75 China Street Peanuts Soup: Traditional hot dessert bowls with the perfect sweetness; perfect anytime, any day
We stepped into Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown and were greeted by 3 ginormous stewing pots of deep-coloured traditional dessert soups. 75 China Street Peanuts Soup stands tall at this popular hawker market that attracts both locals and tourists looking for a taste of Singapore.
What I tried at 75 China Street Peanuts Soup
The most unassuming bowl in comparison to the other 2 soups, the Peanut Soup is what I tried (S$1.40) last but I chose to mention it first.
We were referred to the newspaper posts that the stall owner had pasted on his wall. After reading the description of how an ideal peanut soup should taste, I appreciated the dish more.
The tricky part is achieving a melt-in-your-mouth peanut texture while ensuring that every nut is kept whole. The chef must also ensure that not too much sugar is used to obtain an almost milky-coloured broth with a subtle sweetness.
These steps were executed perfectly by the stall owner. I was content that I chose the light creamy soup to hold the glutinous rice balls. Within seconds, I found myself downing its contents.
We added a serving of Glutinous Rice Balls (S$0.60), which came in shades of white and pink. My guesses were accurate — white signified black sesame filling while pink ones were filled with grainy peanut paste.
The rice balls were chewy and, surprisingly, not overcooked. I can tell that simplicity is the key trait here. Although no other fancy flavours were available, the nutty flavours paired well with the mellow peanut soup.
My second favourite soup was the Red Bean Soup (S$1.40). With a significantly thicker consistency as compared to the Peanut Soup, the soup base was richer with a full-bodied flavour.
The inclusion of a myriad of nuts helped cut through the thickness of the soup and introduced textures to each bite. I also could not help but think that adding some plain mini glutinous rice balls without fillings would contrast well with the crunchy nuts.
The most familiar dish to me was the Tau Suan (S$1.40). Visually, it wore a lighter yellow tone than most renditions I’ve seen elsewhere. Otherwise, the image of countless split mung beans floating within the stick sugar reduction and you tiao resting at the very top was maintained.
The split mung beans were slightly crunchy but cooked through. Due to the usage of lesser sugar in his dessert recipes, one may find satisfaction in finishing off the dessert without dealing with a sugar rush later.
Final thoughts
I felt rather foolish for only realising that the brand name included ‘peanuts soup’ as I was writing this article! If only I could bottle this golden liquid up and consume it on a daily basis.
After having tried all 3 soups now, I am wondering how the constantly-heated pots did not overcook the contents within or burn the soup. All the ingredients added to each soup base I tried also retained firmness and did not turn mushy at all.
The use of lesser sugar in all 3 soup bases also resulted in a light and comforting dessert. Depending on your taste buds and what you are craving during your visit, I assure you that all 3 options will be bound to please you. In fact, you may even return for a second bowl!
Expected damage: S$1.60 – S$2 per pax
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