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Honorary Consul Of Congo, Who’s Singaporean, Sells Lor Mai Gai From Bungalow

His home-based biz Towkaycooks sells unique lor mai gai like otah on weekends.

His home-based biz Towkaycooks sells unique lor mai gai like otah on weekends.

His home-based biz Towkaycooks sells unique lor mai gai like otah on weekends.

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From Mondays to Fridays, Andrew Khng, 60, wears multiple hats. He is the director of a construction company and also volunteers as an honorary consul of the Republic of Congo. But come Friday night, Andrew puts on another hat — as the cook behind his home-based business, Towkaycooks, serving up the Cantonese dim sum classic of lor mai gai, glutinous rice steamed with various toppings (traditionally chicken). Yes, the towkay here refers to Andrew.

While he spends his weekdays overseeing the construction company (he’s been in the industry for almost 40 years), he also represents the Francophone country in Central Africa.


1 of 10 How did he end up as Congo’s Honorary Consul?

The role is a voluntary one, explains Andrew. “My position is very close to that of a diplomat, but I don’t carry a diplomatic passport. I’m Singaporean, so I carry my own Singaporean passport.” he explains. He was introduced to the role by the Congolese ambassador based in Beijing, whom he met when he sat as the chairman of the Singapore Contractors Association from 2009 to 2011.

As a representative for the Republic of Congo in Singapore, Andrew helps any Congolese here who requires assistance. He also promotes businesses between the two countries. Brief history lesson: there are two Congos — the Republic of Congo, a former French colony which later gained independence and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which similarly gained independence, but from the Belgians.

As to why Andrew is representing Congolese in Singapore (the traditional role of a consul, according to Lexico dictionary refers to “an official appointed by a state to live in a foreign city and protect the state's citizens and interests there”) instead of his fellow Singaporeans in Congo, he reasons: “Consuls don’t necessarily have to be from the [particular] country.”

But back to the food. What drove him to start Towkaycooks despite being busy with construction work and consul duties? It all started with breakfast. Andrew had made 10 lor mai gais for his staff one morning. After the overwhelmingly positive response, his daughter Maryanne Khng, 26, suggested starting a home-based business specialising in the glutinous rice dish.

  • 2 of 10 A father and daughter affair

    Since July last year, Towkaycooks has been operating on weekends. Andrew cooks in the kitchen of his spacious cluster bungalow in the east of Singapore together with Maryanne, a business development executive.

    “Towkaycooks was born out of the passion for eating lor mai gais. From young, my children have been eating this dish. I started making it many years ago, but we never shared this with the public or our clients,” says Andrew. Till now, that is.

    The home-based biz has since received up to 250 orders for their different lor mai gai flavours every weekend, most being bulk orders from friends and family. While Andrew does most of the cooking, Maryanne helps with organising orders and preparing the glutinous rice and handling door-to-door deliveries.



  • 3 of 10 Fan of the dish since the "towkay" was a kid

    Andrew fondly recalls his first time having the sticky rice dish from pushcart sellers in the 1960s. Living in the Bukit Timah area then, pushcarts selling food were a common sight. “When I had it for the first time, I was really, really hooked on it,” Andrew said with a smile.

    Years later, Andrew started replicating those flavours on his own, coming up with the perfect recipe on his own, for his family to savour as well.


  • 4 of 10 Homemade goodness 

    With the motto of “wet market to table,” (inspired by the phrase farm-to-table) the Khngs purchase all their ingredients from Chinatown wet market.

    Cooking lor mai gai isn’t as easy it seems, as preparation for ingredients can start from Friday evening for flavours like their nonya spiced pork. “Our pork is specially stewed for 24 hours and we also need to infuse the marinade into the meat,” explains Andrew.

    Through his cooking, Andrew also wants to share his love for the traditional wet market. “I go down to Chinatown market every weekend, and I know the vendors so well,” Andrew shares enthusiastically. “They give me good cuts for chicken and fish. Sometimes it's the small things that they do for you, and you reciprocate. It goes a long way.”


  • 5 of 10 Fusion flavours

    Aside from the classic dish filled with chicken, Chinese sausage and mushroom, the menu also includes more unusual offerings like chicken curry and otah. No doubt inspired by the family’s Peranakan roots. “You really cannot find a lor mai gai similar to the ones like my dad makes,” says Maryanne. “The ones sold outside are dry and a bit bland, whereas the ones that my dad makes are very flavourful and filled with lots of ingredients.”


  • 6 of 10 Traditional Deluxe, $3.80 (8 DAYS Pick!)

    Reminiscent of the flavours of grandma’s cooking, the rice here is fragrant and generously studded with chunky chicken, quality lup cheong and mushrooms. We love how tender (but not mushy) and well-seasoned the grains and toppings are. Bits of ginger add depth to the dish. We suppose this is called deluxe 'cos the ingredients are more generous than your run-of-the-mill dim sum offering from a restaurant.


  • 7 of 10 Nonya Curry Chicken, $5.80 

    The fiery curry chicken in this is definitely not for those who can’t handle heat. The homemade rempah boasts fresh spices, chillies and lemongrass. However, we found this a bit too fiery to fully appreciate the nuances of flavour.


  • 8 of 10 Nonya Spiced Pork, $5.80

    This features pork belly stewed in a “secret” sauce for 24 hours before it’s assembled with the rice. The fatty pork has a decadent melt-in-the-mouth texture, and the sweet-sour-spicy flavours call to mind those in the peranakan dish of babi pongteh. Again, a little fiery, with slices of chilli padi spiking the rice.


  • 9 of 10 Chicken Otah, $5.80 

    Think freshly made spicy fish paste dotted with tender chicken bits and crunchy prawns layered between sticky rice. That’s not all — there’s another piece of fish otah lurking at the bottom of this lor mai gai too. Shiok, we prefer this to the chicken curry version.


  • 10 of 10 Bottom line

    Tasty, well-textured lor mai gai with a comforting homespun touch. Those who enjoy spice will appreciate the fusion flavours like chicken curry and otah that don’t stinge on the chillies. But our favourite is the traditional offering stuffed with the Cantonese classics of chicken, preserved sausage and shrooms.

    Place orders via @towkaycooks on Instagram. Orders delivered every Sat.

    Photos: Towkaycooks

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