Recreate brunch at home with Mei Mei’s delicious south-east Asian cuisine

With London going back into tier three, eat-in brunch has been cleared from a table that had barely been laid. But the good news is that you can take your piping coffee to go, because many of the best culinary minds in the capital are offering up kits and products that enable you to plate up at home. And there’s even better news: among those delivering nationwide is Mei Mei founder Elizabeth Haigh. The Singaporean-born chef has made it possible to recreate some of the dishes from her Borough Market kitchen, offering up spicy south-east Asian comfort food to keep you warm this winter.

If you’re not familiar with Singaporean, Malaysian or Indonesian cuisine, this is the perfect introduction. If you are familiar, you’ll know why it’s worth getting your chopsticks ready. Though you might not get the same bustle of central London, Mei Mei’s brunch menu is the perfect food to enjoy in your pyjamas. We particularly recommend cooking up your own version of Haigh’s impossibly indulgent kaya toast: simply serve up some buttery toast with the chef’s delicious signature kaya caramel coconut jam. Then wake yourself up with an iced coffee or iced tea, both made using condensed milk for a sugar hit and drinkable hot or cold.

If you’re more of a savoury person, you can also get your hands on Mei Mei’s Sambal Chilli Paste, infused with intense shrimp flavour and finishing with a hefty kick. Or even better, you can order it as part of one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, the Nasi Lemak meal kit. This goodie box is comprised of premeasured rice, coconut milk, roasted peanuts, cucumber, Mei Mei sambal and Ikan Bilis (fried salted anchovies); with a meat, vegetarian and vegan option available. Simply add your own fried egg on top – we also recommend it alongside deep-fried chicken if you’re a meat-eater. Alternatively, opt for a creamy Sayur Lemak curry kit with tofu, and for the perfect balance pair it with some acidic achar pickled vegetables. Whatever you choose, there’s no better way to wake up at the weekend.

Rosamund Kelby
Photos: Rosamund Kelby/Azhul Mohamed

Mei Mei is at Borough Market, Unit 52 Rochester Walk London SE1 9AF. To discover the whole range, visit the Mei Mei online shop. All kits are wrapped in sustainable and reusable packaging to remain cool for a maximum of 48 hours. All deliveries will be dispatched every Wednesday so get your order in by Tuesday 9pm for delivery Thursday. See T&C for shipping policy.