Five Spice Pork Rolls, Ngoh Hiang, is a popular Singaporean dish that consists of a crispy, golden-brown roll filled with a mixture of minced meat, vegetables, and spices. The filling is typically made with pork, fish, or a combination of both, and may also include ingredients like water chestnuts, mushrooms, and carrots.
Making Ngor Hiang can be a fun and challenging project for the whole family. It requires patience and precision, but the results are well worth it.
Ingredients for the Five Spice Pork Rolls
- 350 g pork belly
- 300 g pork
- 2 garlic clove(s)
- 3 shallot(s)
- 50 g carrot(s)
- 100 g water chestnut
- 30 g scallions
- 1 tsp five spice powder
- 1⁄2 tsp white pepper
- 1 1⁄2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1⁄2 egg(s)
- 2 1⁄3 tbsp corn starch
- 1⁄8 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 salted beancurd sheet
- oil for deep-frying
Method to cook the Five Spice Pork Rolls
Mince garlic, shallots, carrot, scallions and pork belly. Then, dice the water chestnuts into small cubes. Cut pork shoulder into thin strips. Put all prepared ingredients into a bowl.
Combine soy sauce, 5 spice powder, white pepper, sugar, egg, cornstarch and salt in another bowl. Then, add minced pork and pork strips into the sauce mixture. Mix well. After that, add chopped water chestnuts, scallions, garlic and carrots. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Best to leave it overnight.
Prepare cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch and boiling water evenly. Set aside.
Cut salted beancurd sheets into size of 25 x 20cm. For smaller rolls, cut them into 15 x 15 cm squares. Then, wipe off the excess salt with a wet kitchen towel and set aside. Wrap pork filling immediately. Otherwise, cover the cleaned beancurd sheets with a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying.
Spoon some marinated filling onto a beancurd sheet. Wrap the filling and place it on an oiled plate. Do leave a gap between each roll to prevent them from sticking which may result in tearing.
Steam the raw Ngoh Hiang for 12 to 15 minutes over low to medium to heat. Serve them immediately if you prefer steamed Ngoh Hiang.
To fry, allow the steamed Ngoh Hiang to cool for 30 minutes. Heat oil over medium heat. Lightly coat each roll with some cornstarch before deep-frying them for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Let them cool for 5 minutes before cutting into smaller pieces. Serve warm.
The best partner of this Ngoh Hiang is the secret dipping sauce, and every stall has its unique recipes. It is not challenging to have a bite of this food; you can easily encounter street vendors selling them while wandering on the Singaporean sidewalks.
Origin of Five Spice Pork Rolls (Ngoh Hiang)
It is generally believed to have developed as a result of cultural exchange between Chinese and Malay communities in Southeast Asia. The dish’s name, “Ngor Hiang,” is derived from Hokkien Chinese, where “ngor” means “five” and “hiang” means “fragrant.” The combination of pork, vegetables, and spices, often including five-spice powder, reflects the harmonious blending of Chinese and Malay culinary traditions. This fusion of flavors has made Ngor Hiang a beloved and enduring dish in Singapore and other parts of Southeast Asia.
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