When 8days.sg arrived at four-month-old Peranakan-Western hawker stall Pangi Nut, it was swamped with hungry students from the nearby Ang Mo Kio Secondary School. And that’s just how restaurant chef-turned-hawker Jarrod Poh, 53, likes it. After all, the proud Peranakan opened the stall because he wanted to ‘school’ Singaporean kids about heritage food.

Pangi Nut, another name for buah keluak, is located at the new-ish Thye Guan Eating House at Ang Mo Kio Ave 1. Sixty percent of Jarrod’s menu features regular Western dishes like Rib-Eye Steak. But it is his unusual Peranakan-inspired offerings that are drawing foodies’ attention despite their higher prices. There’re Buah Keluak Chicken Chop, Rendang or Buah Keluak Burgers and Assam Pineapple Grilled Salmon, among other dishes. 

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Fuses mum’s “agak agak” recipes with western cooking techniques

“I grew up eating my grandmother and mother’s Peranakan food but nowadays, my nephews and nieces don’t fancy it. They prefer Western food. That’s why I experimented with Peranakan-inspired Western recipes so that I can gradually introduce it to them and other young Singaporeans,” explains the doting uncle, a bachelor who cooks regularly for his extended family.

The Shatec graduate became a senior sous chef at restaurants Stellar@1 altitude, Greenwood Fish Market and later on executive chef of Bliss Group restaurant and catering.

Noticing a lack of Peranakan-Western hawker stalls in Singapore, he opened Pangi Nut in April. He inherited his “agak agak” recipes from mum and scaled up with proper measurements, to keep the flavours consistent. 

His school student patrons usually order regular Western dishes like his burger-and-fries sets that start from $4.50. To Jarrod’s delight, some have graduated to his Peranakan-inspired dishes. We spotted one youngster tucking into his Rendang Beef Pasta ($9) with gusto. “I’m trying something new today. I like it! The portion is big and I get a 10% discount!” (Pangi Nut offers the student discount to all primary and secondary students on weekdays, 11am to 6pm.)

Buah Keluak Chicken Chop, $8 (8 Days Pick!)

Ayam buah keluak is a staple at Jarrod’s family’s annual CNY feast. At his stall, Jarrod buys deshelled whole buah keluak from a supplier. He uses 6kg each time he cooks, adding turmeric, lemongrass, onions and other aromatics to make a piquant sauce.

His fusion version uses boneless chicken thigh, first cooked on a grill, then simmered briefly in buah keluak sauce. It’s served with garlicky and spicy aglio olio pasta, potato wedges drizzled with a delish homemade kaffir lime aioli, stir-fried broccoli, and achar. The sauce-soaked chicken is very flavourful and so are all the sides. $8 is amazing value for the heaving plate. We think he can drop one of the carbs, but definitely keep the achar. It adds zest to what could otherwise be quite a jelak dish.

Pongteh Chicken Chop, $8

We were excited when we first caught a whiff of the salty-sweet fermented bean sauce, reminiscent of our mum’s pongteh. Unfortunately, the dish was a little underwhelming. We would prefer achar instead of the extra dish of watery pongteh sauce on the side. Skip this and go for the Buah Keluak Chicken Chop instead.

Assam Nanas Salmon, $14.80 (8 Days Pick!)

We love the tangy-spicy sauce and half pineapple ring, which lifted the slab of fatty Coho Salmon (we’re told it’s a pricier breed than what you’ll usually get at other hawker stalls). But we wish the grilled fillet was served skin-side up, atop a pool of sauce, instead of being drenched in it. What a waste of that crispy skin.

This premium dish comes with baby potatoes instead of the cheaper wedges, drizzled with the same yummy kaffir lime aioli. It’s more expensive than the rest of the menu but we’ll gladly pay for it.

Nyonya Seafood Laksa Pizza, $15  

The 12-inch pizza is made with supplier-bought dough that Jarrod hand-stretched, slathered with house-made laksa rempah sauce and topped with prawns, sotong and Asari clams. Freshly baked for seven minutes upon order and finished with swirls of creamy laksa pesto, the spice level is mellowed by the cheese. A decent pie but a tad salty.

 Laksa Pasta, $9

The more commonly found Laksa Pasta, cooked with the same seafood, is thickened with coconut cream. Jarrod is generous with the, again, slightly salty but tasty sauce. It offers a spicier kick than the pizza.

Rendang Beef Burger, $9

All beef at Pangi Nut is sourced from French halal butchery, Beauvallet. The burger patty is made with a mix of sirloin and rib-eye in a 60:40 meat-fat ratio. Chopped onions, garlic powder and other seasonings are added and each thick patty is first grilled, then braised for a few minutes in home-made rendang sauce.

Served atop fresh lettuce, with more sauce and raw onion rings, it comes with fries. This photogenic and yummy burger is definitely tastier than, say, Burger King’s Rendang Burger, though the patty was not as juicy as we’d hoped.

Bottom line

Though some dishes here are a little salty, we like the authentic sauces and the former chef’s enthusiasm to introduce young Singaporeans to Peranakan food via comforting kopitam-style western grub. Look out for more innovative offerings like duck confit with itek sio glaze soon. 

The details

Pangi Nut is at #01-877 Blk 215 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Thye Guan Eating House, S560215. Tel: 94514418. Open daily except Wed 11am - 9pm. More info via website and Facebook. 

Photos: Dillon Tan.

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