My husband and I (Mia) finally made a trip back to Singapore after months of long hours and overtime work. We had been looking forward to this trip for a long time but had to postpone it multiple times due to COVID restrictions. Before coming to Singapore, I had always known that Singaporean curry was delicious. My husband had tried to explain to me multiple times that there were actually different types of “Singaporean Curry”, in fact there were many “curries” to discover and try. I made it a point to taste as many as I could on this trip.
On a hot Friday afternoon, we scrambled through the crowds of people during lunch hour looking to get a seat while dripping in sweat. Clanking echoed through the hawker center as the empty trays with bowls and chopsticks were pushed onto large metal racks labelled “halal” or “non-halal”. On top of the noise you could hear busy chatter in numerous languages and in multiple accents – some I could make out, others I could barely understand. Since COVID, seats were now labeled to ensure there was adequate social distancing in the hawker center where locals often gathered in swarms during meal times.
We finally made it across numerous halls to finally make it to a 2 seater plastic table that clearly had leftover food remains on the table from the last guest. My husband motioned me to sit down, while he went to queue for the infamous chicken curry noodles. I sat down in relief, heavily breathing in the limited oxygen behind my mask. I couldn’t help but notice the delicious smells – the smell of garlic and ginger frying, the smell of spices in the air, and even the smell of fresh baked bread. It was such an incredible mixture of smells that was making me feel really hungry. We had ran some errands earlier and was finally able to enjoy what my husband calls one of the “best chicken curry noodles”. And yes, I was floored. It was utterly delicious and every scoop of fragrant curry gravy left me wanting more. The best part was that this was just one of many types of curry that I have come to love and adore in Singapore.
Curries come in all shapes and forms – refined, modified with time, tradition and circumstances. It is truly amazing to see the variations across Singapore, as well as across the world. While I have always loved the simple cubes of Japanese curry growing up, Singaporean curries are definitely now top of my list. Although the recipe today isn’t as exotic or as complex in flavor as most curries, this is husband-approved, as well as approved heartily by our Singaporean in-laws. A simple, everyday curry that is easy, tasty, and absolutely able to satisfy those cravings for a delicious curry. We used garam masala and curry powder because these blends contain mainly different spices making it super easy to throw this together! Also, the type of curry powder you use may change the way it tastes, so feel free to use your favorite curry powder!
My preference here is to add chicken, cauliflower, and eggs (EGGS IS A GAMECHANGER!), however you can add whatever leftover veggies you have on hand and substitute the protein for lamb, fish, tofu, lentils – whichever you prefer. The sauce itself is absolutely delicious and will complement whatever you choose to include.
Even though we all live far from Southeast Asia, I personally think I could hold out with this non-spicy, healthy and delicious alternative for the family just to satisfy my curry cravings once in awhile before my next trip to the region.
- 12 oz Chicken Breast
- ½ head of cauliflower (420g) - can be replaced with veggies of choice
- 4 Boiled Eggs, peeled (optional)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ large onion (55g), diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp garam masala + 1 tsp
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 (14.5 oz) lite coconut milk
- 1 (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1¾ tsp salt (+ more to taste)
- Cut chicken into chunks. Marinade with the baking soda and ¼ tsp salt. Set aside for an hour.
- Preheat oven to 375F. Cut up cauliflower into bitesized florets. Add ¼ tsp salt and some pepper. Roast in oven the cauliflower for 20 mins or until charred.
- Pre-boil the eggs by bringing a pot of water to boil. Once at a rolling boil, lower in eggs and let it boil for 8 mins. Prepare an ice water bath for the eggs once the timer is up. Allow it to cool and peel the eggs.
- Meanwhile, in a nonstick pan saute diced onion, garlic and ginger. When the onions are soft, add in all your spices. Toast until fragrant (1 minute or so).
- Add diced tomatoes and coconut milk. Bring the mixture to boil, making sure to breaking up large chunks of tomatoes.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer uncovered for about 20 mins (until slightly thickened)
- Add in chicken cubes and simmer for 2-3 mins.
- Add in roasted cauliflower, peeled boiled eggs and 1¼ tsp of salt. Simmer for 10-15 mins, stirring to make sure everything is coated in the sauce. Once it reaches desired consistency, you can serve!
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