Have you ever wondered what goes on before you see that gleaming row of roasted chickens and hear the rhythmic chop of a cleaver? Running a chicken rice stall in Singapore is a labour of love that starts long before the first customer arrives.
The Morning Ritual
Our day begins at 5:00 AM. The first task is receiving fresh chickens from our trusted supplier. Each bird is inspected – the colour, the texture, the smell. Only the best make it to our kitchen. Then the preparation begins: cleaning, seasoning, and preparing the marinade for the roasted chickens.
The Art of Poaching
For steamed chicken, timing is everything. We bring a huge pot of stock to a gentle simmer, then lower the chickens in and monitor the temperature carefully. Overcook even by a minute, and the meat becomes tough. Our hawker uncle has perfected the timing over 20 years – it’s a skill passed down through generations.
Rice & Sauces
While the chicken cooks, we fry the rice grains with garlic and ginger, then steam them in the same chicken stock. The chilli sauce is prepared fresh – pounding chillies and garlic by hand for that authentic texture. The ginger paste, the dark soy sauce, everything is made from scratch.
The Lunch Rush
By 11:00 AM, we’re ready. The queue builds quickly. Orders fly – “Steamed chicken rice, medium, extra chilli!” – and we work in sync: one chops, one packs, one takes orders. It’s fast, but we never compromise on quality. Every plate is assembled with care.
Closing Time
After the last customer, we clean, restock, and prepare for the next day. The stock is strained and stored. The stall is scrubbed down. By 9:00 PM, we finally sit down – tired but satisfied, knowing we’ve served hundreds of Singaporeans their favourite comfort food.
Running a hawker stall isn’t easy, but it’s in our blood. Every day, we pour our heart into every plate. That’s the secret behind the taste – and why we’ll never stop doing what we love.
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