Battle of the marinated cockles
What's up with Singaporean politicians and their affinity with cockles (hum)? First, it was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who committed a food faux pas some years ago when he mistakenly associated hum with mee siam, when it should rightfully be char kway teow.
The humble hum rose to fame again earlier this year, thanks to the Worker's Party's Jamus Lim when he warmed the cockles of the people's hearts, having used the ancient idiom in a debate.
When it comes to cockles on the dining table, there are more ways to enjoying them other than in laksa or char kway teow. While some prefer to simply savour them lightly blanched in their shell, with a squeeze of lime and some chilli, there are also marinated versions available. The latter demands not just flavourful marinates but also substantial elbow grease – ensuring clean shells are no mean feat! Luckily for us, these three home chefs specialising in marinated cockles have done the work so we don't have to. The only question is: who does it best?
Holy Shell – Tasty and well-scrubbed marinated cockles
You would think that a home-based business specialising in cockles, a largely acquired taste, would be a dangerous gamble. However, given that Holy Shell sells 10kg of these molluscs each week, there is evidently an untapped market in Singapore for marinated cockles. Holy Shell is one of several businesses in this niche market, but what little they do, they do it really well.
While some would shell out a few extra dollars for the shelled versions, we opted for the regular refreshing savoury cockles ($15) and the black hemlock cockles ($15). Both weight 300g, which might seem like a small portion. However, these aren’t the usual cockles you’d get at your typical seafood zi char stall; these are huge and impressively cleaned. Glance at their Instagram page and you’ll see a glimpse of their painstaking scrubbing process which turns the typically grimy shells into sparkling beauties.
The refreshing cockles were the clear winner here. We went with the ‘normal’ spicy level and it was already fiery. There were copious amounts of fresh garlic and chilli padi, and while it teetered to the point of being overwhelming at times, we found the marinade incredibly well-balanced if you're a chilli fan. The marinade itself had just enough vinegary tang to complement the sweetness of the cockles. It’s a straightforward combination that works – my dining companion and I couldn’t stop eating.
Ah Peh Lor Bak – Surf and turf with a local twist
Ah Peh Lor Bak’s co-stars come half shelled and in three flavours ($15 each): padang cockles, Thai spicy cockles salad and garlic sweet and spicy cockles. We decided to start with the mildest and work our way up.
Their padang cockles came with an Indonesian-style sauce that is heavy on kecap manis. It is less like the tangy belacan served as a condiment in zi char eateries, and more like the dark soy chilli dipping sauce that accompanies bak kut teh. The sauce had a thick and coarse texture that hugged each cockle nicely, but the taste itself was a little too sweet for my liking.
The garlic sweet and spicy cockles (70% spicy) was sweet too, and wasn't particularly spicy, with a requisite punch of garlic. This was neither good nor bad, but the flavours just didn’t gel very well and each element stood separately from each other like they were fighting for attention.
Jeff's Kitchen – Tongue-numbing and mind-blowing mala cockles
Just one bite of their mala cockles ($15 for 350g shelled) and you can already tell this is a seasoned veteran at work. There’s an affirming depth of flavour and complexity that permeates each of his dishes. The mala sauce is very robust and laced with crunchy fried Sichuan peppercorns that burst with numbing spice.
Lack of flavour is out of the question here as each mouthful just leaves you wanting to jump right back in; I suggest a bowl of rice on the side to mellow out the intensity. I would’ve preferred the cockles slightly less cooked, but since there’s no customisation option, I assume this is entirely up to chef Jeffrey.
Their Teochew cockles ($13 for 350g shelled) is another demonstration of chef Jeffrey’s skill. An overriding flaw I’ve encountered in many cockle dishes from HMEs is an overall lack of balance. Some are too spicy, others too garlicky, and many just fail to find a happy medium between intensity and subtlety.
Cockles Of Your Hearts
It's not often that you find dishes as good as this at a zi char place, and at only $7 too! Lovers of garlic and seafood will fall in love with these cold cockles flavoured with Hua Tiao Chinese wine and vinegar.
As Burppler Dex Neo puts it, "just a quick tug with your chopsticks and you're on your way to Taste Town with its briny, garlicky and chilli flavours."
What are the "cockles of your heart" and why do they need warming?
One of the meanings of "cockle" is the chamber of a kiln: in reference to the heart, it refers to the chambers, of which there are four (two atria and two ventricles).
The heart has always been associated with emotions, especially love, excitement and fear, probably because when we feel a strong emotion we feel our heart thumping and beating faster. So when something "warms the cockles of our heart", it is a reference to something pleasant that makes our heart beat faster and makes us feel good.
It is probably also the origin of the saying that something gives us that "warm and fuzzy feeling".
