印族厨师煮中餐
更道地,还是更天马行空?
文│陈爱薇 图│陈爱薇
根据2020年全国人口普查数据,印族占总人口约9%,是新加坡第三大种族,列华族和马来族之后。印族来到新加坡的历史,可追溯到1819年英国人登陆新加坡。最初是英军带来从事劳工和兵士的年轻壮丁,20世纪中叶印度人在新加坡落地生根,各行各业和各年龄层人士纷至本地发展。
本地的印度族群,过半来自印度德干半岛东南部的泰米尔纳德邦(Tamil Nadu),所以淡米尔文在本地印族中比较通行。也有的来自西南部的喀拉拉邦(Kerala)和北部的旁遮普邦(Punjab)等。实龙岗路(Serangoon Road)的小印度,是认识印族同胞的理想入门。
饮食方面,印族对中餐的接纳度相当高,会提取个别元素融入印度菜肴,形成独特的印中风味。
★Tangra Chinese—客家风味印式中菜★
在跑马场路一整排的印度餐馆之间,出现一家写着“Chinese”字眼的餐馆,不免让人感到好奇。餐馆内坐着几桌华人,有的像是游客,也有本地人。
先来说说“Tangra”,这是印度东北部加尔各答(Kolkata)的一个地方,称为“塔霸”。在中国史上的太平天国和辛亥革命期间,一批中国人逃到塔霸,主要是梅县客家人、广东人和湖北人,造就了曾经繁华的唐人街。当地食物也受到中餐影响,从辛辣延伸至酸和甜。随着西藏人移居到东加尔各答,原本的印中料理,还迎来藏族的饺子“Momo”。
2006年开设的这家餐馆,主打客家风味印式中菜。菜单上有很多熟悉的字眼,如酸辣、酸甜、四川和黑胡椒,摆在桌上的小料,有腌青辣椒、辣椒酱和酱清。
厨师是西藏人,以辣椒、洋葱、葱头、姜、蒜和醋等入菜,不用印式辛香料。所烹调出来的菜肴完全没有“印度味”,倒像在海外唐人街尝到的中餐。
菜单上出现“Hakka”字眼的菜肴不多,客家面条($13.90)有原味和辣味两种。面条上桌时夹子是直插在面条内,应该是不同文化交融所呈现的风貌吧!面条炒得不错,有镬气,加上包菜和红萝卜等配料,是常见的中式面条做法,不归属客家风味。
“Manchurian”这个字眼取自“满州”,是一种不辣的做法。将肉或菜切成小块油炸,然后用姜蒜翻炒,再加酱清和酱油调味,最后以薯粉勾芡。“Gobi Manchurian”($14.90)最经典,“Gobi”指椰菜花,基本上就是炸椰菜花加黑酱汁翻炒。“Paneer Manchurian Gravy”($14.90),“Paneer”是一种南亚家庭式凝乳干酪,吃起来像带乳酪味的豆腐。
招牌辣鱼($15.90)是鱼片炒洋葱和青椒,不会特别辣,但特色不强烈。餐馆的西藏饺子曾得过奖,如果肚子还有空间,可试试。
![](https://sfcca.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/餐馆以中式配菜和调味,烹制出印度唐人街的中餐风味。-1-300x225.jpg)
餐馆以中式配菜和调味,烹制出印度唐人街的中餐风味。
28 Race Course Rd
★Seni SattiSorru—印式肉类海鲜砂煲饭★
![](https://sfcca.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Seni-SattiSorru的印式砂煲饭将所有食材个别煮熟后,在砂煲内混合加热。2-300x225.jpg)
Seni Sa t tiSorru的印式砂煲饭将所有食材个别煮熟后,在砂煲内混合加热。
“Satti Sorru”在淡米尔文是“砂煲”的意思,Seni Satti Sorru在马来西亚有20多家门店。新加坡小印度的这一家,是去年以特许经营方式引进本地,业者今年准备在义顺开多一家。
传统中式砂煲饭是将“生米煮成熟饭”,所以火候控制很重要。米饭将熟时才开盖,加入腊肠和已腌过的鸡肉块;上桌前会加一小块咸鱼和撒上葱花,搅拌均匀后热腾腾享用。
这家印度餐馆的做法比较“速成”,接到订单后,在砂煲内爆香洋葱、番茄、咖喱叶和辛香料,接着将另外煮熟的咖喱肉或海鲜,以及米饭一起倒入砂煲内,混合加热几分钟即可。所以,它像放在砂煲内的印度香料饭,比较湿粘,没有中式砂煲饭的锅巴。
有趣的是,中式砂煲饭一般用鸡肉,印式的非常天马行空。从鸡肉、牛肉、羊肉,到虾和鱿鱼皆有,还可混合两种肉类或海鲜,从一份$13.90(小)或$26.90(大)起。建议先点小份的试试,足够两人享用,而且口味相当重,不一定能吃完。如果怕辣,可要求做不辣的。
另有更具印度风味的砂煲饭,加入酥油(Ghee)并采用印度香米(Basmati)。
菜单上的一道参峇豆腐(Tauhu Sambal,$8.90),是结合马来和中式元素的小菜。辣中带甜的参峇酱是马来族常用的,中式豆腐切成三角形油炸后,混合参峇酱。
店家从招牌到店内都是红彤彤的,非常好找。菜单上还有砂煲鸡肉和羊肉药材肉骨茶,让人跃跃欲试,可惜暂不供应。
53 Chander Rd
★ 丽娜鱼圆面—中式面食情意结★
Jeevan小学开学的第一天,妈妈买了一碗鱼丸面给他,从此这名印族帅哥爱上这款面食。中学时,朋友介绍他尝试肉脞面,同样欲罢不能,不介意三餐都吃肉脞面。
2019年Jeevan和华印混血未婚妻梅丽娜(现为妻子)放弃高薪白领工作,在大巴窑开档卖鱼丸面和肉脞面。他向多名摊主拜师屡遭拒绝,有四五名不介意他在旁观察。有一名摊主要求他洗碗三周,边洗边学习。最后皇天不负苦心人,终于有一名摊主愿意赐教,学习一个月后他逐步研发自己的口味。
2020年起,小俩口开始制作鱼丸,先去骨起肉,以机器捣成鱼浆,再用手挤出一颗颗的鱼丸,不添加防腐剂。
随着名气渐渐打开,他们在阿裕尼和淡尼滨开设另两家分店。食物种类也有所增加,如叻沙、虾面、小锅面、炸鸡翅和红油抄手。农历新年期间他们还推出包装鱼丸、鱼饼、鱼饺和肉丸供预订,很有生意头脑。
招牌干面($5.50起)有手工鱼丸、鱼饼、鱼饺、炸虾饺、焖香菇、肉片、肉碎、豆芽和生菜,相当丰富。鱼丸大颗有弹性,不过略咸。从印族烹煮华族美食的角度来看,这碗肉脞面算是相当道地。
Aljunied Industrial Canteen Blk 625 #08-01 /
Blk 125 Toa Payoh Lor1 #01-523 / Blk 610 Tampines #01-01
Chinese food, Indian style
These three eateries showcase how creative chefs put their spin on Chinese cuisine in Singapore, Malaysia and India.
Translation: Hong Xinyi
★ Seni SattiSorru ★
“Satti Sorru” means “claypot rice” in Tamil, and Seni is short for the name of this chain’s owner, Senivasagam Manikam. It’s got over 20 branches in Malaysia, and a Singapore branch in Little India, with one more coming soon in Yishun. Chinese claypot rice is cooked from start to finish in said claypot, and usually accompanied by chicken. Seni SattiSorru takes a different approach, first sauteeing onions, tomatoes, curry leaves and spices in the claypot, then separately adding prepared curry, rice and meat or seafood to the mix. That means the rice has a wetter consistency, and there are no charred bits at the bottom of the claypot. Diners here can opt for claypot rice with chicken, beef, lamb, prawns or squid, or some combination of these. A single portion starts from $13.90 (small) or $26.90 (big).
53 Chander Rd
★ Tangra Chinese ★
Tangra is located in India’s Kolkata. During the Taiping Rebellion in the mid-1800s and the Xinhai revolution of 1911, some Chinese fled to Tangra. They were mainly Hakka and Cantonese people from Guangdong, as well as those from Hubei. Their cuisine began appearing in this part of India, and later Tibetan immigrants introduced new dishes as well. Tangra Chinese opened in 2006, and is headed by a Tibetan chef. It serves Hakka-style Indian Chinese food, such as the Hakka noodles ($13.90). Leave room for the award-winning Tibetan dumplings known as Momos.
28 Race Course Rd
★ LINA Fishball Noodle ★
Jeevan Ananthan fell in love with fishball noodles in primary school, and bak chor mee in secondary school. In 2019, he left a well-paying white-collar job along with his fiancée (now wife) May Leena Krishnan, to try their hand at making these dishes for a living. After many tries, he succeeded in getting a hawker to teach him the ropes, and from there started developing his own versions. Starting with a stall in Toa Payoh, he now has branches in Aljunied and Tampines serving noodles with handmade fishballs and other ingredients.
Aljunied Industrial Canteen Blk 625 #08-01 /
Blk 125 Toa Payoh Lor1 #01-523 /
Blk 610 Tampines #01-01