Page 81 - Our Hawker Stories

Sizzle! The pan sizzled with oil splashing on the stove.
Long lines were forming before Mr Ahmad’s stall, which
was named “Indian Food Delicacies”. Here at Kovan, Mr
Ahmad is our unsung hero. Whenever he cooks, he looks
like a wizard casting a spell with some culinary magic as
he throws in the ingredients with such speed, precision,
and finesse. While hungry customers queued, I stared at
the long menu filled with gastronomical delights. I was
truly spoilt for choice.

After several minutes, I finally decided on my lunch –
Nasi Goreng Combo. After my father had ordered the
dish, Mr Ahmad handed us the waiting queue pager. The
Nasi Goreng Combo came with a plate of dark orange
rice straight out of the hot pan. The cheesy fries were
the perfect, complementary side dish. The runny yolk of
the sunny side up lay on top of the rice invitingly. The
dish was called Nasi Goreng Combo because it combined “Watching Mr Ahmad cook was like seeing
fries and fried rice.
magic happen — every sizzling dish reminded
For drinks, we ordered the banana milkshake with me why hawker culture is a treasure we must
ice cream on top, peppered with a pinch of rainbow savour and protect.”
sprinkles. I immediately dug right into the rice. I was
amazed by how flavourful it was. The milkshake was a
perfect pair, as I took a bite of the vanilla ice cream. It Wafiy Uzayir Bin Mohammad Faizal
was like a dessert and a drink both in one! We devoured P5.1
our meal in less than ten minutes and thanked Mr North Spring Primary School
Ahmad for the finger-licking good food.

As we were leaving the hawker centre, I felt more
appreciative of hawkers. This special culture evolved
from selling street food and is now integral to many
Singaporeans’ way of life.

If you have not been to a hawker centre, immerse
yourself in the experience!

Our Hawker Stories 77