Mail Me A Meal

You can now whip up gourmet meals without even leaving your home. Lifestyle Editors Chelsea Tang and Fabian Loo try out two different recipes from local startup The Hungry Chef to find out just how convenient ready-to-cook meal kits can be.

By Chelsea Tang and Fabian Loo

ALL BOXED UP: Ready-to-cook meals from The Hungry Chef are delivered straight to your doorstep, with everything packaged in a convenient parcel. (PHOTOS: MATTHEW CHEW)

Skip the long lines at supermarkets.

The Hungry Chef delivers all the ingredients you need to create a home-cooked gourmet meal right to your doorstep — from raw meat to seasoning and garnishes.

Founded by Mrs Ruchi Ballal just two months back, The Hungry Chef is a healthy, ready-to-cook meal kit delivery service that is already well-loved by Singaporeans.

“Ready-to-cook food is very popular in Europe and America, because of the increasing number of health-conscious people. So I thought, someone should start it in Singapore!” said Mrs Ballal, when asked about her inspiration behind the brand.

Armed with a strong passion for cooking, Mrs Ballal decided to give entrepreneurship a shot after 10 years in market research. Her hard work has definitely paid off – The Hungry Chef was featured in The Straits Times and also received many positive online reviews shortly after its startup.

For those who are interested in ready-to-cook meals, The Hungry Chef offers ready-to-cook meal boxes that range from breakfast to dinner, and even sides. Customers also have the option of customising their orders according to the number of people they are cooking for. They will, however, need to order two days in advance before delivery.

Prices start from $7.50 for an individual portion of The Hungry Chef’s classic Chicken and Broccoli with Jasmine rice set.

‘CURRY-NARY’ CREATION: A dish of Ginger Chicken and Naan whipped up in minutes. (PHOTOS: MATTHEW CHEW)

I have never considered cooking in hall.

Taking a walk to the supermarket to purchase a whole range of ingredients just didn’t seem feasible to me. But when a service like The Hungry Chef did all the legwork for me, I was more than ready to cook up an exquisite meal.

Delivered in a box, the fresh ingredients are clearly labelled and sorted into different paper bags. But some of the frozen items will turn bad if left out for too long, and need to be unpacked immediately.

Infographics are also included, with clear visuals and steps that are foolproof — I found that it aided in making the preparation slightly less daunting.

The dish that I was given to prepare was Ginger Chicken with Naan (oven-baked flatbread). All I had to do was to marinate the chicken cubes in the seasoning mix and yogurt, and throw them together in a pan over medium heat with ginger and the rest of the aromatics.

Next, I let it simmer for 15 minutes before toasting up the naan till it was soft and fragrant. Dinner was ready to be served – it was really that simple and fuss-free.

While the naan tasted a little dry, the refreshing gravy with curry undertones made up for it. The chicken cubes were juicy and flavourful thanks to the spice marinade.

From receiving the raw ingredients to plating the dish for two, the entire cooking process took me a mere 20 minutes. This makes it suitable for busy families and students who simply have no time to grocery shop.

Those who are tired of unhealthy takeaway food can give The Hungry Chef a shot. With specially crafted meals ranging from traditional to fusion cuisines, picky eaters like myself can finally rejoice.

– Fabian Loo

FISHY BUSINESS: Plating the Oats and Peri Peri Spice Crusted Fish. (PHOTOS: MATTHEW CHEW)

Cooking never was my forte, but with a ready-to-cook meal kit for an appetising dinner menu, I was excited to get my hands dirty for perhaps the first gourmet meal I’ve ever cooked in my life.

The recipe I was given to prepare was a healthy main of Oats and Peri Peri (African chilli pepper) Spice Crusted Fish, with a side of Tri-colour Quinoa Tabbouleh (a traditional Levantine vegetarian dish).

The tabbouleh – soft quinoa complemented by crunchy vegetables – was rather easy to prepare. After boiling the quinoa, I mixed in the pre-diced tomatoes, baby cucumbers and fresh coriander, and seasoned it all with some salt and pepper.

As for the pan-fried fish – all I had to do was to season the fish fillet with salt, and coat it generously with spiced oats. Fry it in a pan drizzled with olive oil till crispy and golden brown.

From prepping to plating, it took a short 30 minutes for me to successfully whip up dinner for two. This gourmet meal was hardly a challenge.

While the tabbouleh was an acquired taste, I did enjoy the rare opportunity to try an exotic dish.

The spice-crusted fish had a smooth texture and a pleasant aroma it had from the coating of peri peri spice.

The fish tasted lovely as it was, however I particularly liked it with a little lemon juice. The spicy and zesty flavours complemented each other perfectly.

Providing a unique experience that allows anyone to whip up gourmet meals in their own kitchen, The Hungry Chef is a concept that combines both fun and healthy cooking.

I, for one, greatly appreciated the fact that I was able to live out my MasterChef dreams without having to face the wrath of Gordon Ramsay.

– Chelsea Tang