Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice & that ridiculous cooking curry saga

By now, I think everyone in Singapore has heard of the saga about the PRC family who complained to CMC (Community Mediation Centre) about their local Indian family neighbour cooking curry too frequently. Even more appalling was the CMC decision in getting the Indian family to agree to cook curry only when the Chinese family is not home, just because the Chinese family could not stand the smell of curry.

Note the apron that says "COOK CURRY"

To me, the outcry by the public is justified. I think the issue of basic human rights is at stake here. In Singapore, cooking and eating curry is a staple diet of the Malays, Indians, Chinese and some other minorities. Who is anybody to tell anybody what to do or not to do in their own home, especially that coming from a foreigner? I am disappointed that  some of our "foreign talents" who are settling down in Singapore do not have the basic courtesy to try to be accommodating to the locals. Yet the government has been repeatedly imploring the locals to be more accommodating to these foreigners. As the saying goes, do in Rome as the Romans do. In other words, to our PRC comrades, take heart what the meaning of 入乡随俗 is. 

Telling an Indian family not to cook curry in their own home is by far the most ridiculous request/complaint I have ever heard. Would you like your neighbour to tell you what to wear at home, just because they do not like your taste of clothes? Would you like your Malay neighbour to complain about the horrible smell of bitter Chinese herbs you are broiling? Would the PRC family in question like it if their Indian neighbours tell them not to cook 饺子(dumplings) anymore?  Would you like anyone to encroach upon our own space?

All this curry talk is making me hungry. 

The other day I was passing by Kitchener Road, and I saw the famous Beach Road Scissor Cut Curry Rice stall at a run down coffeeshop at the traffic junction.  Just looking at the dishes and the word "CURRY" already made me drool. I just had to satisfy my craving right there. I do not visit the stall often as usually we packed the food home.  

This is a different 'breed' from the usual Indian curry which comprises of mainly chicken and potatoes. At this Hainanese stall, the famed curry is made up of many types of dishes which you can choose from.  The most important is, no matter what you pile on top of your plain steamed rice, they will dribble loads of curry gravy and lor bak sauce all over your plate. I simply love the look of the wet, messy, gooey plate of curry goodness. This was my loot that day.  

I was greedy as I wanted a few of the compulsory dishes I usually like to order. Here are some of the separate dishes you can choose from;  braised pork belly (lor bak), fried pork chops, mashy looking stir fried cabbage, braised chicken wings or curry chicken wings, stir fried mussels, fried egg, tau pok (beancurd puff) etc..... 

Here is their signboard which clearly states the dishes and the prices. I would think that they are pretty reasonable. My plate of curry rice came up to $6.00, but that was only because I chose 6 dishes!  

The humble stall with a steady queue at lunch time.  I notice there were more guys than female customers probably because they drive and were passing by. The sight of piles and piles of dishes really made one very hungry. 

The combination of curry gravy and lor bak sauce on top of my dishes were so delectably heart warming and comforting.  The sauces were a little spicy but grounded. The starchy goodness of the sauces keeps you wanting more and more of each spoonful of rice and dishes.  The dishes I ordered in this little plate were: lor bak, pork chops, cabbage, curry chicken wings, mussels and a fried egg! Umami goodness! 

Next time, if your neigbour complains about you cooking curry at home, invite them down to have this Scissor Cut Curry Rice. It may just change the opinion of the naive and narrow minded!

Beach Road Scissor Cut Curry Rice
Junction of Jalan Besar and Kitchener Road 
Opening hours: 11am to 3.30am daily