There seem to be an uprising attraction towards mala these days and I think I finally understand why. I still remember getting my first ever mala from the koufu food court at NUS Utown and telling the lady I want 中辣 because I thought I'll be fine, but no I was dead. Ever since, I avoided mala till my friend got me to try this, and having learnt my lesson I took 小辣.

The first few mouths were fine. Fortunately, only the numbness (麻) build up overtime; the spiciness (辣) didn't. It's surprisingly addictive, and I think the addiction to this is similar to that of garlic - like how a piece of garlic toast burst into an explosion of strong aroma as it gets chewed. This seemingly small bowl of ingredients I picked costs a hefty $10, with the meat varieties being $2/100g and the non-meat being $1.20/100g. According to my friend, however, this price range is already one of the cheaper ones in Singapore (considering the taste).

So will I have mala again? Yes but only occasionally, and I'll try 中辣 from this stall the next time! Also, avoid the noodles and get white rice instead if you want something less greasy (because the noodles being stir-fried together with the ingredients absorb the oil).