Hainanese mutton soup (yang rou tang in Mandarin) is a herbal soup made with mutton, herbs and other ingredients. Traditionally, goat meat is used to make this dish. Its flavours are derived from the meat, the more than 10 kinds of herbs as well as fermented beancurd. The soup is served hot with rice.1 On Hainan island, goats were traditionally slaughtered only for special events such as weddings, and thus Hainanese mutton soup was served only during such festive occasions.2
Description
More than ten kinds of herbs are used for the soup, including ginger, licorice root (gan cau), codonopsis root (dang shen), astragalus root (bei qi), Solomon’s seal (yu zhu), cinnamon, angelica root (dang gui), Sichuan lovage root (chuan xiong), star anise, cloves and wolfberries. Added to this concoction are Sichuan pepper seed, dried wood ear fungus and red dates. A variety of beancurd derivatives are also added such as beancurd sheets, beancurd puffs and fermented bean paste (fu ru).3
A leg of mutton is boiled before being fried together with the garlic, fermented beancurd and mashed bean paste. Separately, the remaining herbs and spices are placed in a pot of boiling water and flavoured with sugarcane. The fried leg of mutton is added to this and boiled for two hours before the beancurd sheets and puffs are added, along with the wood ear fungus and wolfberries.4 Left overnight, the soup would be further enriched with the flavours of the herbs.5 Sometimes, tripe or more exotic parts of the animal are added such as goat’s brain and penis.6 The soup is eaten with rice.7
Variant
A Teochew-style variant of Hainanese mutton soup has been attributed to Ng Seok Jua, who began selling the soup at a stall along Beach Road from 1962. This version has a clear soup with a lighter flavour without the fermented bean paste and bamboo shoots, which are usually added to the Hainanese version. Ng also introduced meat balls to the soup, an idea borrowed from the Teochew bak chor mee (minced pork noodles). Aniseed and some tonic herbs are still used to enhance the dish. Ng’s son, Ng Tua Bah, and his son, Bay Koon, have continued serving the family recipe.8
Author
Bonny Tan
References
1. Huang, L. (2008, December 7). Soup’s on. The Straits Times, p. 74; Ling, N. (1987, February 19). Mutton soup that’s satisfying. The Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
2. Chan, M. (1992, November 8). Hainanese dishes revived. The Straits Times, p. 8. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. Huang, L. (2008, December 7). Soup’s on. The Straits Times, p. 74; Ling, N. (1987, February 19). Mutton soup that’s satisfying. The Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
4. Huang, L. (2008, December 7). Soup’s on. The Straits Times, p. 74. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
5. Huang, L. (2008, March 9). Fire in the belly. The Straits Times, p. 82. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
6. Naleeza Ebrahim & Yaw, Y. Y. (2006). Not just a good food guide: Singapore. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, p. 42. (Call no.: RSING 647.955957 NAL)
7. Ling, N. (1987, February 19). Mutton soup that’s satisfying. The Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
8. Chan, M. (1986, November 9). Mutton soup in Teochew style. The Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
The information in this article is valid as at 2010 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
The information on this page and any images that appear here may be used for private research and study purposes only. They may not be copied, altered or amended in any way without first gaining the permission of the copyright holder.
The Hainanese in Singapore originated from Hainan province in China. According to the 2010 population census, the Hainanese community is the fifth-largest Chinese dialect group, and constitutes less than 7 percent of the Chinese population in Singapore. ...
Pak choi (Brasica rapa var chinensis) is a leafy vegetable that originated from south China. It is appreciated for its versatility as the whole plant is edible and can be cooked in many ways....
Kolam, which means “beauty”, is a floor drawing made of coloured flour, and is used for ornamental or ceremonial design during traditional Indian festivities. In Northern India, it is known as rangoli. ...
Various cakes, fruits, sweetmeats, nuts and delicacies are offered during the Chinese New Year as part of the festivities celebrated in Singapore by those of Chinese descent. These items are served primarily because of puns in their names, as they have an auspicious double meaning. ...
Singapore saw the rise of fast food in the 1970s. In 1966, the first fast-food chain, the A&W Family Restaurant, opened here. The first A&W outlet, located on Dunearn Road, paved the way for the establishment of other fast-food restaurants. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) followed suit with the opening of...
Kuih tutu is a small steamed cake made of finely pounded rice flour with a ground peanuts or grated coconut filling. Thought to be Chinese or South Indian in origin, kuih tutu is believed to be unique to Singapore. ...
It is believed that Warong Nasi Pariaman is the oldest surviving stall in Singapore that serves nasi padang – rice with mixed dishes, originating from the city of Padang in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The stall is famous for its authentic Padang dishes, particularly beef rendang, which is cooked without coriander...
Bubble tea is a beverage originating from Taiwan comprising tea with fruit syrup or milk added, and then shaken. Tapioca balls or “pearls” are often added to the concoction as well. This beverage has undergone a few waves of popularity in Singapore....
On 8 August 2011, local daily freesheet Today published a news feature that mentioned a dispute between a migrant family from China and a Singaporean Indian family over the smell of curry emanating from the latter’s home. Following the publication of the news article, the “curry dispute”, as the incident...
Ketupat is a diamond-shaped rice cake. This Malay food staple is made of cooked rice compressed and wrapped in woven coconut leaves. Originating from Indonesia and Malaysia, ketupat is often consumed as an accompaniment to meat dishes such as satay (skewered barbecued meat) or stews, although the traditional version has...