Up till this year, I had never tried thunder tea rice, or lei cha in my life. Having finally tried it for myself several times in the last month, I conclude that it’s absolutely delicious.
My newfound love for the earthy, grassy dish brought me to Tian Tian Chi Su (天天吃素) (literally “everyday vegetarian”) located in Bukit Batok West.
If you’re a long-time lei cha fan, you would be familiar with the immensely popular Thunder Tree. Back in 2022, they closed their doors along with their organic Fireflies Health Farm in Lim Chu Kang.
I know, I’m a fake fan, but the stall is back stronger than ever as Tian Tian Chi Su! While I never got to try their goods while they were known as Thunder Tree, I’m glad I now have a second chance.
What I tried at Tian Tian Chi Su
Of course, I had to try the “regular” thunder tea rice at Tian Tian Chi Su, or their Hakka Lei Cha Rice (S$5.50). The portion was generous and came with plenty of chopped-up long beans and kailan, shredded carrot, black fungus, peanuts and cubes of tau gua atop fluffy white rice.
There was also a sprinkle of finely chopped chai poh. Personally, I would have preferred if there was more of it, but let’s not be too picky.
When I was there, Uncle mentioned that if it was my first time trying their lei cha, I should stir up the soup and try it on its own first. And if I liked it, I should pour everything into the rice, stir it up and enjoy.
The soup had a strong taste of basil and mint. It was on the thicker side, though not super gao and had a pleasant earthiness. Slightly bitter but very drinkable! I proceeded to pour everything into the rice like Uncle had recommended.
Traditional Hakka Lui Cha: Healthy thunder tea rice at Jurong West makes the travel time worth it
The earthy notes of the tea complimented the ingredients in the bowl nicely and everything tasted very fresh. The various ingredients added a nice texture to the bowl, too.
I feel that if there was more chai poh and a mix of nuts, the flavour would have been more complex and interesting. But perhaps I have been spoiled by the more “modern” take on lei cha that I had previously tried and liked.
What I was most excited to try, though, was undoubtedly the Lei Cha Kolomee (S$5.50). Lei cha typically comes with rice, so the rendition with kolo mee is a rare find. The dish was topped with the same ingredients as the Hakka Lei Cha Rice, but eggless kolo mee sat in the place of the white rice.
Uncle asked if I wanted their house-made chilli to be added to my noodles and, of course, I had to try it: spice is life. If you really like chilli, Uncle recommends their Signature Chilli Kolomee (S$3.90).
Somehow, I had the impression that the noodles would not be as springy as they were eggless, but that was not the case at all. Instead, the kolo mee was delightfully chewy even after sitting in the soup for a while. It was coated in loads of sesame oil, too, and had a strong aroma of sesame.
I mixed all the chilli into the soup and it added a spicy kick to the earthy, herbal notes of the lei cha soup.
The additional oil from the chilli and noodles bulked up the soup to make it richer and more indulgent. I loved how well it went with the noodles as well as the ingredients. If anything, the lei cha was really upgraded by the chilli! In hindsight, I wish I had bought another bowl of Lei cha Soup for S$2 — it was really delicious with the noodles.
I was delighted to discover that I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the last piece of Yong Tau Foo with Angelica Sauce (S$1.50 per piece). I had seen people raving about it and I now totally get the hype. The clear broth was light and flavourful, and the tau gua was very tasty, too.
Final Thoughts
Personally, I found the “regular” lei cha, or Hakka Lei Cha Rice at Tian Tian Chi Su to be rather uninspiring. While it had a good mix of ingredients and a delicious lei cha soup, nothing made it stand out in comparison to other lei cha that I have tried.
On the other hand, the Lei Cha Kolomee was a stunner. Paired with their extremely fragrant dry chilli paste, the QQ kolo mee worked wonders with the lei cha at Tian Tian Chi Su.
If I were craving thunder tea rice, I would probably head elsewhere. But man, I won’t mind waking up early to beat the queue for their Lei Cha Kolomee; full-bodied and filling, it really made for a satisfying meal.
Expected damage: S$3.90 – S$7
Price: $
Our Rating: 4 / 5
Tian Tian Chi Su (天天吃素)
155 Bukit Batok Street 11, BROADWAY Coffee Shop, #01-322, Singapore 650155
Tian Tian Chi Su (天天吃素)
155 Bukit Batok Street 11, BROADWAY Coffee Shop, #01-322, Singapore 650155
