Cooked similarly in a clear, light peppery soup associated with the Teochew-style bak kut teh (meat bone broth), pig's organ soup is a deliciously hearty meal that will warm the cockles of one's heart. While some stalls hawks a more delicate, clean-tasting broth, others prefer a robust, rich soup that packs a good spicy kick. It is typically accompanied by a good bowl of polished white rice and a side of kiam chye (preserved salted mustard vegetables), an ingredient that's also infused in the soup that gives it a gentle tang.
Here are five spots we frequent for the soup that's best consumed on a cold, rainy day.
Here are five spots we frequent for the soup that's best consumed on a cold, rainy day.
Koh Brother Pig's Organ Soup
Tiong Bahru Market, 30 Seng Poh Road #02-29
Opening hours: 8.30am to 3.30pm for breakfast and lunch, 6pm to 8.30pm for dinner; Tues to Sun. Closed on Mondays.
With its history dating as far back as 1955, Koh Brother is an authority on pig's organ soup. The third generation at the helm and the constant snaking lines are a testament of that. The steps taken to thoroughly clean the pig's innards is crucial to making the dish what it is and Koh Brother does a good job with that. The soup is clear, clean-tasting and robust at the same time. None of the mucky, gamey flavours here. While their soup is the star, they've got a second dish of chewy large intestines stuffed with a filling of sticky glutinous and sweet chestnuts. If you're thinking of paying them a visit at Tiong Bahru Market, we suggest making your way down early as they tend to sell out by 3pm.
Tiong Bahru Market, 30 Seng Poh Road #02-29
Opening hours: 8.30am to 3.30pm for breakfast and lunch, 6pm to 8.30pm for dinner; Tues to Sun. Closed on Mondays.
With its history dating as far back as 1955, Koh Brother is an authority on pig's organ soup. The third generation at the helm and the constant snaking lines are a testament of that. The steps taken to thoroughly clean the pig's innards is crucial to making the dish what it is and Koh Brother does a good job with that. The soup is clear, clean-tasting and robust at the same time. None of the mucky, gamey flavours here. While their soup is the star, they've got a second dish of chewy large intestines stuffed with a filling of sticky glutinous and sweet chestnuts. If you're thinking of paying them a visit at Tiong Bahru Market, we suggest making your way down early as they tend to sell out by 3pm.
Cheng Mun Chee Kee Pig Organ Soup
24 Foch Road
Opening hours: 8.30am to 5am, Tues to Sat. 8.30am to 4.30am, Sun. Closed on Mondays.
Pick the brain of a local foodie for pig's organ soup and chances are, Cheng Mun Chee Kee will come up. The merit is in the generosity of its portions and their flavours. A regular bowl of pig's organ soup ($4) here will conjure up as many as seven ingredients and in a large ($6), nine. Some of the usual soup suspects include lean pork, meatballs, small and large intestines, slivers of liver, pork belly, kidney, tofu and kiam chye. Dining here is no simple affair, given its extensive menu of steamed meat patties ($2 to $3), black vinegar braised pork trotters ($6) and chicken ($3) cooked in hua tiao jiu (Chinese rice wine) just to name a few.
Ri Tao Fu Teochew Pig’s Organ Soup
Kukoh 21 Food Centre, 1 Jalan Kukoh, #01-11
Opening hours: 10.15am to 9pm, daily. Closed on Sundays.
The pig's organ soup here is a touch on the robust side, with a real peppery kick so fans of the more delicately flavoured pig's organs soup beware. But Ri Tao Fu Teochew Pig’s Organ Soup has its own fans at Kukoh 21 Food Centre. At $3.50 a bowl, it's one of the more of the more affordable options. The owner certainly doesn't skimp on ingredients either. And some fans of the dish will argue that pig's organ soup is only as good as the chili that accompanies it. Tangy, sharp and spicy, the chili here is right on the money.
24 Foch Road
Opening hours: 8.30am to 5am, Tues to Sat. 8.30am to 4.30am, Sun. Closed on Mondays.
Pick the brain of a local foodie for pig's organ soup and chances are, Cheng Mun Chee Kee will come up. The merit is in the generosity of its portions and their flavours. A regular bowl of pig's organ soup ($4) here will conjure up as many as seven ingredients and in a large ($6), nine. Some of the usual soup suspects include lean pork, meatballs, small and large intestines, slivers of liver, pork belly, kidney, tofu and kiam chye. Dining here is no simple affair, given its extensive menu of steamed meat patties ($2 to $3), black vinegar braised pork trotters ($6) and chicken ($3) cooked in hua tiao jiu (Chinese rice wine) just to name a few.
Ri Tao Fu Teochew Pig’s Organ Soup
Kukoh 21 Food Centre, 1 Jalan Kukoh, #01-11
Opening hours: 10.15am to 9pm, daily. Closed on Sundays.
The pig's organ soup here is a touch on the robust side, with a real peppery kick so fans of the more delicately flavoured pig's organs soup beware. But Ri Tao Fu Teochew Pig’s Organ Soup has its own fans at Kukoh 21 Food Centre. At $3.50 a bowl, it's one of the more of the more affordable options. The owner certainly doesn't skimp on ingredients either. And some fans of the dish will argue that pig's organ soup is only as good as the chili that accompanies it. Tangy, sharp and spicy, the chili here is right on the money.
Cheng Mun Kee
79/79A, Circuit Road, Food Centre
Opening hours: 11am to 10pm, daily. Closed on Mondays.
It is often confused with Cheng Mun Chee Kee but Cheng Mun Kee is an institution in its own right. They may fly a little low on the pig's organ soup radar but they've got a loyal following of customers patronising throughout the day. The amount of care taken to clean the organs directly affects the taste of the soup and with Cheng Mun Kee's light-handed approach to seasoning, there is no room for error. A delicate, clean-tasting broth of salted mustard vegetables and offal ($3.50) is what you get. There's also a version with meatballs hawking as the same price and braised pig trotters ($5.50).
Jin Ding Xiang Pig’s Organ Soup
Kovan Market and Food Centre, 209 Hougang Street 21, #01-08
Opening hours: 11am to 11pm
On the other end of the spectrum, you have Jin Ding Xiang's pig's organs soup that's luscious, rich and beautifully complex in flavour. The pepper shines through as does the touch of sweetness one only gets from boiling down pork bones for hours. Each of the ingredients, from the liver to the stomach, belly to the meatballs, are cooked well and tender to the bite. But the real star here is their stuffed intestines, which is a tedious process many hawkers skip. The result is a chewier, tastier product that cooks well and absorbs flavour.
79/79A, Circuit Road, Food Centre
Opening hours: 11am to 10pm, daily. Closed on Mondays.
It is often confused with Cheng Mun Chee Kee but Cheng Mun Kee is an institution in its own right. They may fly a little low on the pig's organ soup radar but they've got a loyal following of customers patronising throughout the day. The amount of care taken to clean the organs directly affects the taste of the soup and with Cheng Mun Kee's light-handed approach to seasoning, there is no room for error. A delicate, clean-tasting broth of salted mustard vegetables and offal ($3.50) is what you get. There's also a version with meatballs hawking as the same price and braised pig trotters ($5.50).
Jin Ding Xiang Pig’s Organ Soup
Kovan Market and Food Centre, 209 Hougang Street 21, #01-08
Opening hours: 11am to 11pm
On the other end of the spectrum, you have Jin Ding Xiang's pig's organs soup that's luscious, rich and beautifully complex in flavour. The pepper shines through as does the touch of sweetness one only gets from boiling down pork bones for hours. Each of the ingredients, from the liver to the stomach, belly to the meatballs, are cooked well and tender to the bite. But the real star here is their stuffed intestines, which is a tedious process many hawkers skip. The result is a chewier, tastier product that cooks well and absorbs flavour.
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