Yong tau foo—meaning “stuffed beancurd”—was invented by the Hakkas, but now embraced by other dialect and ethnic groups. The original version was made by stuffing firm beancurd with minced pork.
These days, yong tau foo is more than just beancurd. It has evolved into a colorful smorgasbord of stuffed beancurd products like beancurd puffs and beancurd skin, as well as vegetables like bittergourd, chilli, and eggplant. In addition, minced fish paste—rather than meat—is the preferred filling.
Besides being one of the healthier options in hawker centres, yong tau foo is popular because it can be enjoyed in many ways—on its own in clear soup or “dry-style” and drizzled with sweet sauce and chilli. Paired with noodles or rice, it becomes a more substantial meal.
Yong tau foo stalls are dime a dozen, but many “cheat” by getting their supplies from external sources. There’s only a handful left who continue the labour-intensive process of making their own fish or meat stuffing. For these dedicated vendors, the art of yong tau foo is truly a labour of love.
Blk 335 Smith Street, #02-87/88 Chinatown Complex Food Centre
Opening hours: Daily: 5.45am-3pm
Price: from $3.00
Rating: 5/5
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Occupying two units—one for the production line, the other to prep customers’ orders—a five-person family team hand-makes yong tau foo on a frantic, non-stop basis. A minimum 20-minute queue is no deterrence for faithful regulars eager for a steamy bowl of Xiu Ji’s distinctive yong tau foo topped with their signature crispy ikan bilis.
The beauty of Xiu Ji’s yong tau foo lies in its simplicity and incredible freshness. Only four different items are available, but quality more than makes up for lack of variety. Gorgeously soft yet springy, the tasty and succulent fish paste is like no other.
Packed with natural sweetness, the soup was delightfully clear and refreshing. The piquant chilli-lime dip deserves special mention too, for it delivered a potent kick and made us salivate for more of Xiu Ji’s exceptional yong tau foo.
299 Changi Road
Opening hours: 11.30am-4pm; closed Mon
Price: from $4.00
Rating: 4.5/5
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There’s no option of noodles or rice here. That’s because Goldhill Hakka’s yong tau foo is so hearty you don’t need any carbohydrates to fill you up!
Stuffed to bursting point, seven different items of yong tau foo were served dry-style on a plate, topped with a light drizzle of fragrant shallot oil. After polishing off our plates, our tummies felt satisfying full, without that uncomfortable, heavy sensation.
For those used to eating smooth fish paste, Goldhill’s coarse texture was an acquired taste. The stuffing was actually made of pounded ikan parang. But its rustic wholesomeness was refreshing, and ultimately, very addictive. Their unique blend of sweet sauce was just as unforgettable.
Blk 32 New Market Road, #01-1084 People’s Park Food Centre
Opening hours: 1.30pm-4.30pm; closed Mon on ad-hoc basis
Price: from $3.50 (10 pieces)
Rating: 4/5
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They open at around 1.30pm, a time when most folks are already finishing lunch. Yet, once the shutters are up, there’s a constant stream of customers and food is sold out in just three hours. They only serve a standard set of four different items in soup. Noodles or rice is not available.
Just what’s the allure of Yong Xiang Xing’s yong tau foo? Perhaps it’s their unpretentious style and consistent quality. Smeared with a respectable amount of stuffing, all the items were very fresh and tasted wholesome.
The two kinds of beancurd—steamed and fried—were both smooth and tasty. The fishball was very average, but we especially enjoyed the fried beancurd skin with its extra juicy and bouncy stuffing. The soup was a tad on the sweet side, but sufficiently light and flavourful.
Blk 20 Ghim Moh Road, #01-14 Ghim Moh Food Centre
Opening hours: 8.45am-2pm, closed Mon
Price: from $0.40 per piece
Rating: 3.5/5
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The nice thing here is the extensive selection of both fish paste as well as traditional Hakka minced pork stuffing.
The tasty minced pork stuffing was outstanding. It was well-seasoned, with a bouncy texture that struck a pleasing balance between coarse and fine. No wonder the meat items tend to sell out faster.
By comparison, the fish paste items tasted more processed. But they were very fresh and of good quality. Most of the items available were fried. So, on the whole, the food tended to be on the greasy side. The soup and chilli were decent but unspectacular.
Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo
505 Beach Road, #B1-44 Golden Mile Food Centre
Opening hours: 11am-3pm, closed Sun
Price: from $0.30 per piece, minimum 8 pieces
Rating: 3.5/5
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At Golden Mile Special Yong Tau Foo, they mince their own fish paste on the premises daily. There’s a limited variety of stuffed items that customers can choose from. Because most of the items are boiled or steamed, the yong tau foo here feels lighter.
The fish paste had a homely quality, but was pleasantly smooth without that processed texture. Unfortunately, the stuffing was skimpy in quantity. To be fair, the food was competitively priced, but we’d gladly pay more for a more satisfying experience.
On the upside, we rather enjoyed the soup. Although it tasted bland at first, it possessed a subtle natural sweetness that gradually grew on us.
