Famous Duck Rice With 44-Year-Old Braise In Geylang
Sia Kee Duck Rice has famous braised duck rice since 1979
Sia Kee was founded in 1979 by Oh Kim Seng, after gathering over a decade of experience at a Teochew braised duck stall. He quickly made a name for himself, as you’ll find via old newspaper articles carefully printed out and pasted on the stall’s glass window, showing the retired master at work. These days, the famous stall is run by his sons Albert, Lawrence, and Ron, who themselves have their own newspaper feature on display alongside their father’s.
As a side note, you might find the stall’s name being listed as Sean Kee Duck Rice online and on their storefront━the brothers joked that this was the stall’s Christian name, with Sia Kee being the pronunciation of the stall’s name in dialect. Believe it or not, the brothers say that Sia Kee’s sauce dates all the way back to the stall’s very beginning, when their father stewed it in a large clay urn over charcoal fire, topping up the master sauce with more herbs and water when the pot ran low. If you didn’t know, the more a sauce is cooked and used, the richer it becomes.
Sia Kee’s sauce has been cooking for 44 years, which is impressive but also begs the question if there’s even an iota of the original sauce left in the brother’s cauldron. My first thought upon tasting it was that the braise would definitely make you believe you had just ingested the essence of a 44-year-old sauce. It’s incredibly savoury, with a more complex and strongly herbal flavour as compared to other plates of duck rice I’ve had, but I also felt that the richness of the viscous sauce made it pretty jelak.
Traditional braised duck rice with over 30 years of history
With over 30 years of history serving traditional braised duck rice, I knew I was in for a treat when I dropped by Sims Vista Market & Food Centre to try out Tai Dong Teochew Duck Rice. I had no problems finding the stall. Not only was it situated along the front stretch of hawker stalls facing the main road (Sims Place), it was also right behind the main bus stop in front of the hawker centre.
In fact, the stall was absolutely unavoidable. When I dropped by on a weekday afternoon, I was shocked at the queue, which had close to 15 people! Surely, judging by the queue alone, Tai Dong Teochew Duck Rice seemed promising enough. For its massive queue length, service was impressively fast. It took me 10 minutes till I reached the front of the queue.
That was when I started spotting multiple stickers on its storefront, boasting at the amount of awards it’s received. For example, I saw a certificate of contribution to the Singapore UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as well as awards for its fine culinary skills by Singapore Food Masters. Okay, okay. I get it. This stall is pretty impressive. But how good can Teochew braised duck rice get?
He Ji Braised Duck Rice Porridge Noodle – Lost & Found Duck Rice
If you are craving for some good braised duck, this is a stall which you ought to try!
Nestled in 726 West Coast Market Square, He Ji Braised Duck Rice Porridge Noodle sells duck rice and kway chap that is popular amongst residents staying in the vicinity. Having been featured in one of the episodes of local TV series, Our Makan Places: Lost and Found, this stall has the longest snaking queue in 726 West Coast Market Square.
The braised duck rice ($3) will not disappoint. Beneath the smooth duck skin lies the superbly tender and moist duck meat that has been skillfully sliced. Even though it is already good and flavourful on its own, the thick reduced duck sauce makes it even more sublime. You would want to douse the rice with the sauce… And devour it all.
A portion of kway chap goes for $3.50 and makes for a wonderful lunch. The kway is delicate, smooth and totally slurp-licious with the light broth that is oh-so-fragrant. Although slightly bland, the springy pig innards are wonderfully braised till succulent. The pig innards have no stench nor grime to it – a testament that they are well and thoroughly cleaned.
Teochew Braised Duck or Lor Ark 潮 州 卤 鸭
There are many recipes of Teochew style braised ducks and every household will claim that his or her recipe is the best. However, I dare not to claim that mine is the best or the most authentic as it all depends on individual taste buds. I hope this family recipe will kick start reader to search for a braised duck recipe that suits you.
Throughout my many years in this world, I have eaten many many braised ducks from relatives to friends to Teochew restaurants or even at the place of its originality – Chaozhou Province of People’s Republic of China.
I like my braised duck to be on a sweeter side and I have tasted braised duck that are very salty… Some are lighter in colour and are as dark as dark chocolate… Some are juicy but some are very dry.. Whatever it is, it is individual preference and it very much depends on your family’s preference. None shall claim that theirs is the best or authentic.
SINGAPORE TEOCHEW BRAISED DUCK (LOR ARK)
Teochew braised duck is one of my favorite hawker foods when I was in Singapore. I remember the long queue at this hawker center near my workplace and my colleagues and I could hardly ever get a chance to eat it.
The braised duck is served with a yummy taro/yam rice. What a treat!! I don’t really cook duck that often, but when I do, my two kiddos devour it. It’s been a while since I cooked a duck. My kids had been nagging me to cook this Szechuan Fragrant Crispy Duck that they love to order when we go to a Szechuan restaurant.
I told them I was going to let them try something new and so I made this Teochew braised duck instead. I should say that I’m blessed with two good eaters who are willing to try just about anything. They loved this braised duck and the braised tau kwa and eggs. I didn’t make any yam rice though, but we happily ate it with regular plain white rice.
Top 12 duck rice stalls in Singapore you need to quackly visit
Chicken rice has always been my favourite hawker dish growing up. Duck rice, on the other hand, felt like a variant of chicken rice from the multiverse with its darker colours and gamier taste. While I had initially not paid much attention to this less popular variety, I certainly warmed up to it after trying it myself.
There are two main types of duck rice in Singapore – the Hokkien type, which is generously drizzled in sauce and occasionally cooked with yam rice, and the Teochew type, which dons a simpler appearance with its light gravy and classic plain white rice. The duck meat can be roasted or prepared the Teochew way, wherein the braised duck meat is served deboned and thinly sliced.
Compiling a list of duck rice stalls is no easy feat considering how there are numerous brilliant ones out there but by attempting to be as impartial as I can, I have created this duck rice guide for fellow Singaporeans out there. Now, don’t duck from this article and let’s take a quack look at the top 12 duck rice stalls in Singapore.
9 hawker stalls for the best braised duck rice in Singapore
Braised duck rice seems to play second fiddle to chicken rice as a quick go-to meal in Singapore. But it certainly has ardent supporters as reflected by snaking queues at established outlets serving this savoury dish.
Predominantly prepared in either Hokkien or Teochew style, this fragrant and savoury poultry dish is an excellent alternative to chicken rice. It’s easy to tell both styles of the heritage dish apart too. The Hokkien version is blanketed over thick sauce and often paired with yam rice while the Teochew counterpart is splashed with light broth on white rice. Specific hawkers will also substitute it with rice that’s flavoured with their in-house braised soy sauce. Although the star of this moreish dish is the duck, you can also personalise a hearty meal by adding other sides to your plate. From braised egg, braised peanuts, and preserved vegetables to tau pok (tofu puffs) and tau kua (firmed tofu), the combinations are endless. Sometimes, the meal is rounded up with a complimentary small bowl of herbal soup that warms the body.
Where to find the best braised duck rice in Singapore:
- Heng Gi Goose and Duck Rice
- Tai Dong Teochew Duck Rice
- Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck
- Ah Xiao Teochew Braised Duck
- Ah Heng Duck Rice
- Ah Seng Braised Duck Rice
- Sia Kee Duck Rice
- Hup Seng Duck Rice
- Cheok Kee Braised Duck Rice
12 Best Braised DUCK RICE In Singapore, For Tender Duck And Flavourful Rice
Duck Rice can be the ultimate comfort food to many Singaporeans.
You will mainly find two types of duck rice in Singapore, the Teochew style which has a simple prep with a light gravy, and the fancier Hokkien style, which has heavy sauce and may or may not have yam rice to add richness to the dish.
Similarly, the preparation of duck can also vary from roasted to braised, this guide will focus on the braised version:
- Heng Gi Goose and Duck Rice
- Ah Seng Braised Duck Rice
- Ah Heng Duck Rice 同济前阿兴鸭饭
- Sia Kee Duck Rice
- Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck
- Seng Huat Duck Rice
- Kun Ji
- Ah Xiao Teochew Braised Duck
- Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck
- Liang Zhao Ji 梁照记
- Boon Tong Kee Kway Chap Braised Duck 文通记粿汁卤鸭
- Double Spring Teochew Lor Duck
13 Braised Duck Rice Stalls In Singapore That Your Teochew Or Hokkien Mother Will Love
More often than not, on days I’m not craving for anything in particular, I would settle for a hearty plate of braised duck rice.
I consider it a comfort food because it’s something I’m simply never bored of. This is why whenever a braised duck rice stall catches my attention, I already know what I’ll be having as a meal for the day.
For your convenience, I’ve rounded up a list of hawker stalls where you can get your fill of value-for-money braised duck rice:
- Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck and Kway Chap
- Wei Ji Braised Duck
- Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau
- He Ji Braised Duck Rice Porridge Noodle
- Sean Kee Duck Rice
- Hollywood Duck • Rice Duck Porridge
- Tai Dong Teochew Duck Rice
- Long House Soon Kee (Boneless) Braised Duck
- Ah Xiao Teochew Braised Duck
- New Market Teochew Braised Duck
- Heng Gi Goose And Duck Rice
- Zuo Ji Duck Rice
- Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck Rice
