Mookata? What's That Ah?
Another month, another dinner gathering with colleagues! This time, someone suggested trying Thai mookata at Savêur Thai, Kaki Bukit.
Aunty: “Mookata? Never tried before leh! Not the same as our steamboat meh?”
Colleague: “Not exactly lah! You can grill your meat and cook your food in soup at the same time!”
Aunty: “Wah! BBQ and steamboat together? Two-in-one special ah?”
Having never tried mookata before, Aunty was rather curious about this Thai-style dining experience.
Well, there's only one way to find out. Come, let's makan!
A Hillside View Without the Climb!
Eh? Aunty came for mookata, but why does this place look like a hillside neighbourhood?
Aunty: “Wah! Got houses on the hill!”
Wall Mural: “Want to climb up and explore, Aunty?”
Aunty: “No need lah! I came here to eat, not to exercise!”
A large black-and-white mural of hillside houses and trees caught Aunty's attention inside the restaurant.
Even before her first mookata experience began, there was already something interesting to kachak!
Aunty's Reading Time!
Enough sightseeing! Time for Aunty to study the menu!
Aunty: “Okay, let's see what they've got!”
Menu: “Take your time, Aunty. Plenty to choose from!”
Aunty: “But first, somebody explain this mookata business to me!”
With the Savêur Thai menu in hand, Aunty was ready to discover what her very first mookata dinner had in store.
Hopefully, there wouldn't be an examination before eating! HAHAHA!
Mookata Skillet — Where's My Soup Base?
Aunty was expecting a steamboat pot, but the waiter brought out something that looks like a bronze UFO! HAHAHA!
And look at those grooves! Like little roads running down a mountain!
Aiyoh! What kind of cooking pot is this? Where did my soup go?!
Aunty: “Err… where's the pot? My soup base leh?”
Mookata Skillet: “Aunty, look carefully! I'm a two-in-one!”
Aunty: “Huh? You mean I grill on the hill and drink soup from the moat?”
Unlike our usual steamboat, the mookata skillet has a raised, ridged centre for grilling meat, with a surrounding trough for cooking ingredients in soup.
Wah! BBQ upstairs, steamboat downstairs! Aunty's first mookata lesson begins! HAHAHA!
Same Ingredients, Different Cooking Method!
The ingredients have arrived!
Aunty: “Eh, these ingredients look just like our normal steamboat leh!”
Colleague: “Yes lah, but this time we grill and boil together!”
Skillet: “Hello! Can somebody start cooking? I'm waiting!”
Two generous platters of meat, seafood, vegetables and other goodies arrived at our table.
Nothing too unfamiliar here, except that Aunty was still busy studying the skillet instead of deciding what to cook first! HAHAHA!
The Condiment Department Is Open!
Aunty: “Wah! You're already preparing your dipping sauce ah?”
Colleague: “Of course lah! Must get the taste just right!”
Chillies: “Hello! Anybody brave enough to try us?”
While Aunty was busy learning how to use the mookata skillet, her colleague was equally occupied with the condiments.
Different people, different priorities — but everyone was getting ready to makan!
Kopi Gao Gao Takes a Night Off!
Aunty was looking for her usual kopi, but someone had other ideas!
Aunty: “Where's my kopi?”
Colleague: “Aiyoh! We're having Thai food! Try something Thai lah!”
Thai Iced Milk Tea: “Hello, Aunty! Tonight I'm replacing your kopi!”
And so, someone ordered a glass of Thai Iced Milk Tea for Aunty.
With its lovely orange colour and plenty of ice, it was a refreshing change from her usual kopi gao gao. One evening only, hor! HAHAHA!
From Mookata Beginner to Head Chef!
Aunty: “Move aside, move aside! I'll cook for you guys!”
Colleague: “Eh, just now you didn't even know how the skillet worked!”
Aunty: “That was just now lah! I've graduated already!”
With the meat sizzling on the raised grill and vegetables bubbling away in the surrounding soup, Aunty happily took over the cooking.
First-time mookata or not, once the food started cooking, Aunty was in her element! HAHAHA!
Green Curry Joins the Party!
Think we're having only mookata tonight? Guess again! Here comes another Thai favourite!
Aunty: “Wah! Still got green curry?”
Green Curry: “Of course lah! You think mookata is the only star tonight?”
Aunty: “Aiyoh! So many dishes! Lucky I came with an empty tummy!”
A pot of creamy-looking Thai green curry joined our already busy dinner table.
Between grilling meat, cooking vegetables and enjoying the other dishes, Aunty certainly had her hands — and tummy — full!
Pandan Chicken — The Case of the Missing Portions!
OI! Who touched the pandan chicken?! Aunty hasn't taken her photo yet leh!
Aunty: “Who took the chicken? Own up!”
Colleague: “Aiyoh, Aunty! We thought you were busy cooking!”
Aunty: “Busy doesn't mean I forgot my photography duties hor!”
While Chef Aunty was busy taming the mookata skillet, someone had already helped themselves to the pandan chicken.
Never mind lah! At least a few pieces survived long enough for Aunty to kachak. HAHAHA!
Seafood Tom Yam — Hands Off First!
No Thai meal is complete without tom yam! This round, everyone voted for the seafood version.
Aunty: “Ahhh! Finally, soup in a proper pot!”
Colleague: “Good! Let me scoop some!”
Aunty: “OI! Put down that ladle! My camera hasn't eaten yet!”
A lovely pot of reddish-orange seafood tom yam arrived, looking wonderfully appetising.
But before anyone could help themselves, Aunty had one important duty to perform — KACHAK FIRST, MAKAN LATER!
Thai Tapioca With Coconut Cream — A Sweet Finale!
Aunty: “Wah! Finally, dessert!”
Tapioca: “Aunty, still got room for me ah?”
Aunty: “Of course lah! Sweet things always have a special place!”
Soft golden tapioca served with creamy coconut sauce made a lovely ending to our first mookata dinner.
From wondering how the strange skillet worked to happily taking charge of the cooking, Aunty certainly enjoyed learning something new while makan!
After all that sizzling and slurping, time for something sweet!
First Mookata Experience — Mission Accomplished!
What started with Aunty scratching her head over a strange-looking skillet ended with her happily taking charge of the cooking!
So, is mookata the same as our usual steamboat? Not quite lah! But grilling and enjoying hot soup together certainly made dinner more interesting.
Another enjoyable monthly gathering with colleagues, filled with good food, laughter and a little cooking adventure.
Would Aunty try mookata again?
OF COURSE LAH! Next time, no need to study the skillet anymore! HAHAHA!
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