Nanyang Breakfast 南洋早餐

Singapore

新加坡

Introducing the traditional breakfast of the Nanyang people.

介绍南洋人的传统早餐。

The Nanyang people in this article refers to Singaporeans and Malaysians.

本文南洋人指的是新加坡人及马来西亚人。

Typical Nanyang breakfast includes toast (spread of kaya plus a small piece of butter), soft-boiled eggs, coffee or tea.

典型南洋早餐包括烤面包（搽一层咖椰再夹一小片牛油）、半生熟鸡蛋、咖啡或茶。

Puzzled why the Nanyang traditional breakfast has toast since bread has never been the staple food of the Chinese?

困惑吧，面包从来都不是华人的主食；那为什么南洋人的传统早餐里又有面包呢？

Early Hainanese immigrants from China moved southward to earn a living as waiter on board or chef for Westerners or Westernised Paranakan families.

早期从中国南下讨生活的海南移民，因为“跑船”在船上当侍应生或在洋人和西化的土生华人家庭当厨师。

They modified the Western-style food into Nanyang taste.

他们将西式的饮食料理改良成南洋口味。

Through the Hainanese coffee shop, they convert the Western breakfast into Chinese style and popularised it.

他们通过海南咖啡店将洋人的早餐转型为中式料理并加以普及化。

The Hainanese coffee shops were originated in the last century 20's to 30's.

海南咖啡店起源于上世纪20至30年代。

After the end of World War II, some coffee shop owners gave up their businesses and went back China.

二战结束后，好些咖啡店业主放弃业务回去家乡。

In the end, the Hainanese coffee shops were gradually replaced by the Fuzhou people.

最后，那些海南咖啡店才逐渐由福州人取代。

For newcomers, here is how you eat the traditional Nanyang breakfast.

新客们，教你们怎么吃南洋传统早餐。

Put the soft-boiled eggs into the plate then add black soy sauce and pepper to season.

把半生熟鸡蛋打开放进碟子里，再以黑酱油和胡椒粉来调味。

As for the toast, you can eat it with coffee or tea and with the soft-boiled eggs.

至于烤面包，你可以一口烤面包，一口咖啡或茶再一口半生熟鸡蛋。

Or dip the toast either into the soft-boiled eggs or coffee or tea.

或将烤面包沾点半生熟鸡蛋或咖啡或茶来吃。

Or dip the toast into the soft-boiled eggs and mix with coffee or tea.

或将烤面包沾点半生熟鸡蛋和咖啡或茶混着来吃。

Because the eggs are soft-boiled, so strictly speaking it should be "drink" eggs rather than "eat" eggs.

因为鸡蛋是半生熟，严格来说应该是“喝”鸡蛋多过“吃”鸡蛋。

After "drinking" the eggs, pour coffee or tea into the plate; it is to cool the drinks and not to miss the residual stain of the eggs.

“喝”鸡蛋过后，把咖啡或茶倒在盛半生熟蛋的碟中；一来容易散热，二来连鸡蛋的残渍都不错过。

Reason being that in the olden days, life was hard and egg was considered as tonic, so of course not to waste even the slightest residual stain.

原因是旧时候生活困苦，鸡蛋被当成是补品所以当然不能浪费，一定要吸个精光。

Having said that, the taste of the mixture of soft-boiled eggs and coffee or tea is indeed a great enjoyment of life.

话说回来，那半生熟鸡蛋的余香和咖啡或茶一起喝进肚子里也是人生一大享受。

Remember when stirring the coffee or tea, be sure to use the teaspoon to lightly "hit" against the cup to make that "tinkling" sound; it will make it more nostalgic.

记得在搅拌咖啡或茶时，一定要用茶匙轻“撞击”杯子并发出“叮叮叮”的声响；这样才够古早味。

After breakfast, let's learn how the Nanyang people use their local language to order coffee or tea:

吃完早餐，大家来学习南洋人是怎么用本土语言来点咖啡或茶：

Coffee with milk / 咖啡加奶：Kopi                                         Tea with milk / 茶加奶：Teh

Coffee with sugar / 咖啡加糖：Kopi-O                                   Tea with sugar / 茶加糖：Teh-O

Thick coffee with sugar / 浓咖啡加糖：Kopi-O-Gao               Thick tea with sugar / 浓茶加糖：Teh-O-Gao

Coffee with less sugar / 咖啡加少糖：Kopi-O-Xiu-Dai            Tea with less sugar / 茶加少糖：Teh-O-Xiu-Dai

Coffee with more sugar / 咖啡加多糖：Kopi-O-Ka-Dai           Tea with more sugar / 茶加多糖：Teh-O-Ka-Dai

Coffee with evaporated milk / 咖啡加淡奶：Kopi-C                Tea with evaporated milk / 茶加淡奶：Teh-C

Black Coffee / 咖啡不加奶和糖：Kopi-O-Kosong                    Black Tea / 茶不加奶和糖：Teh-O-Kosong

Remember the next time you visit Singapore or Malaysia, must try the Nanyang taste.

记得下次来新加坡或马来西亚时，一定要尝一下南洋滋味。