Ayam Buah Keluak at Botanict — xinru-t's Review (May 1, 2024)

Few veg eateries in Singapore serve this Peranakan specialty, and @botanict does so at a more wallet-friendly price tag 👀 so we had to order it! The raw seeds contain deadly poisonous cyanide and the complex process of curing the seeds is becoming a dying art. We were given teaspoons to scoop out the contents from the seed shells. The dense, oily, and creamy paste was earthy and umami, somewhat reminiscent of black olives or fermented black beans. 🥄🖤 It might be a bit of an acquired taste though; one companion didn't quite enjoy it, whereas this was my second time having buah keluak and I liked it more than the first time I had it. Inside the gravy, there was also a generous amount of seitan 'chicken' chunks that had an impressively 'meaty', soft, and fibrous texture. 🍗 Great savoury dish to enjoy with white rice~ (Allium-free, $16.80) #sgvegan #peranakan #nyonya #buahkeluak #alliumfree #womenowned