Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Sliced Fish Bee Hoon Soup

A comforting Singapore-style Sliced Fish Bee Hoon Soup — clear, ginger-scented broth with tender fish slices and silky rice vermicelli, perfect for weeknight family dinners or late-night supper.

Sliced Fish Bee Hoon Soup

About this dish

Sliced Fish Bee Hoon Soup is a beloved home-style favourite in many Singapore households and hawker stalls — think simple, wholesome and easy to prepare after a long day at work. This version uses a light, ginger-and-white-pepper broth that highlights the sweetness of white fish (sea bass, cod or local kembung if you prefer), with delicate bee hoon (rice vermicelli) soaking up the flavours. It’s the kind of bowl you’d find in a kopitiam breakfast or served by a zi char-style home cook in a heartland HDB kitchen.

The texture play is what makes this dish sing: silky bee hoon, melt-in-your-mouth fish slices, and a bit of crunch from choy sum or bok choy. Flavours are clean and bright — ginger and spring onion, a whisper of sesame oil, and a squeeze of calamansi or lime to lift the soup. Locals might add a spoonful of sambal chilli or chopped chilli padi for heat, or pair the bowl with achar on the side for contrast.

It’s a great recipe for busy Singapore parents who want something quick and nourishing, for supper runs after a late shift at the hawker centre, or for a simple weekend family meal when you want comfort without fuss. Easily scaled up for guests or pared down for a solo lunchbox, the soup reflects that practical Singapore attitude: tasty, unfussy, and utterly satisfying.

Ingredients

  • 400 g white fish fillets (sea bass, cod or snapper), sliced into 1 cm pieces
  • 200 g dried bee hoon (rice vermicelli), soaked in warm water for 5–8 minutes and drained
  • 1.2 L fish stock or water (use fish bones + ginger for best flavour)
  • 2 cm fresh ginger, julienned
  • 3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 150 g choy sum or baby bok choy, trimmed and coarsely chopped
  • 2 stalks spring onion (scallions), white and green parts separated and sliced
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper (ground)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or neutral oil) for sautéing
  • 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry) to bind slightly
  • Salt to taste (start with 1/4 tsp)
  • 2 tbsp fried shallots for garnish
  • 1 red chilli or 2 chilli padi, thinly sliced, optional
  • 1–2 calamansi or 1/2 lime, cut into wedges for serving
  • Optional: 1 small carrot, julienned (for colour)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Prepare the fish: pat fillets dry and slice into 1 cm-thick pieces; season lightly with a pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp white pepper. Set aside for 5–10 minutes while you prepare the rest.
  2. Soak the bee hoon in warm water for 5–8 minutes until softened, then drain and set aside. If using fresh bee hoon, separate with your fingers.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger and the white parts of the spring onion and sauté for 30–45 seconds until aromatic; avoid browning.
  4. Pour in the fish stock or water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Scrape the bottom to pick up any caramelised bits from the aromatics.
  5. Add the sliced onion and carrot (if using) and simmer on medium-high for 3 minutes to soften. Taste the broth and season with light soy sauce, fish sauce and 1 tsp sugar; adjust to taste like a zi char stall would.
  6. Drop the soaked bee hoon into the boiling broth and cook for 1–2 minutes until just tender (timing depends on thickness). Stir gently to separate strands.
  7. Reduce heat to medium-low and carefully slide the fish slices into the broth in a single layer. Simmer gently for 2–4 minutes until the fish turns opaque and flakes easily — avoid vigorous boiling to keep fish tender.
  8. Add the chopped choy sum/bok choy and green parts of the spring onion, simmer for another 30–60 seconds until greens are bright and cooked.
  9. Stir the cornflour slurry once and drizzle into the pot while stirring to slightly thicken and give the soup a silky mouthfeel. Remove from heat and finish with sesame oil and a final grind of white pepper.
  10. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fried shallots and sliced chilli (if using). Serve immediately with a wedge of calamansi or lime and optional sambal on the side.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy fresh white fish fillets from NTUC, Cold Storage or Sheng Siong — seabass or cod work well; frozen fillets are fine but fully thaw and pat dry first.
  • For a clearer, more flavourful broth, simmer fish bones with ginger and a splash of rice wine for 20–30 minutes, then strain before making the soup.
  • Avoid over-boiling once the fish goes in — a gentle simmer keeps the slices tender and prevents them from breaking apart.
  • Adjust heat with sliced chilli padi or sambal belacan at the table so everyone can choose their spice level like at a hawker stall.
  • If using dried bee hoon, soak until pliable but not mushy — it will finish cooking in the hot broth and absorb flavour without turning soggy.
  • Make-ahead tip: keep soup and bee hoon separate if storing for lunchboxes; combine and reheat gently to maintain texture the next day.
  • To bulk up the meal for guests, add prawns or sliced mushrooms for variety and extra umami — common at zi char gatherings.

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