Some of the best nasi padang stalls in Singapore can be found on the second floor of Geylang Serai Market. Make your way up and there’s one in particular that catches the eye. Maybe it’s the snaking queue or the neon sign that glows above its staggering array of dishes, each plate stacked on top of the other – either way, there’s no denying that Hajjah Mona Nasi Padang has a presence.
Originating from Padang in West Sumatra (the name also translates to ‘rice from Padang’), the Indonesian dish features steamed white rice and your choice of meats, fish and vegetables often cooked with plenty of spices. Nasi padang dishes utilise chillies, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, turmeric and an assortment of native herbs. Some of the best-sellers include rawon (tender meat chunks in aromatic buah keluak gravy), asam pedas (a spicy fish stew) and limpa rendang (spleen in coconut stew). His rawon recipe is based on the original East Java version, where the dark broth is thicker and more savoury. He explains that you can't get all the ingredients in Singapore so he makes the effort to get them in Indonesia. The asam pedas lauk is tangy and herbal, and the spleen fully absorbs all the spices it’s cooked in.