Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Ngoh Hiang (Five Spice Meat Roll)

Singapore-style Ngoh Hiang (five-spice meat roll) — minced pork & prawn seasoned with five-spice, wrapped in beancurd skin and deep-fried until golden and crispy.

Ngoh Hiang (Five Spice Meat Roll)

About this dish

Ngoh Hiang is a Peranakan-Chinese classic you'll find from heartland zi char stalls to festive reunion tables across Singapore. Think of aromatic five-spice seasoning, juicy minced pork and prawn, little crunchy bites of water chestnut and carrot, all tightly wrapped in beancurd skin and deep-fried until the edges go crackly — perfect for sharing over kopi or as part of a CNY spread in the living room.

At kopitiams and hawker centres from Tiong Bahru to the East Coast, ngoh hiang sits alongside lor bak, achar and sambal as a must-order for communal makan. It's a great potluck or family-dinner dish because you can make a big batch, serve with sliced cucumber and sweet chilli or house-made dipping sauce, and everyone can pick and choose. Home cooks often adapt it — add prawns for extra sweetness, or go vegetarian with mushrooms and tofu for a zi char-friendly twist.

Flavour-wise, expect warm five-spice notes (star anise, cinnamon, fennel), subtle sweet-salty balance from light soy and a touch of sugar, plus sesame oil fragrance. Texturally it’s a contrast of crisp golden skin and tender, well-seasoned filling. This recipe includes tips for getting the right oil temperature, where to buy beancurd skin at NTUC or Wet Market stalls, and how to reheat leftovers so they stay crisp for lunchboxes or supper runs.

Ingredients

  • 8 sheets beancurd skin (tofu skin / yuba), about 20 x 15 cm each
  • 500 g minced pork (preferably 70% lean)
  • 150 g raw prawns, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 100 g water chestnuts, finely diced (for crunch)
  • 1 medium carrot, grated (about 80 g)
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce (optional, for colour)
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1½ tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) to bind
  • 1 large egg, beaten (use 1/2 for filling, reserve rest to seal edges)
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil for stir-frying filling
  • Vegetable oil for deep-frying (about 1–1.5 litres)
  • FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE: 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  • 1 tbsp kecap manis or dark sweet soy sauce
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • Optional: sliced red chilli padi and lime wedges to serve
  • Optional garnish: cucumber slices and achar (pickled vegetables)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Prepare the filling: heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in a small wok or frying pan over medium heat, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Toss in the chopped prawns and cook briefly until just opaque, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  2. Mix filling ingredients: in a large bowl combine minced pork, cooked prawns, diced water chestnuts, grated carrot, spring onions, five-spice powder, light soy, dark soy (if using), oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, sesame oil, cornflour and ½ beaten egg. Mix well until sticky—use your hands or a spatula to achieve a cohesive paste.
  3. Assemble rolls: lay a beancurd skin sheet on a clean board, place about 80–100 g of filling along one edge in a log shape (adjust for sheet size). Brush a little beaten egg along the far edge to seal, then roll tightly, tucking in the sides as you go to form a neat parcel. Repeat for all sheets.
  4. Seal and rest: allow rolls to rest for 10–15 minutes in the fridge so the filling firms up—this helps maintain shape when frying and ensures even cooking.
  5. Heat oil and test: pour vegetable oil into a wok to a depth of about 5–6 cm and heat over medium-high until it reaches 170–175°C (test with a small piece of beancurd skin—if it sizzles and rises steadily, it's ready).
  6. Deep-fry: lower rolls into oil in batches, turning occasionally, until evenly golden brown (about 6–8 minutes per batch). Keep oil temperature steady between 160–175°C so the filling cooks through without burning the skin. For a slightly lighter finish, you can shallow-fry in 1 cm oil and finish in a 180°C oven for 8–10 minutes.
  7. Drain and rest: remove rolls and drain on a wire rack or kitchen paper. Let them rest 5 minutes before slicing to avoid juice running out; internal temperature should be at least 75°C for pork.
  8. Make dipping sauce: whisk together sweet chilli sauce, kecap manis and rice vinegar; add sliced chilli padi to taste. Adjust balance—more vinegar for tang, more kecap manis for sweetness.
  9. Serve: slice rolls thickly and serve hot with dipping sauce, cucumber slices and achar. Leftovers can be reheated in a 200°C oven for 6–8 minutes to re-crisp.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy beancurd skin from NTUC FairPrice or Wet Market stalls; if fresh sheets are unavailable, rehydrated dried yuba works—soak until pliable and pat dry before using.
  • To prevent soggy rolls, make sure the filling is firm (chill 10–15 minutes before frying) and keep oil temperature steady at 160–175°C for deep-frying.
  • If you don’t want to deep-fry, shallow-fry the rolls on medium heat until golden then finish in a preheated 200°C oven for 8–12 minutes to cook through and crisp the skin.
  • Adjust five-spice to taste — start with 1 tbsp for this quantity and reduce if you prefer a milder aroma. Add extra chopped prawn for sweetness or mushrooms for an umami boost.
  • For make-ahead: fry rolls, cool completely, then freeze on a tray before bagging. Reheat from frozen in a 200°C oven for 12–15 minutes to restore crispness — great for lunchboxes.
  • If you’re short on time, buy pre-minced pork from Cold Storage and precooked prawns from supermarket deli; always check seasoning and add more soy or sugar like you would at a zi char stall.

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