concerned that the meal would be too healthy, I had some fried items (S$0.80 to S$1) on the side to balance out its potentially salubrious effects. As listed on the menu, the broth promises to detoxify, nourish both body and soul, as well as rejuvenate skin.
Tea Inn Bak Kut Teh: Aromatic braised pork rice & claypot herbal BKT sold for only 6 hours a day
The coconut soup was absolutely herbaceous, offering comforting sips that made up for having to painstakingly manoeuvre ingredients out of the coconut shell. I managed to pick out cordyceps, red dates and, of course, black chicken. Each piece of chicken was delightfully soft and possessed a minute sweetness, though having to spit out several bony fragments was a slight annoyance.
After finishing everything (I avoided the herbs), don’t forget to scoop out the coconut meat, which will likely have absorbed much of the soup’s flavour. It was a little bitter, but I can definitely see the appeal as it retains a juicy, jelly-like quality.
If you’re not so much of a soup-and-tonic person at breakfast, Steam Rice Kitchen offers more appetising options like Ipoh Curry Mee with Fried Pork (S$5.80) and Ipoh Curry Chee Cheong Fun with Pork Skin (S$4.80) from 7am to 11am.
Lotus Steamed Rice with Preserved Vegetables Braised Pork (S$5.90) or Lotus Steamed Rice with Beef and Egg Yolk (S$7.90) would make a great lunch. If you’d rather stick with the soup stuff, the stall has common favourites like Herbal Bak Kut Teh (S$6) and Sweet Corn Pork Ribs (S$5.50) as well.
Hakka Lau Wei: 4th gen Melaka-born hawker sells herbal kway chap & pork lard rice
