Curry comes in many delightful styles in Singapore - Malay, Chinese, Southern Indian, Northern Indian and Peranakan. One particularly interesting curry is Hainanese Curry, a fusion dish created by the early immigrants from Hainan, China.

During Singapore's colonial days under the British, innovative Hainanese cooks discovered by chance that traditional Hainanese stewed dishes, Peranakan curries and British fried cutlets combine perfectly together. This delicious ingenuity became the start of a uniquely Singaporean dish that is well-loved by locals.

There are not many places where you can find authentic Hainanese Curry in Singapore and one of them is Boon Curry. Inconspicuously located at Redhill Food Centre, this curry stall is not on food guides nor on the list of food bloggers. This hidden gem is only known to the locals who live around the area and its curry can definitely give the famous stalls a run for their money!

At the helm of this old-time hawker stall is Uncle Boon. Affable and humorous, Uncle Boon told us that he actually started learning the art of cooking since he was 12 years old.

He went through a few apprenticeships with hawker chefs who specialise in different food cultures, so that he could be exposed to the various cooking styles. Like many hawkers from the older generation, Uncle Boon is the symbol of pure hardwork and determination.

We caught Uncle Boon (owner of Boon Curry) on a busy afternoon and had a quick chat to find out more.

For very long! At 21, I opened my first stall selling Fish Soup. After a few years, I took over this current shop at Redhill and decided to sell Nasi Lemak. That was very popular and there were always long queues. I even got featured in the newspapers! But, it was too much work and I felt that I had to narrow down to my specialty dishes. So, I started selling Hainanese-style curry because that was one of the first few dishes I learnt to cook when I was young. Now, I am almost 50 years old!

My curry and the other dishes are mostly influenced by Hainanese cuisine. The Hainanese people like their rice to be wet, that is why they drench it in curry and braised sauce. Some places make their curry using ready-made powder, but I make mine myself. It is my own special recipe and of course I cannot tell you what is inside haha. But, it is sweet and you can taste spices. I cannot explain, you have to taste it for yourself.

Also, I usually make 2 to 3 types of curry. One is the traditional Hainanese curry which originated from the Peranakan style, the other one is Asam curry which is slightly sourish and very appetising. The last one is Rendang curry, which is Malay style, something I picked up from a Malay chef in my younger days.

Everything in my stall is handmade, from the fried chicken cutlet to the Wu Xiang (minced pork and chestnuts wrapped in beancurd skin and then deep-fried) to the chilli dipping sauce!

The chicken cutlet (because it is very crispy and tasty), curry chicken wings and the soft stewed cabbage. And most people like to ask for a lot of curry to be drenched on their rice because my curry is very delicious.

Try my Curry Pork Ribs! It is very special, I came up with this myself and I think you cannot find this anywhere else. Also, try my Asam Curry Fish. It is is also my own recipe. All my dishes are only midly spicy so they can be eaten by anyone, even for those who cannot take spicy food.

As we were finishing up our conversation, Uncle Boon dished out a plate of freshly-made Wu Xiang. Crispy and aromatic, we sank our teeth into the moist meat stuffing. Absolutely delicious! It goes perfectly with his flavoursome curry-soaked rice. The asam curry is also definitely a winner here, balancing out the creamy richness with a subtle tanginess.

With Chinese New Year just around the corner, Uncle Boon told us that he is preparing some festive dishes for his regular customers. This year, it is Braised Duck with sea cucumber, dried scallops, Chinese mushrooms and all sorts of delicacies. Yums! Sometimes, he also cooks off-the-menu items such as pumpkin soup or vegetable soup, which he might offer to his customers as a friendly gesture.

Put on your friendliest smile and greet him “Hello Uncle Boon!”. Have a small chat with him if he is not too busy, he might just offer you some of his off-menu specialties! If not, his handmade Hainanese curry is still worth the trip down.

Hawkers are the unsung heroes of Singapore's unique hawker food scene. They work tirelessly in hot kitchens and toil for long hours, just to satisfy the voracious appetites of hungry Singaporeans. If you like our hawker interview with Uncle Boon, stay tuned for more!

Boon Curry
Redhill Food Centre
85 Redhill Ln, #01-62, Singapore 150085