Why This Singaporean Breakfast Is An Art
Two eggs, two pieces of bread and a cup of drink. That is the Singaporean breakfast that we all so closely identify with — the Kaya Butter Toast Set. which originated from the Hainanese community. Isn’t… isn’t this like the Western one?
Absolutely not, for the eggs are neither fried nor scrambled — they are soft-boiled. The bright yellow runny yolk within makes the meal look so appealing. Add a few drops of dark soya sauce to it for a deeper colour and to bring out the flavour, as well as some pepper to enhance its allure.
How to eat ‘em eggs:
1) Gently knock the middle of the egg with your teaspoon so that it cracks slightly
2) Break it into two
3) Pour the contents into the dish
4) Scrape the sides
5) Add some dark soya sauce and pepper
6) Slurp it down!
The best soft-boiled eggs are immersed in boiling hot water for around 6 minutes (with the stove off!). Remember, time is a crucial factor in your enjoyment of the eggs — every second affects the quality of them. At some coffeeshops, they hand you a bucket of hot water for you to DIY but at most others, they will cook the eggs for you. For myself, I prefer taking charge of my eggs so I would choose this any day! Tou shou di (头手弟)* is one such place which allows you to do so.
Crispy, sliced bread which is lightly toasted is spread with kaya (jam made from coconut milk, eggs and sugar) and is served together with the eggs. The time it is left to toast has to be precise. Watch out for that cold slice of butter sandwiched in between the toast slices — sinful, yet heavenly. The toast is good on its own or dipped in the egg mixture or your drink.
Accompanying them typically is either a hot cup of Kopi (coffee), Teh (black tea) or Milo. The old-school way of brewing coffee and tea uses sock-like cloth filters (and some still do so today!). Ceramic cups are used to serve. If you do a takeaway, the drinks are poured into condensed milk tins with raffia strings attached for easy carrying.
You will be able to enjoy this hearty breakfast at almost any coffeeshop or hawker centre — just look out for the drinks stall!** This simple, understated delectable meal you die also must try. One set is usually $3 and up, but will be around $4 if you have it at higher-end local coffee joints like Ya Kun Kaya Toast, Toast Box and Killiney Kopitiam.
Of course, with evolution, different types of bread have emerged. Apart from the traditional one, you can opt for French toast or even innovative ones like steamed bread. All are spread with kaya, but you can choose your second spread (cheese, butter or peanut butter).
Everything here is an art, from the way each item is carefully prepared to the presentation of it. Here, precision with time and quantity are of utmost importance. See if you can taste the difference between the breakfast set sold at the humble, ol’ coffeeshops and those at the more atas shops.
*头手弟 (tou shou di) is at Chinatown Complex Hawker Centre, #02–114
**You may want to try the set at a very traditional coffeeshop called Heap Seng Leong (协胜隆), located at Blk 10 North Bridge Road, #01–5109. Opens daily, from 4am to 7pm.
