WELL BRAISED: Mr Albert Oh, 28, the youngest of the three brothers manning
their father’s Sia Kee Duck Rice stall, with the duck rice set.

WHENEVER I feel like eating duck rice, I often head for Sia Kee in Geylang Lorong 35.

While it’s no secret that the eatery serves excellent Teochew braised duck rice, what is a secret is how owner Oh Kim Sing, 61, comes up with a braising gravy that is a perfect balance of flavours.

No one herb overpowers the other even though about 20 ingredients, including star anise, cinnamon, Chinese licorice (gan cao) and tangerine peel, are used. The duck meat is also deliciously tender and juicy.

Mr Oh started as a cook at a duck rice stall 30 years ago and opened the Geylang eatery in 1979.

He apparently uses only “ban cai ya”, a breed of ducks imported from Malaysia that is meatier with thinner skin and less fat. Only those weighing more than 3kg are used.

The birds are blanched in boiling water before they are braised slowly in the special gravy, whose recipe he refuses to divulge.

I like the boneless duck meat ($3). Order a set for one ($6) and the meat comes with braised peanuts, beancurd slices, fishcake, beansprouts, cucumber slices, innards and a hard-boiled egg.

Mr Oh came up with the idea of serving beansprouts with the duck meat as chicken served with beansprouts was popular at one time, and he wanted to make his duck rice a little different.

The blanched beansprouts are a delightful contrast in texture to the succulent meat.

Dip the duck slices in the garlic and chilli sauce with vinegar which is served with a generous dollop of homemade sambal.

The braised peanuts, which are cooked in a different gravy until they are wderfully soft and then served with the duck, are also good on their own. The rice, an appetising brown, is lightly drizzled with the gravy, which goes so well with the rest of the ingredients.

I like nothing more than to finish up the plate of duck rice with the accompanying bowl of soup, which has strips of cabbage floating in it.

The slightly milky duck broth has a subtle herbal taste. What actually goes into it? Mr Oh is also not saying.
 
Sia Kee Duck Rice
659-661 Geylang Road, Lorong 35, Tel: 9757-5255
Open: 11am to 7.30pm, closed alternate Wednesdays
Rating: ***½

This article was first published in The Straits Times on November 4, 2007.