Page 39 - Our Hawker Stories

on the fluffy basmati rice. A few slices of cucumber
followed, along with some leafy green cabbage.

After paying for the food, I headed towards an available
table where my parents were seated. Two plates of
piping-hot biryani sat before them. They waved me to a “Uncle Tan’s chicken rice wasn’t just tasty
free seat. The smell of freshly cooked rice wafted up my — every bite told a story of passion, spices,
nose, inviting me to take a spoonful. The strips of meat and years of hard work.”
were coated with well-roasted skin. The soft grains of
rice cushioned the strips of roasted meat.
Prisha Singh
Finally, I could not bear it anymore. Describing how P5.2
the dish was served made me even more famished. North Spring Primary School
My stomach growled in anticipation as I took my first
spoonful of the chicken rice. As my teeth sank into the
tender chicken and soft rice grains, myriad flavourful
spices exploded in my mouth. All the spices Uncle Tan
poured into his art seemed to have come alive as I
chomped on the chicken rice. Now I realised that such
good food can only mean one thing - Uncle Tan’s passion
for cooking. His recipes were his art, and he used them
to earn a living.

I quickly wolfed down the food. “Yummy! I admire
Uncle Tan’s cooking!” I exclaimed, my face etched with
admiration.

Hawkers of Singapore are truly our unsung heroes.
I suggest that we support our hawkers in keeping the
Singapore spirit alive. When many other food chains,
such as McDonald’s, entered Singapore, people stopped
eating hawker food. By buying our hawkers’ food, we
will help them make money for their daily needs and
keep the local taste alive.

Our Hawker Stories 35