[CLOSED] Xin Xian Pork Porridge (Marine Terrace Market & Food Centre)

I remember the hustle and bustle, and the smell of raw meat that made my nose twitch as a young kindergarten kid as we walked through the wet market to the hawker centre. This was my go-to, warm yummy porridge that my mum used to dish into a smaller bowl so that it would cool down quickly for the impatient toddler (me). As the years passed and the children grew up, sit-downs became takeaways with the increasing rigour of schedules in our family of five. I still come to the living room every Saturday and Sunday, expecting the fragrance of fresh pork porridge to waft through the air. My favourites are their cuttlefish porridge, and century egg porridge. No one else has managed to capture the delicate balance of fresh and cooked cuttlefish, while avoiding the extremes of tasting raw and chewy. The century egg salts the pork porridge briefly, enhancing its flavour. I can never forget the crunchy, light-tasting you tiao that will always be the centre of a chopstick fight. It's a scent and scene of comfort and familiarity that has evolved with us. The past Monday, I had the privilege of visiting Marine Terrace Market again. Nothing beats a fresh bowl of congee straight from the pot, complete with the slight grimace from the store aunty who has probably been awake since 4 am that day in order to keep the store running. This time, I sat there and it felt surreal. My parents have now aged, I am about to graduate, but the ever-popular porridge remains the same, and well worth the wait. :) #hawkerpedia