Copper Chimney: Delicious ‘Chindian’ food delivered to your door in Singapore

Love Indian food but can’t really be bothered to zip down to Little India every time a craving for Chicken Tikka Masala and garlic Naan hits? We hear you loud and clear, mama! If only Little India was available for home delivery!

Welcome to Copper Chimney, which not only delivers your favourite North Indian dishes, but also brings you authentic ‘Chindian’ (read: Chinese Indian) cuisine. If you’ve ever had Chinese food in India, you’ll realise it’s very different to the Chinese food you’re used to in Singapore. This authentic Indian-Chinese mix is what Copper Chimney is all about – and being Indian to a varying degree, that suited me just fine!

Yes, you may have seen several Copper Chimney outlets all over town and in several food courts as well (I’ve noticed the one at Great World City is extremely popular at lunchtime with the Indian community, so you know it must be good!). The chain is not new, but did you know that they do home delivery? Got your attention now? We decided to take on their home delivery service and see if the food could stand up to the challenge of a short travel across town. And disappointed we were not! The food arrived right on cue, and was still hot as we dug into it.

The menu is extremely comprehensive, what with an extensive selection of both Chindian Specialties and North Indian delights. Manchurians and Momos (also known as Nepalese dumplings) may be the more well-known Chindian staples, but we decided to go with the equally popular Salt and Pepper Baby Corn ($9), which was stir-fried with a healthy dose of garlic, fiery peppers and soya sauce. Though they still tasted great, I did miss the crunch factor that usually accompanies this dish; no doubt lost because of delivery time, rather than being devoured immediately after frying. Still, I think it’s a definite must-try.

Another signature Chindian speciality was the Chicken Lollipop ($9), a frenched chicken leg fried in crisp batter with a lollipop appearance, served with a spicy Szechuan sauce on the side. My kids especially liked this one – I think anything that has the word lollipop in it wins hands down. Plus it’s easy to pick up and eat, no matter your age.

If you’re in the mood for good ol’tandoori, opt for the mixed Sizzling Tandoori platter for two ($15 for veg and $20 for meat). Or go for the soft, boneless Chicken Malai Tikka ($12), which is marinated in cream, ginger and garlic, perfectly spiced even for little kids. In fact, Copper Chimney was more than happy to accommodate our requests for mild-medium spiced dishes, and less oily versions of normal Indian food, so you don’t have to worry about the calorie count at this home delivery meal with generous portions.

Ready for mains? There’s a wide variety of both vegetarian and meaty options from both sets of cuisine, which can be mixed and matched quite easily. We paired the signature Fish Tikka Masala ($12.50), with firm chunks of fresh fish in an awesome tandoori sauce, with Vegetable Biryani ($9) and Chili Garlic Noodles ($11) – you definitely won’t find these sorts of noodles anywhere in a local Chinese restaurant in town – with a side of Garlic Naan and Roomali Roti (literally translated to being as large and as thin as a handkerchief). Both breads price at $3.50 each.

Finally, dessert time! You can go for the quintessential Gulab Jamun (deep fried milk-solid balls soaked in a sugar syrup) of course, but when was the last time you had a Lychee Kulfi ($7)? Simply known as a creamy ice-cream, kulfi is best done in a traditional pistachio, but this was our first time trying out a lychee twist – it works quite well! And it was delivered perfectly frozen, too!

How to order home delivery? Easy. Copper Chimney works with both Food Panda (or call 658 YUMMY) and Gourmet To Go (call 6352 2622).

Ordering online is as simple as it looks and delivery times vary from 30-45 mins depending on your location – that just means you’ve made room for an extra half an hour of leisure in your day! In my book, kicking back and getting home delivery certainly beats driving into traffic any day. I’m sure you’d agree.

Bon Appétit Mama!

Copper Chimney has multiple locations around the island, www.copperchimney.com.sg