Thunder Tea Rice @ Food Republic, Vivocity

After reading Cheryl's & Sook's blogs about Thunder Tea Rice, I had to get my fix last week at Food Republic @ Vivocity. Thunder Tea Rice (aka Lei Cha Fan) is a Hakka dish, which is supposed to be a healthy dish. I first tried it many years back at a restaurant in Far East Square and then again at a hawker store in a coffeeshop at Market Street Carpark. That hawker store has since expanded to comprise three outlets at China Square Food Centre, Amoy Street Food Centre and in Food Republic @ Vivocity.

In an age where low carb diets are the rage, how can a rice-based dish be touted as being healthy? I'm not a dietitian nor am I a believer in the efficacy of diets, so correct me if I should have the wrong idea of diets. I lack self-control when it comes to food. Diets only make me crave the very things that I need to stop eating and I end up eating more of them. I am trying to practice some level of moderation in my food choices (not with much success though for I succumb to temptation all too often). The health factor in this dish is largely due to it being a high-fibre and nutrient-rich dish. You can opt for white polished rice or brown rice. I chose brown rice because I like the nutty flavour and its slightly chewier texture.

The dish is topped with chopped long beans, winged beans, fried tofu cubes, crispy fried anchovies, shredded cabbage and chopped "choy sum" (Chinese flowering cabbage). As I love to eat vegetables, I enjoyed this dish immensely especially when crunching onto the crispy anchovies and fragrant peanuts. Its served with a bright green soup, which is prepared with a variety of ground ingredients consisting of groundnuts, sesame seeds, green tea leaves, mint leaves, basil leaves, Chinese parsley, coriander leaves, Mugwort and Fuliksum.

According to a leaflet bearing a magazine article, the dish is supposed to increase metabolism rate, detoxify the body and ease digestion. I guess for all these things to happen, one has to consume this dish pretty regularly. Unfortunately, its not a miracle dish which can override all the excesses of fried, rich and fatty foods, else I would be chomping on this more often. Nonetheless, it is a fairly tasty dish that's worth a try if you happen to be at any of the food centres where they're available.

Thunder Tea Rice

Food Republic @ Vivocity,

No. 1 Harbour Front Walk,

#03-01 Vivocity

Singapore 098585

Tel: 6536-3881