SAVOURING 70 YEARS OF HERITAGE IN A BOWL OF CANTONESE PORRIDGE “状元及第粥”

Sometimes when we savour food, its not all about the taste… It could be the memories, the history, the heritage. This is the case for me with my favourite porridge. I am 40yo this year and I will say, yes, I grew up eating this porridge!!!

 

Tian Tian Porridge “天天粥品” has been around since 1952, thats almost 70 years since. Uncle (eldest brother of the siblings who are running the stall now – 2nd generation owners) was telling me that he was always helping out at his parents’ stall when he was younger (in his late teens). Those days the stall was just a canopy roadside stall along the streets. Then when the government did a street cleanup in the 80s, they moved into Chinatown Complex Food Centre.

 

I remembered my grandpa used to bring me to Chinatown every other weekend and he will always order Tian Tian’s pork porridge with the raw fish. Even till when I was in my 20s and my office is in Chinatown, my lunch will always be 2 big bowls of pork porridge with a big serving of raw fish! Uncle will sell out by 12pm+ on most days so it was to the point where I had Uncle’s handphone number to reserve my portion.

This porridge is the authentic Cantonese style of porridge where the rice is cooked till you don’t actually see the rice pieces. You will actually taste the flavour of the stock/bones simmered for the long hours. Uncle usually reaches the stall around 4am and start cooking the porridge, while the siblings come in a bit later and start the prep work.

 

All these while, the recipe never changed – they still serve only 2 types of porridge – pork or fish. However, the superb raw fish accompaniment that they do so well is no longer available due to government ban on raw fish.

The pork porridge comes with a generous and very flavourful marinated mince pork ball which I have tried to recreate the taste so many times but failed. I love their sweet intestines “粉肠” but mind you this is not like how most people will like it – soft… Its almost like nice chewy rubber which I love. But the rice/yellow wine aroma is oh so nice…

 

For those who love thick gooey porridge – this is not for you as the porridge can be quite watery but the flavour really packs a punch. For those who would love a taste of nostalgia and the good old pork porridge taste – this is it! Prices start from $3 for a small bowl.