Makan Kakis with Denise Tan

This week, Chef Melvyn lee & Denise discover the sweet history of ​75 Ah Balling Peanut Soup. Tang yuan, or velvety, chewy, glutinous rice balls stuffed with a variety of fillings are a winning formula for this family-run local brand!

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Denise and her special guest, Best Actor winner at the Star Awards 2024, Jeremy Chan discover the rich history and symbolism in Hakka cuisine; and even learn how to make a lesser-known dish - Meixian Radish Balls!

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Biryani, briyani, biriyani, beryani. In Singapore, there are at least as many variations of the popular Indian-Muslim rice dish as there are ways to spell it and I got to experience two very different versions thanks to my Makan Kaki, content creator and Mediacorp Ria 89.7 DJ Zuhairi Idris. Find out the grandfather's stories behind these 2 heritage brand biryanis! 

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Fresh from her Star Awards Best Actress win, Kym Ng joins Denise as a very special guest on Makan Kakis! On the menu? Bak Kut Teh! They learnt more about this local heritage food from two “Titans of Tea” - Ng Ah Sio & Pek Sin Choon. Listen to this podcast, read the story on CNA Lifestyle and watch Makan Kakis: Heritage Edition on demand for free via MeWatch now!

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Familiar face from TV cooking competition King Of Culinary, celebrity chef SR Bala helps Denise widen her perspective at one of Singapore’s best known vegetarian institutions. At 100-year-old Indian vegetarian restaurant Ananda Bhavan, they share unique thosai and a hearty banana leaf meal.

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My Makan Kaki Chef Melvyn Lee and I visited the East Coast Road branch of Kim Choo Kueh Chang, home of the famous Nyonya rice dumpling. There, we met third generation owner Edmond Wong, who with his brothers, is committed to taking their grandmother’s food legacy to the next level. We tried wrapping kueh chang before tasting their bestsellers...

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Our Makan Kaki Chef Melvyn Lee takes us to visit Guan Hoe Soon, Singapore's Oldest Peranakan restaurant. But did you know it has Hainanese roots? Founded in 1953 by Yap Chee Quee, the restaurant is still family owned and run. 

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For my next food adventure delving into Singapore’s delicious history, my sights were set on Kampong Gelam, an area renowned for its many nasi padang restaurants.

A popular choice for time-crunched Singaporeans in need of a satisfying meal, n asi padang may be is a quick and convenient meal for diners, but it begins with long hours of preparation and cooking.

At nasi padang stalwart Sabar Menanti, the laborious commitment is anchored by a strong dedication to preserving their family’s culinary legacy. It was a happy coincidence then that my colleague and fellow foodie, Class 95 producer-presenter Catherine Robert is a friend of the third-generation owner, Iszahar Tambunan.

Listen now for beef rendang, ayam bakar and the story behind their unique name!

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Hi Makan Kakis, this week I switch things up with a new Foodie Friend, Actress Bridget Fernandez and get schooled on Eurasian cuisine, another unique South-East Asian fusion of food and cultures. Along the way, I discover the story behind devil’s curry and taste something hitherto unknown at Quentin’s, where every dish tells a colourful story.

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