Whole duck slow-braised in a dark, aromatic master stock of soy, spices and aromatics until deeply coloured and tender, sliced and served with rice, braised egg and tofu. A cornerstone of Teochew food in Singapore.
Teochew braised duck (lor ark) is a cornerstone of Teochew food in Singapore. Whole duck is slow-braised in a dark, aromatic master stock of soy, dark soy, sugar, garlic, ginger, five-spice, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and coriander seed until deeply coloured and tender. It is sliced and served with rice or porridge, braised egg, tofu and sometimes offal. The use of a perpetual master stock, replenished and passed down across generations, reflects the heritage of dedicated braised-duck stalls.
Deep, dark, savoury duck with the master stock's spice warmth running through, tender to the bone, served with soy-braised egg and tofu that have drunk in the same broth. Eaten with rice, it is savoury, aromatic and the Teochew braising art at its purest.
The master stock is the soul: a dark soy-based broth with a full spice profile (star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seed, five-spice), simmered and replenished over years so each batch is deeper than the last. The duck is simmered gently in the stock, submerged, until the meat is tender and deeply coloured, then rested in the stock to absorb more flavour. Eggs and tofu are braised in the same stock to serve alongside. The perpetual stock is the heritage.
Variations
A master-stock version is decades old. Some stalls braise goose as well.
On the Palate
Where Teochew Braised Duck sits in the Singaporean flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6How it's made
6 steps · 30 min
- 18 min
Combine 500ml water, 300ml soy sauce, 100ml dark soy, 100g sugar, 1 head garlic, 1 thumb ginger, 2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp cloves, 1 tsp five-spice and 1 tsp coriander seed in a pot; bring to a simmer.
- 230 min
Add 1 whole duck (about 1.8kg); simmer gently covered 75 minutes, turning, until tender and deep brown.
Watch outKeep the duck submerged and simmer gently, turning — a hard boil tears the skin and clouds the master stock; low and slow colors it evenly.
- 310 min
Turn off the heat; let the duck rest in the stock 30 minutes.
Watch outRest the duck in the stock off the heat 30 minutes — it keeps drinking in color and flavor as it cools; pull it early and it tastes shallow.
- 412 min
Add 6 hard-boiled eggs and 200g firm tofu; simmer 20 minutes more.
- 58 min
Lift out the duck; carve into slices.
- 64 min
Serve with rice, the braised egg and tofu, and a small bowl of the master stock.
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