SG Trip '19: Little India Food Crawl Part 2 (Biryani Rice, Fish Head Curry, and Indian Sweets)
Fish Head Curry at The Banana Leaf Apolo
I’m doing a month-long series on my Singapore trip back in September. It’s my 3rd time in the Lion City (I won’t get tired visiting it!) and I’ve been coming back for both personal development (gotta invest on myself!) and vacation (gotta get some break!). Hope you’ll enjoy this series!
Last Monday, I wrote about my visit at Tekka Centre and the amazing hawker food I tried. But my food crawl didn’t stop there. Little India is full of food spots that serve incredible Indian food. Here are 3 more that I tried:
Biryani Rice at Bismillah Biryani Restaurant
Biryani (also spelled briyani) is a dish made of fragrant rice and usually served with a protein, typically chicken and mutton. It originated from the Indian subcontinent and is a common dish among Muslim Indians. It made it’s way to the Malay Peninsula, where it is locally called Nasi Biryani. As you would expect of any Indian food, it’s flavored with many spices, making it one of my favorite Indian dishes!
Bismillah Biryani Restaurant proudly claims to serve the best “dum” biryani in all Singapore. That’s a bold claim! It’s probably true because Bismillah caught the attention of the Michelin Guide and was given a Bib Gourmand recognition.
Bismillah Biryani Restaurant. Even if the venue is airconditioned, it still retained its hole-in-the-wall charm.
You might be asking what “dum” means? I did some research and learned that it refers to a style of cooking where the meat, rice, and spices are cooked together in a pot using low heat. Traditionally, the dum process involves a cooking dough placed on the mouth of the pot.* But it’s not the case with Bismillah. Rather, they use modern technology in preparing food. This is to maintain consistency so that the first and last portions will have the same taste.
Let’s now talk about the food. I tried the classic Chicken Biryani. The chicken itself is flavorful but a bit dry. But the dryness was offset by the rice and spices. The rice is fluffy (which I prefer my rice to be) and flavorful. There are nuts, raisins, and some green chilies in it, topped with fried shallots, altogether adding to the flavors and textures.
Upper Left: Mutton Seekh Kebab (2 pcs.: SGD12); Lower Right: Chicken Biryani (Regular: SGD9)
We also tried the Mutton Seekh Kebab. Like the chicken, it’s flavorful but dry. I believe Bismillah makes their food less oily (thus, the dryness), promoting healthier eating.
To wash down the food, I had Mango Lassi (SGD4). Although I can’t taste the yoghurt-ness of it, it’s rightly sweet and nicely refreshing, especially in the Singapore heat.
Little India Branch Address: 48 & 50 Dunlop St., Singapore | Operating Hours: Daily, 11:30AM-9PM | Facebook: Bismillah Biryani Restaurant | Website
Fish Head Curry at THE Banana Leaf Apolo
I’ve been to The Banana Leaf Apolo when I first visited Singapore. I went to try their most popular dish—Fish Head Curry. Unfortunately, I found it expensive so I skipped it. Looking back, I regret that decision! I am like, “You could’ve split the bill! You have a credit card!” Okay, let’s move on.
The Banana Leaf Apolo
Inside the Banana Leaf Apolo
Fish head curry is technically a Singaporean dish, a result of combining Chinese (fish head) and Indian (curry) influences. It was invented by an Indian immigrant who wanted to please his Chinese customers. What was once just a product of entrepreneurial spirit became a staple in Singaporean cuisine!
There are two restaurants along Race Course Road that are famous for their fish head curry: Banana Leaf Apolo and Muthu’s Curry. I went to the former because Mark Wiens recommended it. (Next time, I will visit Muthu’s Curry since it was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand status in 2018. In fact, I’m thinking of comparing between the two fish head curries.)
Let’s cut the suspense. I got the medium fish head curry, which is good for 2-3 people. I started with the broth, which is a good mix of curry and tomato flavors. It’s slightly sweet, slightly sour, and stay-in-the-mouth spicy. The fish head has generous, tender meat (and the cheek is awesome!). The okra and pineapple give a nice crunch, with the latter providing fruitiness. The coriander provides a refreshing taste. Needless to say, Banana Leaf Apolo’s fish head curry is a world of flavors and textures!
Fish Head Curry (Medium: SGD28). I should’ve removed the coriander so you’ll see the eye. LOL.
So move over, Bak Kuh Teh (meat bone soup)! There’s a new dish that sits on the “Best Singaporean Dish” throne of my heart! LOL.
Race Course Road Branch Address: 54 Race Course Road, Singapore | Operating Hours: Daily, 10:30AM-10:30PM | Facebook: The Banana Leaf Apolo | Website
Indian Sweets at Moghul SWEET Shop
I ate all the dishes above in a window of 2 hours. LOL. I was full and satisfied. But I wanted to end on a sweet note. Literally sweet.
So I went to Moghul Sweet Shop, a stall selling Indian sweets. I tried a few varieties, in which I forgot the names…except for one that made an impression on me: Gulab Jamun. These are deep-fried milk balls covered in sugar syrup. Moghul offers it in 2 versions: Dried and soaked in syrup. It reminds me of the Filipino snack pastillas. So you know how sinful this snack is.
Moghul Sweet Shop
Moghul ran out of Jalebi when I was there. It’s another popular Indian sweet made with deep-fried dough shaped like a pretzel and covered in sugar syrup. I hope to try it on my next Little India visit.
Address: #01-16 Liitle India Arcade, 48 Serangoon Road, Singapore | Operating Hours: Daily, 11AM-9PM
Which food above would you try? What Indian dish or Little India food spot should I try next? Comment them below!
Other entries in the SG Trip ‘19 series: Bedazzled by Jewel Changi Airport | Eating at Jewel Changi Airport | Little India Food Crawl Part 1 (Hawker Food at Tekka Centre) | Appreciating Singapore’s Transport System at the Singapore Mobility Gallery
*For more information on the dum cooking process, read this article by the Michelin guide.