Should you get pleasure from seeing a rooster being bludgeoned to bits, it both means you’re ready in your order of Ayam Penyet or you need to significantly take into account getting assist. Fortunately, I belonged to the previous as I waited for my order at Aunty Sham Ayam Penyet situated at Berseh Meals Heart.
As I looked for my desk, I might hear Malay tunes from the ‘60s that made predicting the age of the stall proprietor, Aunty Sham, approach too straightforward. It was round 6pm after I obtained there, an hour earlier than Aunty Sham Ayam Penyet closed, however she and her assistant have been nonetheless working tirelessly as if time beyond regulation existed. Maybe the music had them in an industrial trance.
Aiding her was an aged Chinese language man, although I dared not ask in the event that they have been married or courting. It additionally didn’t matter as they constructed my order of Ayam Penyet in tandem with out uttering a phrase in speedy succession.
What I attempted at Aunty Sham Ayam Penyet
Aunty Sham Ayam Penyet not solely serves Ayam Penyet (S$6.50) and Fish Penyet (S$7), but in addition dishes from each Indonesia and the Malay Archipelago (or simply from Indonesia if we’re getting technical). Such dishes embrace Mee Bakso (S$4.50), Mee Rebus (S$3.50), Mee Soto (S$3.50) and Lontong (S$3.50).
I went forward to get a plate of Ayam Penyet and Mee Rebus. Although the thought of getting a complete fried pomfret fish excited my tastebuds, there have to be a motive why Aunty Sham has Ayam Penyet on her stall title and never Fish Penyet.
The Ayam Penyet got here with an enormous piece of fried rooster thigh that obtained me questioning all these tiny ones I’ve gotten at KFC. Accompanying it have been a handful of crispy fried bits, fried tofu, keropok and properly sliced tomato, cucumbers and lettuce that we each know I’m going to disregard. It additionally got here with soup and a facet of Javanese-style sambal. The plate of rice was properly topped with fried onions.
It was by pure intuition that I attempted a bit of rooster earlier than the rest and it had a really acquainted style. The crust jogged my memory of fried rooster that I’d get with a plate of Nasi Lemak, which was good. There wasn’t any distinct style that I might level out aside from salt and a touch of turmeric and lemongrass.
The flesh itself didn’t bear any style aside from being chicken-ey and admittedly was fairly dry. It was to be anticipated because the rooster thigh was cooked twice: as soon as steamed after being coated with bumbu (a mix of spices) after which deep fried with palm oil, although I used to be anticipating the bumbu style to come back by way of after seeing the array of spices and herbs that have been used.
Nevertheless, what saved me coming again was the crispiness of the rooster and the encircling fried bits solely helped its trigger. If I had my approach, I’d have gone all out with my naked arms however the present hygiene scenario and my poor digicam received over my primal urge.
One factor about writing a overview is how you need to use it like a confessional sales space so right here’s mine: I by no means had sambal on my AyamPenyet earlier than. I’m sorry, but it surely’s the scent that will get to me. Earlier than you query my Malay background, that is particularly aimed in direction of Javanese-based sambal.
There’s additionally one thing off, or a minimum of to me, about grounding uncooked components collectively on a bit of pestle and mortar… uh I’m already squirming.
I did have a single spoonful of rice with the sambal and it didn’t change my thoughts about it. I suppose one of the best ways I might describe it was that it tasted like the way it smelled: citrusy, vibrant and spicy. I have to say, regardless of the minute quantity that I had, it carried a surprisingly potent kick.
Within the face of a thick fried rooster thigh and genuine Javanese-styled sambal, you’d name me mad if I have been to say that the soup was the rationale I might end my meal. Nicely, let this madman clarify, within the face of dry rooster and barely overcooked rice, this unassuming-looking soup made it a lot simpler to eat.
Style clever, it had a savoury and even barely candy style of rooster. It’s fairly just like the soup you get in these rooster rice units however cometh the person, cometh the hour and the soup delivers.
I’ve at all times appreciated the simplicity behind Mee Rebus. I imply, the title interprets to nothing greater than ‘boiled noodles’, however behind these brown gravy and yellow egg noodles lies a world of flavour. Aunty Sham Ayam Penyet’s rendition of Mee Rebus comes with a tough boiled egg, mini fried tofu, chopped inexperienced chillies, beansprouts and a slice of limau kasturi (calamansi).
After I went for my first chew, the viscosity of the gravy had permeated by way of the noodles and made my fork work further arduous for it. It was as if the plate wished the dish for itself and rightfully so, as this plate of boiled noodles warrants your consideration.
It had your standard Mee Rebus flavour profiles comparable to savoury and slight sweetness, however what made this particular was the accompanying warmth that got here with it. It wasn’t even due to the shredded chilli. This was most undoubtedly some bumbu magic proper right here!
I loved the addition of beansprouts on this dish. It added a a lot wanted crunch to go along with the tender noodles and its addition was expertly sparse to not overpower every little thing else within the dish. Because the chief of the anti-taugeh triad, it’s close to sacrilegious that I did however I might hardly resist.
The mini fried tofu additionally gave it a tasty chewy ingredient that made up for the gravy’s thickness, and the soft-boiled egg added a contact of creaminess with its impartial flavour.
At that second, I had forgotten that I used to be greater than 16km away from house and within the midst of getting into peak hours. All I might consider was the numerous flavour prospects if it had been served with a soft-boiled egg as an alternative.
Ultimate ideas
Although I wanted I had introduced alongside an consuming companion who might higher admire the Javanese-style sambal, it nonetheless didn’t change the truth that the rooster was largely bland excluding the pores and skin. The soup helped, however in the event you’re touting an genuine Javanese Ayam Penyet, the soup shouldn’t have been the saving grace.
The Mee Rebus nevertheless was a special story. It’s fairly probably the most effective I ever had, with sturdy flavours and a masterful collection of toppings that displays Aunty Sham’s 30 years of expertise within the meals and beverage trade in addition to her Javanese background.
All in all, Aunty Sham Ayam Penyet is certainly value a strive for an reasonably priced meal particularly while you’re round Jalan Besar or don’t thoughts travelling for a bowl of Javanese meals.
I’d in all probability rename it to Aunty Sham Mee Rebus although.
