Nanyang Sand Ginger Steam Chicken is Good

I recently spotted Nanyang Sand Ginger Steam Chicken (which operates from within the food court in Puteri Mart Puchong) on my food delivery app and decided to give it a try. It turned out to be a great find. The chicken was impressively tender and packed with flavor, while the liver was also lovely—perfectly prepared and notably not powdery in texture.

The soul of this dish lies in the use of sand ginger (also known as cekur or kencur), a rhizome that belongs to the ginger family but possesses a completely distinct profile. Unlike common ginger, sand ginger has a more intense, earthy, and peppery aroma with slightly floral undertones. In Nanyang-style cooking, it is often finely minced and infused into oils or condiments to provide a sophisticated, aromatic depth that pairs beautifully with the natural sweetness of steamed poultry. And you can see that clearly from the picture below.

The true highlight of the experience was the sand ginger and chili condiment that accompanied the chicken. It was easily the best part of the dish and completely tied the entire meal together.

I initially ordered garlic tofu with my meal but they ran out of it. They contacted me and asked if they could replace it with braised eggs instead.