Economy rice

Economy rice or economic rice is a type of food or food stall serving many dishes accompanied by rice, commonly found in hawker centres, street vendors or food courts in Malaysia and Singapore. Specifically in Singapore, it is commonly known as cai png, from the Hokkien 菜饭; cài fàn; chhài-pn̄g. In recent times, due to COVID-19 restrictions and its associated economic impact, this concept has also become popular in Hong Kong. Economy rice stalls typically consist of a case containing anywhere from 10 to 15 troughs of cooked dishes, including meat, vegetables, eggs and tofu. Customers select any combination of these dishes, which are served accompanied by a portion of steamed white rice, which sometimes is served with curry slathered on the rice. In Singapore, it is more common to find the food on open troughs kept warm by hot water and an electric heater below. Economy rice is thought of as a predominantly Chinese food; it is roughly analogous to the Malay or Indonesian concept of nasi padang or nasi campur (mixed rice). It is what most Chinese Malaysians and Singaporeans think of when they refer to "home-cooked" food, as it is similar to what would be eaten at home, with rice forming the basis of the meal, accompanied by various cooked dishes. Thus, there is no specific origin for the dish; instead it blends dishes and ingredients from the region they are cooked in.

Source: Wikipedia