Redhill Food Guide

by | Nov 30, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Overview of Redhill’s Culinary Scene

Redhill, nestled within Singapore’s Bukit Merah district, represents an authentic slice of Singaporean hawker culture that has remained relatively undiscovered by tourists. This residential enclave offers a compelling mix of traditional hawker fare and contemporary cafe culture, with prices that remain remarkably affordable despite Singapore’s rising cost of living.

1. Soon Li Yong Tau Foo

Ambience & Experience

Operating from Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre, Soon Li Yong Tau Foo embodies the spirit of Singapore’s late-night supper culture. The stall operates in the early morning hours (midnight to 2:30am), creating a unique atmosphere where insomniacs, night shift workers, and supper enthusiasts converge. The hawker centre setting is utilitarian—fluorescent lighting, plastic stools, and communal tables—but the buzz of midnight conversations and sizzling woks creates an authentic Singaporean experience.

Run by an elderly couple who treat the business as a social activity rather than purely commercial venture, the stall’s irregular opening times add to its charm, though it requires patience from first-time visitors.

Menu Analysis

Signature Dish: Yong Tau Foo (from $7)

Yong Tau Foo is a Hakka Chinese dish consisting of tofu and vegetables stuffed with a meat or fish paste mixture. Soon Li’s version distinguishes itself through its soup base rather than the stuffed items themselves.

Soup Base Composition:

  • Fried ikan bilis (anchovies) – provides umami depth
  • Pork bones – adds richness and body
  • White pepper – creates warming, spicy notes
  • The combination is simmered for hours to extract maximum flavor

Recommended Add-ins:

  • Fresh vegetables for nutritional balance
  • Extra ikan bilis for textural contrast
  • Fresh chilli for heat
  • Preserved vegetables for saltiness

Dish Recipe: Homemade Yong Tau Foo Soup

Ingredients (Serves 4):

For the Soup Base:

  • 50g dried ikan bilis (anchovies)
  • 500g pork bones
  • 2 liters water
  • 1 tablespoon white peppercorns
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • Salt to taste

For the Yong Tau Foo:

  • 8 pieces firm tofu
  • 4 bitter gourd rings
  • 4 eggplant slices
  • 4 chilli peppers, deseeded
  • 200g fish paste (available at Asian grocers)
  • 100g minced pork
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • White pepper to taste

For Serving:

  • Rice noodles or rice
  • Leafy vegetables (chye sim, kai lan)
  • Fried shallots
  • Sambal chilli

Cooking Instructions:

Soup Base Preparation:

  1. Rinse pork bones thoroughly and blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Dry roast ikan bilis in a pan until fragrant (3-4 minutes). Set aside half for garnish, use half for soup.
  3. In a large pot, combine pork bones, half the ikan bilis, white peppercorns, and garlic with 2 liters of water.
  4. Bring to boil, then reduce to low simmer for 2-3 hours, skimming impurities regularly.
  5. Strain the soup, season with salt and additional white pepper to taste.

Yong Tau Foo Preparation:

  1. Mix fish paste, minced pork, cornstarch, sesame oil, and white pepper in a bowl. Mix vigorously in one direction until sticky (about 5 minutes).
  2. Cut tofu into triangular pieces and carefully hollow out a small cavity.
  3. Stuff tofu, bitter gourd, eggplant, and chilli with the fish paste mixture.
  4. Heat oil in a pan and fry the stuffed items until golden (about 3 minutes each side). Alternatively, steam for a healthier version (8-10 minutes).

Assembly:

  1. Bring soup base to a boil.
  2. Blanch vegetables and noodles in the soup.
  3. Place cooked noodles, vegetables, and yong tau foo pieces in serving bowl.
  4. Ladle hot soup over the ingredients.
  5. Garnish with fried ikan bilis, fried shallots, and serve with sambal chilli on the side.

Pro Tips:

  • The key to flavorful soup is long, slow simmering—don’t rush this step
  • Keep fish paste mixture cold before stuffing to maintain consistency
  • Frying before adding to soup creates better texture and prevents paste from falling apart

Delivery Options

As a traditional hawker stall, Soon Li Yong Tau Foo doesn’t offer official delivery services. However, you may find it available on:

  • GrabFood (availability varies)
  • Foodpanda (limited hours)
  • Third-party delivery services in the area

Note: Late-night delivery may be challenging given the stall’s 12am-2:30am operating hours.

2. Ye Shang Hai Teochew Porridge

Ambience & Experience

Located at a coffee shop in Jalan Bukit Merah, Ye Shang Hai operates from early morning to late night (6am-3am), making it one of the most accessible options for any meal. The setting is quintessentially Singaporean kopitiam—ceiling fans, marble tables, wooden chairs, and the constant hum of conversation in multiple dialects.

Teochew porridge culture emphasizes communal dining, with dishes laid out across the table for sharing. The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious, attracting families, elderly residents, and workers seeking affordable, comforting meals.

Menu Analysis

Pricing Structure:

  • 1 vegetable + 1 meat: $2.20
  • 2 vegetables + 2 meats: $3.30
  • Over 50 dishes available

Signature Dishes:

1. Braised Pork Belly The pork belly is cooked low and slow in a master braising sauce containing soy sauce, rock sugar, star anise, cinnamon, and Shaoxing wine. The result is melt-in-your-mouth tender meat with layers of fat that have rendered down, creating a rich, slightly sweet profile.

2. Teochew Braised Duck Prepared in a similar braising liquid, the duck absorbs aromatic spices while maintaining its distinctive gamey flavor. The meat should fall off the bone easily, and the skin develops a beautiful mahogany color.

3. Fried Chicken Feet A textural delicacy that’s crispy on the outside while remaining gelatinous inside. The high collagen content makes this a sought-after dish for its unique mouthfeel.

Recipe: Teochew Style Porridge with Braised Pork Belly

Ingredients (Serves 4-6):

For the Porridge:

  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 10 cups water or chicken stock
  • 1-inch ginger, sliced
  • Salt to taste

For Braised Pork Belly:

  • 800g pork belly, cut into 3cm cubes
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 slices ginger
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 2 tablespoons rock sugar
  • 500ml water
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs (optional)

Side Dishes:

  • Stir-fried vegetables (any leafy greens)
  • Salted vegetables
  • Fried peanuts
  • Preserved radish (chai poh)

Cooking Instructions:

Teochew Porridge:

  1. Rinse rice until water runs clear.
  2. In a large pot, bring water or stock to boil with ginger slices.
  3. Add rice and return to boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  4. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 45-60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
  5. The porridge should be watery with clearly separated rice grains (not congee-like).
  6. Season with salt to taste.

Braised Pork Belly:

  1. Blanch pork belly in boiling water for 5 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a heavy pot or wok over medium-high heat.
  3. Add garlic and ginger, stir-fry until fragrant (30 seconds).
  4. Add pork belly and sear on all sides until lightly browned (5 minutes).
  5. Add star anise and cinnamon stick, stir-fry for 1 minute.
  6. Pour in both soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, and add rock sugar.
  7. Add water until pork is just covered.
  8. Bring to boil, then reduce to low simmer.
  9. Cover and braise for 1.5-2 hours until pork is tender, stirring occasionally.
  10. Add hard-boiled eggs in the last 30 minutes if using.
  11. Remove lid and increase heat to reduce sauce until thick and glossy.

Stir-fried Vegetables:

  1. Heat oil in wok until smoking.
  2. Add garlic and stir-fry for 10 seconds.
  3. Add vegetables and stir-fry rapidly for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Season with salt or oyster sauce.

Serving: Serve hot porridge in individual bowls. Arrange all side dishes on plates in the center of the table. Diners help themselves to various dishes, eating them alongside spoonfuls of porridge.

Pro Tips:

  • Keep porridge consistency thin—Teochew style is not thick like Cantonese congee
  • Make braised pork belly a day ahead; flavors deepen overnight
  • The braising liquid becomes more flavorful with each use (master stock)
  • Balance rich dishes with light vegetables and pickles

Delivery Options

  • Available on GrabFood and Foodpanda
  • Long operating hours (6am-3am) make delivery timing flexible
  • Porridge may arrive slightly thicker than dine-in version due to continued cooking
  • Side dishes travel well in separate containers

3. Rong Xing La Mian Xiao Long Bao

Ambience & Experience

Situated in Redhill Lane Block 85 Food Centre, Rong Xing operates from a no-frills hawker stall with minimal seating. The focus is squarely on the food rather than ambience. During peak hours, expect queues of 15-20 minutes, though service moves efficiently. The open kitchen allows diners to watch xiao long bao being steamed in traditional bamboo baskets.

Menu Analysis

Signature Items:

1. Xiao Long Bao – $4.50 (8 pieces) At nearly 70% cheaper than Din Tai Fung, these soup dumplings offer exceptional value. The key quality indicators:

  • Thin, translucent skin (under 1mm thick)
  • Minimum 18 pleats on top
  • Hot, flavorful soup filling
  • Balanced meat-to-soup ratio

2. Dan Dan Mian – $4 Sichuan-style noodles featuring:

  • Hand-pulled noodles with excellent texture
  • Spicy sesame-based sauce
  • Minced pork topping
  • Crushed peanuts for crunch
  • Sichuan peppercorns for numbing sensation (ma la)

3. Red Bean Pancake – $3.80 A sweet conclusion featuring crispy exterior and smooth red bean paste filling.

Recipe: Homemade Xiao Long Bao

Ingredients (Makes 24 dumplings):

For the Dough:

  • 300g all-purpose flour
  • 150ml warm water
  • Pinch of salt

For the Meat Filling:

  • 300g ground pork (with some fat content, 80/20 ratio)
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 teaspoons grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions

For the Soup Gelatin:

  • 500g pork skin or 2 pig trotters
  • 1.5 liters water
  • 2 slices ginger
  • 2 spring onions
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

For Dipping Sauce:

  • Black vinegar
  • Fresh ginger, julienned

Cooking Instructions:

Making Soup Gelatin (Prepare 1 day ahead):

  1. Clean pork skin thoroughly, removing any hair or impurities.
  2. Blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes, then rinse.
  3. In a pot, combine pork skin, water, ginger, spring onions, and wine.
  4. Bring to boil, then simmer for 3-4 hours until liquid is reduced by half.
  5. Strain the liquid into a container and refrigerate overnight until solidified into gelatin.
  6. Cut gelatin into small cubes (0.5cm).

Making the Dough:

  1. Mix flour and salt in a bowl.
  2. Gradually add warm water while mixing with chopsticks.
  3. Once shaggy dough forms, knead by hand for 10 minutes until smooth.
  4. Cover with damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.

Making the Filling:

  1. In a bowl, combine ground pork with all seasoning ingredients.
  2. Mix vigorously in one direction for 5 minutes until sticky.
  3. Gently fold in soup gelatin cubes. Keep mixture cold.

Wrapping:

  1. Divide dough into 24 equal portions.
  2. Roll each portion into thin circles (8cm diameter), keeping edges thinner than center.
  3. Place 1 tablespoon filling in center.
  4. Pleat wrapper in one direction, making 18+ pleats, pinching firmly at top.
  5. Place finished dumplings on parchment paper in bamboo steamer.

Steaming:

  1. Bring water to rolling boil in wok or pot.
  2. Place bamboo steamer over boiling water.
  3. Steam for 8-10 minutes until wrapper becomes translucent.
  4. Serve immediately.

Eating Instructions:

  1. Carefully pick up dumpling with chopsticks by the pleated top.
  2. Place in soup spoon.
  3. Nibble a small hole in the wrapper.
  4. Suck out hot soup carefully.
  5. Dip dumpling in vinegar-ginger sauce.
  6. Eat in one or two bites.

Pro Tips:

  • The soup gelatin is critical—don’t skip this step
  • Keep filling cold to prevent gelatin from melting
  • Practice pleating technique; more pleats = better seal
  • Steam over high heat to ensure skin sets quickly
  • Serve immediately; dumplings break down after 5 minutes

Delivery Options

  • Available on GrabFood and Foodpanda
  • Xiao long bao quality deteriorates during delivery
  • Best consumed within 15 minutes of steaming
  • Request extra parchment paper to prevent sticking
  • Hand-pulled noodles may clump during transport

4. Yan Fried Bee Hoon and Chicken Wings

Ambience & Experience

This humble stall gained fame after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was photographed queuing here, demonstrating the democratic appeal of good hawker food. The stall operates with incredible efficiency, serving hundreds of plates during lunch hours. Seating is at shared tables in the hawker centre, with minimal frills.

Menu Analysis

Signature Items:

1. Fried Bee Hoon – $0.60 At this price point, it’s one of Singapore’s most affordable meals. The bee hoon (rice vermicelli) is:

  • Light and non-greasy
  • Wok-fried with vegetables
  • Non-clumpy texture
  • Subtle seasoning

2. Chicken Wings – $1.30 The real star of the show:

  • Freshly fried to order
  • Crispy, golden exterior
  • Well-marinated throughout
  • Juicy meat
  • Five-spice and soy-based marinade

Recipe: Singaporean Fried Chicken Wings

Ingredients (Serves 4):

For the Marinade:

  • 12 chicken mid-wings
  • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons five-spice powder
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-inch ginger, grated
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

For Frying:

  • Vegetable oil for deep frying
  • Additional cornstarch for coating

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Clean and pat dry chicken wings thoroughly.
  2. In a large bowl, combine all marinade ingredients except cornstarch.
  3. Add chicken wings and massage marinade into meat.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  5. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before frying.
  6. Add cornstarch to marinated wings and mix well.
  7. Heat oil to 180°C (350°F) in a wok or deep pot.
  8. Lightly coat wings with additional cornstarch.
  9. Fry wings in batches of 4-5 for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
  10. Remove and drain on paper towels.
  11. Increase oil temperature to 190°C (375°F).
  12. Fry wings again for 2-3 minutes for extra crispiness.
  13. Serve immediately while hot.

For Fried Bee Hoon:

Ingredients:

  • 400g rice vermicelli (bee hoon), soaked in water for 10 minutes
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • 100g cabbage, shredded
  • 100g bean sprouts
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • Salt and white pepper to taste
  • Spring onions for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Drain soaked bee hoon thoroughly.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in wok over high heat.
  3. Scramble eggs, remove and set aside.
  4. Add remaining oil and stir-fry garlic until fragrant.
  5. Add carrot and cabbage, stir-fry for 2 minutes.
  6. Add bee hoon and stir-fry, adding both soy sauces.
  7. Continue stir-frying for 3-4 minutes, breaking up clumps.
  8. Add bean sprouts and scrambled eggs.
  9. Season with salt and white pepper.
  10. Garnish with spring onions and serve.

Pro Tips:

  • Double-frying creates maximum crispiness
  • Don’t overcrowd the wok when frying
  • Maintain oil temperature for consistent results
  • Serve wings with sweet chili sauce or eat plain

Delivery Options

  • Available on major delivery platforms
  • Fried items may lose crispiness during delivery
  • Request delivery during off-peak hours for fresher food
  • Consider reheating in oven or air fryer upon arrival

5. 71 Lor Mee

Ambience & Experience

Operating from Bukit Merah View Hawker Centre since the 1970s, this stall represents legacy hawker traditions. The elderly owners maintain consistent quality and taste that has attracted generations of loyal customers. Morning hours see retirees gathering for breakfast, while lunch brings office workers from nearby industrial areas.

Menu Analysis

Signature Dish: Lor Mee – $2.50

Lor mee is a Hokkien dish featuring thick, flat yellow noodles in starchy gravy. The 71 Lor Mee version distinguishes itself through:

Gravy Characteristics:

  • Thick but not overly starchy
  • Dark brown color from braising sauce
  • Pork bone stock base
  • Balance of savory, sweet, and umami
  • Crispy pork lard bits mixed in

Toppings:

  • Fishcake slices
  • Wu xiang (five-spice meat roll)
  • Fried fish pieces
  • Hard-boiled egg
  • Braised pork
  • Bean sprouts

Recipe: Authentic Lor Mee

Ingredients (Serves 4):

For the Gravy:

  • 1.5 liters pork bone stock
  • 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 100ml water
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 50g crispy pork lard (optional)

For the Toppings:

  • 400g flat yellow noodles (mee pok)
  • 200g fishcake, sliced
  • 4 pieces wu xiang or ngor hiang
  • 200g braised pork belly
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
  • 100g bean sprouts, blanched
  • Fried fish pieces (optional)

For Serving:

  • Black vinegar
  • Minced garlic
  • Fresh chili

Cooking Instructions:

Making the Gravy:

  1. Bring pork bone stock to boil in a large pot.
  2. Add dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.
  3. Add minced garlic and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Slowly pour in cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly.
  5. Continue stirring until gravy reaches desired thickness (should coat a spoon).
  6. Slowly drizzle beaten eggs while stirring to create egg ribbons.
  7. Add crispy pork lard bits if using.
  8. Keep gravy warm on low heat.

Preparing Components:

  1. Blanch yellow noodles in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain.
  2. Blanch bean sprouts briefly, set aside.
  3. Slice fishcake thinly.
  4. Deep fry wu xiang until crispy, slice.
  5. Slice braised pork belly.
  6. Have all components ready for assembly.

Assembly:

  1. Place blanched noodles in serving bowl.
  2. Arrange fishcake, wu xiang, braised pork, egg, and bean sprouts on top.
  3. Ladle hot gravy over everything.
  4. Add crispy pork lard on top.
  5. Serve with small dishes of black vinegar, minced garlic, and chili.

Pro Tips:

  • Make pork bone stock from scratch for best flavor (simmer for 3-4 hours)
  • Adjust cornstarch amount for preferred consistency
  • Add cornstarch slurry gradually to avoid lumps
  • Gravy should be thick enough to coat noodles but not gluey
  • Black vinegar is essential—it cuts through the richness

Delivery Options

  • Limited delivery availability through third-party platforms
  • Early morning/lunch hours only
  • Gravy may separate during transport; stir well before eating
  • Best consumed immediately as noodles continue absorbing gravy

6. Fu Ming Cooked Food (Carrot Cake)

Ambience & Experience

Fu Ming operates during afternoon and late-night hours (3pm-1am), serving late workers, post-dinner crowds, and supper enthusiasts. The stall is one of the few remaining that still steams their own carrot cake rather than using factory-made versions, making it a repository of traditional hawker craftsmanship.

Menu Analysis

Signature Dish: Carrot Cake (from $3)

Despite its name, carrot cake (chai tow kway) contains no carrots—it’s made from radish. Two versions are available:

White Carrot Cake:

  • Crispy fried radish cake cubes
  • Eggs scrambled in
  • Preserved radish (chai poh) for saltiness
  • Fish sauce for umami
  • Distinct wok hei (breath of wok) flavor

Black Carrot Cake:

  • Same base as white version
  • Sweet dark soy sauce added twice during cooking
  • Darker color and richer flavor
  • Slightly caramelized taste from the sauce

The key differentiator is homemade radish cake with large, soft chunks of radish throughout.

Recipe: Homemade Fried Carrot Cake (Chai Tow Kway)

Ingredients (Serves 4-6):

For Steamed Radish Cake:

  • 800g white radish (daikon), peeled and grated
  • 200g rice flour
  • 50g cornstarch
  • 30g wheat starch
  • 800ml water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons oil

For Frying:

  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons preserved radish (chai poh), chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • White pepper to taste
  • Spring onions, chopped

For Black Version:

  • 3 tablespoons sweet dark soy sauce

Cooking Instructions:

Making Radish Cake (Prepare 1 day ahead):

  1. Grate radish coarsely (leave some chunks for texture).
  2. In a pot, heat grated radish with 400ml water.
  3. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes until radish is soft.
  4. In a bowl, mix rice flour, cornstarch, wheat starch with remaining 400ml water.
  5. Add flour mixture to cooked radish, stirring constantly.
  6. Add salt, pepper, and oil. Mix well.
  7. The mixture should be thick and paste-like.
  8. Pour into greased steaming tray (9×13 inch).
  9. Steam over high heat for 40-45 minutes until set.
  10. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.
  11. Cut into 2cm cubes.

Making White Carrot Cake:

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in flat wok over high heat until smoking.
  2. Add radish cake cubes and fry without stirring for 3-4 minutes until crispy.
  3. Flip and fry other side for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Push cake to side, add 1 tablespoon oil.
  5. Add garlic and fry until fragrant (30 seconds).
  6. Add chai poh and stir-fry for 1 minute.
  7. Push to side, add remaining oil and beaten eggs.
  8. When eggs start to set, break up and mix with radish cake.
  9. Season with fish sauce and white pepper.
  10. Continue stir-frying until eggs are cooked and everything is well mixed.
  11. The cake pieces should have crispy edges.
  12. Garnish with spring onions and serve hot.

Making Black Carrot Cake: Follow same steps as white version, but:

  1. Add 1 tablespoon sweet dark soy sauce after adding eggs.
  2. Mix well until everything is coated.
  3. Continue cooking for 2 minutes.
  4. Add another 2 tablespoons sweet dark soy sauce.
  5. Mix thoroughly and cook for 1 more minute.
  6. The mixture should be dark and slightly caramelized.

Pro Tips:

  • Steaming radish cake a day ahead improves texture
  • Use a flat wok or griddle for maximum surface contact
  • High heat is crucial for achieving wok hei
  • Don’t over-stir; let cake develop crispy surfaces
  • Sweet dark soy sauce differs from regular dark soy—it contains molasses

Delivery Options

  • Available on delivery platforms with limited hours
  • Quality deteriorates significantly during delivery
  • Carrot cake loses crispiness when packaged
  • Best consumed fresh from the wok
  • Not recommended for delivery

7. Hock Shun Traditional Homemade Curry

Ambience & Experience

Hock Shun specializes in traditional Singaporean curry served in claypots that retain heat and intensify flavors. The stall operates in an old-school coffee shop environment where the aroma of curry fills the air. The claypot presentation adds a rustic, homely touch that elevates the humble hawker experience.

Menu Analysis

Signature Dishes:

1. Claypot Curry Chicken Wings – $4

  • Two large chicken wings
  • Potatoes cooked until soft
  • Mild, coconut milk-based curry
  • Choice of rice or bread
  • The claypot keeps everything piping hot

2. Claypot Fish Curry – $5.50

  • Fresh fish (usually batang or ikan tenggiri)
  • Assam (tamarind) curry base
  • Reddish hue from chili and tomatoes
  • Lady’s fingers (okra) and tomatoes
  • Tangy, spicy, and complex flavor profile

The assam curry is particularly noteworthy for its balance of sour, spicy, and savory notes.

Recipe: Singaporean Fish Curry (Assam Fish Curry)

Ingredients (Serves 4):

For the Spice Paste:

  • 8 dried chilies, soaked
  • 5 fresh red chilies
  • 4 shallots
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1-inch galangal
  • 1-inch turmeric (or 1 tsp powder)
  • 2 stalks lemongrass (white part only)
  • 1 teaspoon belacan (shrimp paste)

For the Curry:

  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 600g firm white fish (Spanish mackerel, snapper), cut into steaks
  • 2 tomatoes, quartered
  • 8 lady’s fingers (okra)
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 3 tablespoons tamarind paste mixed with 100ml water
  • 400ml water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 sprigs curry leaves

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Blend all spice paste ingredients with a little water until smooth.
  2. Heat oil in claypot or heavy pot over medium heat.
  3. Fry spice paste for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and oil separates.
  4. Add curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds.
  5. Add onion and cook until softened (3 minutes).
  6. Pour in tamarind water and regular water.
  7. Add sugar and salt, stir well.
  8. Bring to gentle boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
  9. Add tomatoes and lady’s fingers, cook for 5 minutes.
  10. Gently slide fish pieces into curry.
  11. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until fish is cooked.
  12. Avoid stirring too much to keep fish intact.
  13. Taste and adjust seasoning—balance sour, spicy, and sweet.
  14. Serve hot in claypot with steamed rice or bread.

For Curry Chicken Wings:

Ingredients:

  • 8 chicken wings
  • 3 tablespoons curry powder (mixed with water to form paste)
  • 400ml coconut milk
  • 3 potatoes, cubed
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-inch ginger, minced
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • Salt and sugar to taste
  • Curry leaves

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in claypot.
  2. Fry onions, garlic, and ginger until fragrant.
  3. Add curry paste and fry for 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add chicken wings and coat with curry.
  5. Pour in coconut milk and enough water to cover.
  6. Add potatoes