Por Kee
Eating House closed its shutters for the last time on 30 September 2013.
That
brought to an end another chapter of my childhood. I will miss it much, not so
much for its food which was very pedestrian in its early years, but because I
had patronized the eatery since the 60s.
The
Chinatown that I remember from back then was abuzz with activity. Smith Street
-- on which Por Kee was first located -- was a street market by day and sold
all manner of exotic animals. Yes, in those days, pythons, monitor lizards,
civet cats, and anteaters were displayed in cages and slaughtered live just like
chickens and ducks. By night Smith Street was lined with food stalls, many well
known even then, and some of which have survived until today, such as Heng Ji
Chicken Rice, Run Ji Braised Duck, Tong Heng Confectionery and etc.
Por Kee
occupied the ground floor of a two-unit shop house at No. 76 Smith Street. On
the street in front of the shop sat a long aluminium table, above which hung a
variety of roast meat. On the tabletop were metal trays displaying fried spring
rolls, carrot cakes and buns. There was also a row of huge pots that contained
cooked food such as braised pork, steamed chicken, and steamed ribs. These
constituted the “one-dish” meals popular with working men who lived without
families.
As Por
Kee’s premises were at the building corner, a side lane ran next to it, and at
its the mouth were placed steamers holding bamboo baskets stacked high with dim
sum. There were additional tables along the side lane where patrons could sit
and watch rats scamper past.
For
me, Por Kee became a favourite place to grab a quick snack of fried spring roll
or siew mai before heading off to meet friends. I remember in particular a
one-dish meal unique to Por Kee called “smooth chicken rice” or “滑鸡饭”. From its inception Por Kee was never known
for the tastiness of its food, but as a convenient and affordable stop to grab
a bite to fill the stomach before heading off somewhere.
Still,
it was a pity that the final night of this half-century-old eating
establishment should end with such disappointment for me. I had seen first-hand
the ups and downs of their business over the years. And after eating there on
their “farewell” night, I understood why they failed to grow or keep up with
the competition. Their attitude was abysmal. One incident from many that night
should suffice: when I mildly rebuked the waitress for the inexcusably poor fried
rice that we were served, she snorted, “You complain now also no use, we last
day already.”
I went
away from the dinner with a heavy heart and actually felt glad that they had
gone at last.
“Smooth”
Chicken Rice
Chicken
chop 4
Chicken
stock ½ cup
Salt ¼ tsp
Corn
flour 1
tbsp, mixed with 2 tbsp of water
Cooked
rice 12 cups
Chye
sim 50 gm,
blanched
White
pepper a dash
Marinate:
Ginger
juice 2 tbsp
Oyster
sauce 2 tbsp
Soy
sauce ¼ tsp
Chinese
wine 1 tbsp
Sugar ¼ tsp
Method:
- Marinate chicken chops for 30 minutes.
- Steam chicken until cooked.
- Divide rice into 4 portions. Slice chicken
chops and distribute evenly into 4 portions. Place chicken and chye sim on
top of the rice.
- Pour steamed chicken juice in a small pot.
Add chicken stock and stir thoroughly. Simmer and season with salt.
- Thicken gravy with corn starch.
- Pour over the chicken and sprinkle with
pepper.
- Serve hot.