Claypot Turtle Soup in Singapore: Are you Team Broth or Team Turtle?

Ser Seng Herbs (Turtle) Restaurant Editor

March 25, 2024

Every food has a part that everyone likes. Take an egg, for example. Some people save the yolk for last since they consider it “the best part,” and some people simply eat the whole thing without caring. Or fried chicken, for example, where some prefer the wing, thigh, or breast. Or they might save the crispy skin for last. It’s the same with turtle soup claypot! 

Claypot turtle soup also has many parts that make it a hearty meal, and some people might favour one part over the other. Which do you prefer, the broth or the turtle meat?

Are you Team Broth?

The broth is basically the “soup” of the dish. It’s best served hot when the flavours can truly melt on your tongue. Typically, this dish is perfect for cold weather since it warms you up, but in Singapore, the dish serves as a cultural symbol passed down generations ago. With all the care that was put into creating the recipe, the herbs and spices in the soup are meant to give it a herbal taste, with some people saying that it has a slightly bitter taste to it that’s mixed with herbal wine. It boils down to the kind of recipe that was used, as there are many variations of it!

Every sip of turtle soup is like having a spoonful of exploding flavours. Its rich taste brings a glutinous and sticky feel to the lips. Some prepare the dish with different seasonings that you wouldn’t expect. You might get a sweet, herbal, spicy, and savoury taste all at once!

Are you Team Turtle?

Turtle meat takes the stage in this dish, though, as it gives the dish its essential flavour. I’d say there’s no way you can make turtle soup without the turtle, but surprisingly, you can! Other variations of this delicacy use mock turtle meat due to rising ethical concerns about the worldwide turtle population. So, mock turtle soup was invented as a way to preserve this beloved traditional dish so that people can continue enjoying this exotic culinary experience. 

It’s quite different from what you might expect when you picture turtles! At first, you might associate the bodies of water the turtles live in or the parts of it that aren’t readily appealing to eat. You might think that it’s scaly, hard, fishy, and salty, and I won’t fault you for thinking so. But you’ve yet to actually see and taste fresh turtle meat after it’s been through the kitchen.

Turtle meat is actually soft and chewy. It’s a rich source of collagen, and once the chefs have cooked the soup, it oozes all these unique flavours that you simply shouldn’t miss out on!

So, if you think you might like the soup more than the broth, then you may not have tasted the real thing yet. Whether you’re consuming actual turtle meat or mock turtle meat, it’s all the same: turtle meat is the star of the show. But don’t take it from me; you should try it yourself!

Visit Ser Seng Herbs Turtle Soup Restaurant Today!

As one of the most integral dishes of Chinese cuisine, claypot turtle soup has a flavour profile that is difficult to replicate with other forms of meat or recipes. That’s why mock turtle soup uses a blend of different kinds of animal meat to replicate the unique taste. There’s a little bit of everything in it—just like Singapore!

Have you tasted the best turtle soup in Singapore yet? Would you consider trying it out? Why not get a whiff of our version? We assure you that you’ll be coming back for more. Visit us at 39 Tai Thong Crescent today! We’re open from 11 AM to 9 PM, Tuesdays to Sundays

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