In his version, the apocryphal Sichuanese chef was not working in Beijing, but in Shanghai, where he created the first-ever MLXG as part of a formal banquet. Everything else is pretty easy, but the thirty-odd spices which make up your mala sauce and exact ratio of each ingredient is not something I can disclose, “ he said. 923 Night Food Delivery. Over in Singapore, customers familiar with the Mala Xiang Guo or even Yong Tau Foo style of ordering, will get accustomed this self-service mode of ordering. Detour: One popular theory has it that Xiang Guo is a variation on Sichuan’s Gan Guo or ‘Dry Pot’ because both dishes are stir-fried and served in large communal bowls. Mala xiang guo set with varieties of seafood, fish balls, mushroom, noodle and assorted vegetables. They are ‘defined’ only by their variety. “When I was a student in Chongqing, there was no MLXG. He left for a while and tried to set up his own MLXG business, but it failed. Posted by wiffy on April 14, 2016. Mala xiang guo stores can be found in nearly every major hawker centre, new snacks that are mala-flavoured continue to pop up and of course, mala cup noodles. Good food is good food is good food. They carefully season the ingredients with lots of garlic and chilli, and their spice blend is impeccable, resulting in an extremely fragrant and flavourful bowl of Mala. His business partner got very angry and said he didn’t learn anything from me. Enough for 2 to 3 pax MMK11,040 MMK13,800. In other words, a perfect combination of the initiated and the curious; fertile grounds for the growth of a little-known dish. Since 2019, Mala dishes have become the new “it” food in Korea. Here … 2 tsp Knorr SavorRich 2 tbsp Crispy chilli oil 1 tbsp Light soya sauce 1 tsp Black vinegar 1/2 tsp Sesame oil 2 tbsp Hua Tiao wine 1/2 tbsp Brown sugar Pepper. My bowl of ma la xiang guo is prepared within 20 minutes, and the stall even sprinkles fried egg floss atop my combination. I’ve an embarrassing confession: I’ve never ordered mala xiang guo in my whole damn life.. Yep, I’m an outlier – but before you stage a protest against me, I have in my defence snatched bites of mala xiang guo from friends…and enjoyed copious amounts of lotus root doused in the mouth-numbing sauce.. It’s super healthy with a strong flavour. You also get a wide variety of fresh ingredients to choose from whether it is vegetables, meat or seafood. McDonald’s also isn’t the first fast-food chain in Singapore to introduce a mala-flavoured menu item. There are defineally lots of Mala fans out there, so we decide to come up with our version of Mala Xiang Guo. “You can try, but don’t expect the same ‘explosive’ fragrance.”. Some customers want him to sell his Mala spice as a pre-packaged instant mix, but he seems too tired to deal with the manifold complexities that franchising/branding would entail. “Singapore’s youth are relatively open, when they see new things, they will want to try ,” he said, “And with MLXG, you get the added benefit that it’s freshly-cooked.”. Some were opened by Singaporeans, and others by Chinese Nationals, Cong Fang tells me, but none of the imitators has survived into the present day. The results throw up approximately 9 million recipes but not a single reliable account of how the MLXG was invented, or by whom. There’s less profit—perhaps—but it’s a situation that suits Mr Mao Cong Fang just fine. The repressed SJW inside me awakens, and I feel an urge to lecture them about regional Chinese cuisines; about how the sweeter flavours of Shanghai are entirely different from what’s served in Sichuan. Xiao Man Niu Mala Xiang Guo In Singapore, Xiao Man Niu Mala Xiang Guo (Paya Lebar) is one of the most renowned restaurants. The feedback is important because all food must adapt to local taste. Despite its total absence from Chongqing, the dish is a direct descendant from Chongqing’s Mala hotpot. It is about the Sichuan chefs who migrated to make money in other parts of China. You choose the ingredients, pay for the food by weight, choose one of the styles of soups (from three), and inform preferred level of spice. However, despite his lack of manpower and marketing, it quickly eclipsed FoodRepublic’s Piao Xiang Ma La to become the single most famous MLXG stall in Singapore. What if it turns into another argument of us v. them by way of the comments section, as it has done so many times before? Add … In 2019, however, the game has changed. Below is my easy recipe for cooking this dish. i chose option 2 but i still did not receive my food. Like Bubble teas and Taiwanese brands,” says Ms Lena Tan, FoodRepublic’s Marketing Manager, “So in 2008, we actually sent a chef to Beijing to learn about the dish and adapt it for Singapore.”. What I did was to get all the ingredients which i wanted to cook in the mala paste. Interest. Chat with Foodpanda staff he gave me two options. So the Mala Xiang Guo Burger has made its debut, available as a set with fries at $16.80 (No, I don’t earn commission from it. READ MORE. Mala Xiang Guo Recently, I fell in love with this dish called mala xiang guo after my brother in law cooked this dish at my place for the weekly lunch meeting. They inform me that Gan Guo relies on the natural fat of its ingredients for its fragrance, while Xiang Guo is more dependant on the all-important Mala sauce for seasoning. View this post on Instagram. Following Yang Jian’s hypothesis, Chinatown was the perfect place for MLXG to thrive and expand. Piao Xiang Ma La, though it continues to be popular and highly-rated, just never attained the same level of hype. Apr 11, 2017 #1 Hello, Been craving for ma la xiang gou lately, isit bad for the baby?!! He started chopping ingredients, but later on, I taught him how to fry the dish. Mala Xiang Guo Prawn Lover Set. That’s why he opened his first stall in a far-flung corner of Yishun: the nearby industrial estate had a sizable PRC population who were craving a taste of home. You can get the paste in City Mart. But despite its ubiquity and popularity, MLXG’s history and origins are unknown. Tell us more at community@ricemedia.co. Some must order vegetables include beancurd skin, black fungus, lotus root and mushrooms. This simplicity is what makes MLXG a natural fit for the cities like Shanghai or Singapore, where time is money, and the pace of life is consequently faster; where few have the time to indulge in the hours-long ritual of cooking one ingredient at a time. All the ingredients used in the dish have their own, unique tastes. Instead, that honour belongs to—brace yourself—BreadTalk Group’s FoodRepublic, who opened 313 Somerset’s Piao Xiang Mala in 2009, after witnessing MLXG’s viral success in China circa 2008. Armed with a bowl of white rice to absorb the spice and oil, and my newfound knowledge and appreciation for what makes specific ma la xiang guo stalls great, I dig in and pray for the same happiness I once felt. It is thanks to MLXG, that spicy bubble-tea which has spread far and wide into every hawker centre and food court. https://asianfoodnetwork.com/en/recipes/cuisine/chinese/mala-xiang-guo.html Once the hot oil has released their spices’ flavours, your lunchtime selections go in, and the frying begins. This argument makes sense because Sichuan is the undisputed birthplace of Mala and Chongqing is its culinary capital. For Cai Png, ordering is pretty smooth. Ma la xiang guo and ma la hotpots in Central of Singapore 1. Ingredients. It’s not just the ‘explosive fragrance’ or the excess humidity inside my body. Mala Xiang Guo. This is what happens when you order Mala Xiang Guo (MLXG). “A good dose of chilli helps you to sweat out the excess humidity, so maybe it’s geographical?” says Mr Zhang, citing a popular Chinese explanation of why Sichuan loves Mala. The craze surrounding mala xiang guo, or mala stir-fry has simmered down somewhat, but its pick-your-own-ingredient-stir-fry format has become commonplace at many hawker centres and foodcourts. Mala xiang guo (simplified Chinese: 麻辣香锅; traditional Chinese: 麻辣香鍋; pinyin: málà xiāngguō) is a Chinese dish prepared by stir frying.It often contains meat and vegetables, and has a salty and spicy taste. Find out what the community is saying and what dishes to order at Wan Xing Mala Xiang Guo. You should order mala xiang guo. Not only did it have a sizable PRC community who was already visiting the area for food, but it also boasted a ravenous CBD population at noontime. Order. We picked mainly vegetables. Mala Xiang Guo. The only downside is that I had to spent quite a bit of time on preparing the ingredients. that your tongue feels numb after 10 minutes into your first bite. Others like Mr Yang Jian, on the other hand, have no patience for amateur navel-gazing. Mala Xiang Guo. Mr Yang Jian considers my question for a moment and sucks down his Ice Milo in one long gulp before offering an alternative story. R. rindy7 Member. 57° Mala Xiang Guo (West Coast) Waited for the food for an hour plus and it stated delivered but i never receive my order. Enough for 2 to 3 pax MMK18,240 MMK22,800. Having it 2 times a week... Q. QIANX2 Member. Then they would …” he explained, his voice trailing off into a whisper before he could complete the thought. He was first to open in Chinatown and People’s Park, he confirms, but not the first in Singapore. More for fragrance than heat. This is untrue, and Ri Ri Hong’s boss, Mr Mao Cong Fang, will tell you so. For the one-person portion we are preparing, it takes just four flicks from the Chef Tong’s wrist to keep the ingredients airborne, and your lunch is ready. Mr Zhang Yang Long concurs. They need origin stories, like how the UK’s Tikka Masala was born of a customer’s complaint about ‘dryness’, or how Nashville Hot Chicken was originally cooked up to punish an adulterous husband. How does this food fit into your daily goals? But despite its name, which translates to numb-spicy, most cooks do not add any numbing Sichuan peppercorns into the mix. Read the mala xiangguo recipe discussion from the Chowhound Home Cooking food community. Long queues formed in front of the stall at all hours and even longer articles were written about its ‘tongue-numbing, tear-jerking’ deliciousness. You point at 3 dishes; 1 meat, 1 egg, 1 veg, and it should be safe around S$3. Mr.BOWL Mala Xiang Guo & Hot Pot. It is no great mystery how this revolution happened. from eatbma.blogspot.sg Depending on whether you ordered Xiao La (‘small’ spicy), Zhong La (‘medium’ spicy), or Da La (‘big’ spicy), Chef Tong will season accordingly. Apr 11, 2017 #2 Shouldn't be a problem . The fishball was hard and came with a pungent smell. We’ll admit — nothing beats a spicy, punchy and aromatic bowl of mala xiang guo on a cold, rainy afternoon. Yet he too declares that MLXG does not exist in Chongqing. The vegetarian establishment serves up a plethora of vegetables, soy products, mushrooms as well … Located in a neighbourhood coffee shop in Yishun, Lao Wang Mala serves up one of the cheapest Mala Xiang Guo options in Singapore. By continuing to use MyFitnessPal, you are acknowledging and agreeing to the updated MyFitnessPal Terms and Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy. Is ma-la xiang guo unhealthy for pregnant lady?? Chuan Hotpot. Join the discussion today. Mr Yang Jian, who owns Singapore’s You Ma You La franchise, tells me the same story. But that’s not true … the only thing he didn’t know was how to make the Mala sauce.”. Ma, la, and xiang represent three different tastes: ma means numbing, la means spicy, and xiang means savoury. That being said, while MLXG’s genesis remains murky, most chefs agree on its culinary genealogy. The craze surrounding mala xiang guo, or mala stir-fry has simmered down somewhat, but its pick-your-own-ingredient-stir-fry format has become commonplace at many hawker centres and foodcourts. OUR PARTNERS. Ltd. Food Photography by Jovial Photography (乐. “We have a presence in China, so whatever’s popular there, we try to bring to Singapore. Which, of course, merely made me even more curious. In his view, success is as much about good location as good taste. Mala Xiang Guo - Spicy Sichuan, Stirfry! It is the creation of Sichuanese chefs who left home to seek their fortune in the boomtowns of China’s eastern seaboard. Mala Xiang Guo Get your family and friends’ heart racing with the devilish indulgence of Ma La Xiang Guo, a dish so spicy that it would both excite and numb your tongue in one bite. The closest thing to MLXG was a Mao Cai. Mr Mao Cong Fang of Chinatown’s Ri Ri Hong offers me a slightly different tale over kopi at People’s Park. The Singaporean fascination with Mala knows no limits. He rightly points out that Gan Guos always focus on one main protein—be it beef, chicken, rabbit or cauliflower. Originated in Chongqing, it becomes so popular nowadays all over China that thousand tons of restaurants live on this dish. Priced by portion, this shop has a pretty good array of ingredients. 1 is cancel my order, 2 is they will arrange driver to deliver the food to me. From what he’s heard, the dish originated in Northern China (Dongbei). https://www.malafood.com/en/mala-xiang-guo-twiced-cooked-mala-mix Other Related Entries: How To Cook Curry Laksa Step By Step - The Ultimate Recipe For Beginners . When they do, I can cook it according to what they want. However, his first encounter with MLXG was in a  food court in Singapore. When you first taste Mala, you’ll be pleasantly surprised (panicked?) Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. From his Malaysian bosses, he learnt how to cater to ‘The Singaporean Palate’—which enjoys spicy foods but dislikes dishes that are too salty or oily. The preparation process involves placing the required … “It’s just delicious. In addition of that, we felt privileged to be working with our partners. Skill Intermediate . Okay, because I am involved in the creation of it, I shall keep the “self-praise” to a minimum and leave it … Featured in Best Mala Spots in Singapore. All mala xiang guo set menu is good for 1-2 person and the order comes with a portion chicken sausage, vegetables, mushrooms, mala noodles, water noodles and dry egg noodles from MMK13,000 Mixed Vegetables Set with Mixed Meat, Squid and One Big River Prawn. Remove the tangy peppercorns, dial down the salt, and everything will be a-okay, perhaps. I was tempted to add them to my table but the mala xiang guo was way too filling. Nov 13, 2019 - Keto Diet Mala Xiang Guo #KetoDietPlanForWeightLoss It’s so popular in China now that there are tons of restaurant chains like NaDu (拿渡) and ChuanChengYuan (川成元) thriving on just this one dish. The Mala Xiang Guo Bowl is paired with rice to help balance out that heat, but you would still feel that shiokness with numbing spiciness from the fragrant ingredients. Mala Xiang Guo is essentially a mix of stir-fried ingredients with complex mala flavors, as a dry, kinder, tastier relative of Sichuan mala hot pot. ©2020 by JWS F&B Pte. If you skip the boiling and go straight to stir-frying, you will end up with a salad of raw eggplant, medium-rare lotus root, and blackened beansprouts. Mala Xiang Guo – 麻辣香锅 . Vegetables –> You can add any vegetables you like . These days, the competition has died down, and the queues are nowhere as crazy. The name comes from the Chinese character 麻辣for numbing (ma) and spicy (la). Turn up the heat with the Mala Xiang Guo Spicy Pot, available in three spice levels: mild, medium, and extra, with non-spicy for the spice averse. Conventional wisdom and internet hearsay suggest that MLXG comes from Chongqing. Mala Xiang Guo Ju With the quality of Ri Ri Hong dropping down, this stall is possibly the best alternative if you're in the area. After all, Singapore’s love of chilli is infamous, and like Sichuan province, our weather is intensely humid, muggy, and oppressive. For me this murky story is ultimately unsatisfying, because I want to know the exact moment when some chef decided to throw his hot pot spice mix into a wok—as well as what the fuck he was thinking at the time. Every stall has a different recipe, but You Ma You La’s sauce contains star anise, cinnamon, and the fermented umami goodness of Lao Gan Ma tofu chilli, as well as about 20 other things that I am not allowed to disclose under threat of death. There is the original stir-fry, also known as Mala Xiang Guo, where a mix of meats and vegetables are stir-fried with dried chilli, peppercorns and spices, and you get to pick the level of spiciness of the dish. Apart from mala xiang guo, Green on Earth also has other tze char offerings such as Stir-fried Mix Vegetables ($10/15/20), Mapo Beancurd ($10/15/20) and Double Taste Fish ($15/25). Less-salt-less-oil is the gospel preached by almost every MLXG cook I’ve met. But I can’t. Price: ~$10, 27 Reviews, 119 Wishlisted. All that’s needed is a few tweaks. This is all good and true, but it’s also a pretty standard response. Find out what the community is saying and what dishes to order at Wan Xing Mala Xiang Guo. LOCATE US. He doesn’t exactly miss the days when rivals would lodge complaints in the hopes of shutting him down. It is the king dish today for both group dining and home cooking. Restaurant. Living in Beijing, we couldn’t get enough of this dish––spicy food lovers will rejoice when they taste it! It’s not hard to understand why – this sumptuous dish is feisty and super addictive! Mr Mao Cong Fang is a soft-spoken man and his voice barely rises above the hawker centre’s natural din. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that People’s Park held 8 MLXG stalls during the peak of the Mala craze in 2017. “Their main problem is the Mala sauce. “One of the first stall assistants I hired was a Singaporean. Not likely, he insists, because home cooks don’t have access to the powerful flame or the complicated but all-important ‘mala sauce’. It’s a metaphor of sorts; somewhere inside me is a fool that thinks if locals can accept MLXG, then there’s no reason why they can’t accept Others. JEM houses one of the best stir-fried hotpots, and you’ll find yourself coming back for more at the Cookhouse. Mala Xiang Guo (Mala Stir-fry pot) It is just like our Cantonese Yong Tau Foo, you select your own ingredients from the stall selections and then get the chef to cook the food for you. Both recipes use more or less the same spices, and Xiang Guo is arguably the culmination of Mala hot pot’s decades-long evolution towards forms favouring ease and convenience.