It’s my opinion, but so called Singapore Indian or Indian Muslim grub here is one of the most evolved, most fluid in attitude and interesting makan culture here. Sniff around and keep the eyes open the next time you “surf” a food centre. Some eateries and hawker stall distinctly spell Teochew, Hokkien or Malay in what they tout. But besides the ubiquitous teh tarek the Indian Muslims tout, the extremely unique food they created for the folks here in Singapore and Malaysia are usually imaginative and standing ovation stuff. They literally created things right off the salty air here.

For starters, some Indian Muslim genius around Beach Road area, once, stewed bones found at the base of a residual pot of Soup Kambing and decided to stir some chilli paste in and, next we know, the legendary and truly Singapore Soup Tulang Merah, was born, much to the delight of his late regular supping taxi driver customers. Of course, you only know how often you need that fix of a loudly fried red plate of Mee Goreng, done by a cook slaving over a Chinese wok, clanging and tonking away with Hokkien mee, tomatoes, cabbage, minced meat and chilli with peas - and the cook’s Indian. It’s one of those dish that won’t call for a second reason, you just must have it ever so often, it’s a fact of living and growing here. What joy to have them here bravely contributing to our local menu. They hardly brought any of their own traditional makan here, unlike the Chinese, and simply came, observed others, innovated and conquered the palate. Just like how “Mydin” once came up with the idea of frying potatoes, tofu, tempeh, prawn cake and coconut batter to be dunked into a spicy, nutty yet sweet potato mash sauce, and created Indian Rojak, simply because he knew the majority around, especially the Chinese, loved fried but not too spicy stuff.

Boss Mr Abdul Latiff, ex-minimart businessman,
only touts 3 simple items at his stall.

Then there’s Mee Kuah (sauced noodles). The name, just like the other icons the Indian Muslims created here, like Mee Goreng (fried noodle) and Indian Rojak, is truly un-inspiring. It essentially is a mee rebus like noodle dish with a flotilla of ingredients and a sunny side up egg atop, albeit spicier. Most use an enhanced, spicier and thickened Soup Kambing as a sauce base with the Hokkien noodles. But there are no rules to this dish. I’ve had really spicy cancer curing versions which burned every cell along the gullet on the way in, and rendered me momentarily weak and speechless, and genteel “makcik-makcik” renditions. But this one shines through. Mamu’s simple stall, which looks like the boss made not much effort to build, just in case he has to close and move on, touts three simple Muslim Indian dishes, Soup Kambing, Kachang Phool and his superstar item, Mee Kuah Opeh, which I shall sing of in the final chorus in today’s story.

His Soup Kambing (from $4), which comes with a generous plate of soft French loaf slices, has a nicely thick and smooth texture. Boss Mr Abdul Latiff takes pain to sieve it so these scratchy residues, often found in lazy hawker versions, are non existent. The gaminess is neither heavy nor smelly and he has versions like tendons, tongue and bone marrow to jazz up the experiential factor. This ex-minimart businessman and relatively newly minted hawker also touts Kachang Phool at $3.50 (a plate of nuts), another uninspiring named dish done with mashed spicy broad beans with greens, chillis and an egg atop, refreshed with lime and eaten with crispy baguettes. This Middle Eastern style dish, is not so uninspiring.

His Mee Kuah Opeh on a cleverly folded leak-proof "sampan" boat - is refreshingly tangy, sweet and gently spicy spin to it.

But what flies off his pan very often, is his Mee Kuah Opeh (at $5, mee kuah in opei - leaf of the betel nut palm). The visual is stunning, look around the eatery and this leak proof “sampan” boat cleverly folded from the leaf is seen on many tables. It comes, and he insist that it’s “company policy” that he serves you at your table, with red, prawns, egg, beef pieces, greens, tomato and green chilli over a fragrant and thick orangey sauce sitting in an opei leaf boat. It is, as its lawless nature dictates, not made with a soup kambing base but instead has refreshingly tangy, sweet and gently spicy spin to it. The flavour of tomatoes in the sauce is distinct. “Most of my customers are Chinese so I go easy on the chilli. Also, many younger Muslims today, are not too crazy about complicated spices either.”

I love my spices but this Mee Kuah, in this updated version 2.2, needs not very much spicing up.