Teochew braised duck rice is sliced duck, slowly cooked in a dark soy and spice liquid, served over rice with the gravy poured on top. It is savoury and gently sweet, and it comes with a sharp, garlicky vinegar chilli.
Locals often call it lor ark, which means braised duck. You can pick your rice, add sides and choose how much gravy you want. Here is how it all works.
What is Teochew braised duck?
The Teochew are a Chinese dialect group whose ancestors came from the Chaozhou area of southern China. Many settled in Singapore, and their cooking is part of everyday hawker food. Teochew food is known for clean, light flavours and for its braised dishes.
How the braise works
The cook simmers whole ducks in a pot of dark and light soy sauce, sugar, garlic and spices. Common spices are star anise, cinnamon, cloves and galangal, a root related to ginger. Some stalls keep topping up the same braising liquid, so its taste grows deeper over time.
The duck turns dark brown. The meat is tender and full of flavour, and the skin is soft rather than crisp. This is different from roast duck, which has crisp, shiny skin.
Choose your base: rice, porridge or kway teow
Most braised duck stalls offer a few bases. Some also sell the duck on its own as a side plate.
- Yam rice: rice cooked with cubes of yam, also called taro, and often dried shrimp. It is fragrant and a little nutty. Not every stall makes it.
- Plain white rice: the simple choice. The gravy soaks into it.
- Teochew porridge: a thin, watery rice porridge. It is light and good for breakfast or a hot day.
- Kway teow: flat rice noodles, served dry with gravy or in a light soup.
Many duck stalls also sell kway chap. It is a related Teochew dish of wide rice sheets in a dark soy broth, with braised pork, tofu and egg.
Sides to add to your duck rice
Braised duck stalls cook other items in the same pot. They cost little and make the meal more filling. Common sides include:
- Braised egg: a hard-boiled egg stewed until brown. Most people add one.
- Tau kwa: firm tofu that soaks up the gravy.
- Braised peanuts: soft, salty peanuts, at some stalls.
- Salted vegetable soup: a light, sour soup that cuts through the rich duck.
- Pork belly and offal: such as intestines or duck gizzards, for adventurous eaters.
How to order Teochew braised duck rice
Most stalls show photos and prices on a board above the counter. Order, pay and wait for your plate. Plain English is fine.
- Say your base: “one duck rice, yam rice”.
- Choose your cut if the stall offers it. Breast is leaner, and drumstick can cost a little more.
- Add sides: “add one egg and tau kwa”.
- Ask for extra gravy if you like your rice wet.
- For takeaway, say “da bao”, which means to pack it to go.
A single plate often costs around S$4 to S$7, but prices change. Groups can order a quarter or half duck to share, with a bowl of rice for each person.
The vinegar chilli
Braised duck comes with a thin chilli sauce made with vinegar and garlic. It is sour and hot, and it cuts the richness of the soy gravy. Dip each piece lightly, or pour a little over the rice. If there is none on your plate, ask at the counter.
Where to find braised duck in Singapore
Look for a stall with dark brown ducks hanging behind glass, or a big pot of gravy at the front. Large hawker centres usually have at least one.
- Chinatown Complex Food Centre, a very large hawker centre with a huge choice of stalls.
- Old Airport Road Food Centre, a big hawker centre in the Geylang and Paya Lebar area.
For a sit-down meal, Teochew restaurants such as Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine serve wider Teochew menus, where braised dishes are common. Browse more on our Teochew restaurants page.
Enjoy slow-cooked rice dishes? Try claypot rice next, or read what Hainanese chicken rice is. Our Hawker Dishes Explained section covers many more.
FAQs about Teochew braised duck
Is braised duck the same as roast duck?
No. Braised duck is simmered in soy and spices, so the skin is soft and dark. Roast duck is cooked with dry heat and has crisp skin.
Is Teochew braised duck spicy?
The duck itself is not spicy. The heat comes from the vinegar chilli, which you add as you like.
What is yam rice?
Yam rice is rice cooked with cubes of yam, also called taro, plus seasoning. It is softer and more fragrant than plain rice.
Can I eat braised duck for breakfast?
Yes. Many stalls open in the morning, and duck with Teochew porridge is a light, warm way to start the day.
