{"id":82885,"date":"2026-09-07T10:44:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T02:44:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=82885"},"modified":"2026-09-07T10:44:52","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T02:44:52","slug":"the-politics-of-disgusting-food-and-singapores-changing-palate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=82885","title":{"rendered":"The politics of disgusting food and Singapore\u2019s changing palate"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"text-primary article-summary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Thomas Koh was 11 years old in 1999 when he watched his grandfather\u2019s world collapse. Since the 1950s, the Koh family has run Koh Brother Pig\u2019s Organ Soup stall at Tiong Bahru Market. Its signature dish was a clear Teochew-style broth simmered with pork bones, offal and salted greens. At its centre were dark, jelly-like cubes of pig\u2019s blood.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Koh remembers the routine. Every morning, buckets of fresh blood would arrive at the stall.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Left to set, the blood became soft, curd-like blocks. When customers ordered, the blocks were sliced, blanched and added to the soup.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/10d8f12a6f56fef7fe188c6beaa28e5e068b78e669235ecc31795bf15fe02b4b?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/10d8f12a6f56fef7fe188c6beaa28e5e068b78e669235ecc31795bf15fe02b4b?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/10d8f12a6f56fef7fe188c6beaa28e5e068b78e669235ecc31795bf15fe02b4b?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/10d8f12a6f56fef7fe188c6beaa28e5e068b78e669235ecc31795bf15fe02b4b\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/10d8f12a6f56fef7fe188c6beaa28e5e068b78e669235ecc31795bf15fe02b4b\" alt=\"Thomas Koh, a third-generation hawker at Koh Brother Pig\u2019s Organ soup. He was 11 years old when pig\u2019s blood consumption was banned in Singapore in 1999.\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Thomas Koh, a third-generation hawker at Koh Brother Pig\u2019s Organ Soup. He was 11 years old when pig\u2019s blood consumption was banned in Singapore in 1999.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cIt\u2019s rich, and full of umami. The texture is similar to tofu,\u201d recalls the 38-year-old, who took over his parents\u2019 stall in 2018.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">For him, pig\u2019s blood was not an exotic ingredient. It was comfort food, and his family\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Then, almost overnight in 1999, it disappeared.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Across the Causeway, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/nipah-virus-outbreak-in-india-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-disease?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\">the Nipah virus<\/span><\/a>, which spread from infected pigs to humans, caused severe neurological illness, and in the worst cases, even led to paralysis and death.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">On March 13, 1999, Singapore recorded its first patient with Nipah virus. Over the week that followed, more people here developed high fevers and severe neurological symptoms. Investigators quickly discovered that every single patient worked in the pig industry, and they traced the outbreak directly to sick pigs imported from Malaysia.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">That same month, the then Primary Production Department <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/first-batch-of-frozen-pork-from-malaysia-since-1999?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\">suspended all imports of live pigs into Singapore<\/span><\/a>. A serious blow, since Singapore had relied entirely on imported pork after its last local pig farms closed in 1989.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">According to a 1999 article in the Singapore Medical Journal, this total ban appears to have been the decisive step that brought the outbreak to an end.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Pig imports resumed at the end of April 1999, but only from a single accredited farm in Indonesia that had tested negative for the virus.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Even though experts emphasised that the virus could not spread from human to human, or through eating pork, panic spread anyway. According to reports in The Straits Times at the time, pork consumption in Singapore fell by 40 per cent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Animal blood products became a particular concern. When an animal is infected, viruses like Nipah \u2013 along with bacteria \u2013 can be present in the bloodstream.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Traditional blood curd posed an added risk as raw blood was left to set at room temperature, then only lightly heated, not always enough to kill harmful pathogens. This also made it vulnerable to contamination during preparation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">As a precaution, Singapore also halted the supply and consumption of blood from locally slaughtered pigs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">For grandfather Koh, this meant the removal of a defining ingredient from the family recipe. He closed the stall for three months to rework it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cHe added meatball, stomach, pig\u2019s heart into the soup,\u201d the younger Koh recalls.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/969a203a9d07e57eabcde04c22f2dd361541761785e3d64f3ec3dda63092d778?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/969a203a9d07e57eabcde04c22f2dd361541761785e3d64f3ec3dda63092d778?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/969a203a9d07e57eabcde04c22f2dd361541761785e3d64f3ec3dda63092d778?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/969a203a9d07e57eabcde04c22f2dd361541761785e3d64f3ec3dda63092d778\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/969a203a9d07e57eabcde04c22f2dd361541761785e3d64f3ec3dda63092d778\" alt=\"For almost three decades, one key traditional ingredient has been missing from Koh Brother Pig\u2019s Organ Soup\u2019s bowl\u2014pig\u2019s blood curd.\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">For almost three decades, one key traditional ingredient has been missing from Koh Brother Pig\u2019s Organ Soup\u2019s bowl \u2013 pig\u2019s blood curd.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Customers reacted warily, not least because offal was seen as high in cholesterol and unhealthy. But the hawker persevered. The business survived, and to this day, long queues still form at the stall. What vanished from the bowl was the pig\u2019s blood.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Nearly three decades later, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/pig-blood-products-return-to-some-singapore-restaurants-after-nearly-three-decades?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\">that ingredient is making a comeback<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">A Singapore Food Agency (SFA) spokesman tells ST: \u201cFollowing this cessation, there was periodic interest from industry stakeholders to resume pig\u2019s blood product supply through imports.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/pigs-blood-food-products-to-return-to-singapore-markets-after-nearly-three-decades?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\">Risk assessments were also conducted in 2018<\/span><\/a>, leading to new requirements for the safe collection and processing of blood for food purposes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In April 2026, the SFA approved heat-treated pig\u2019s blood imports from Thailand\u2019s Bangkhla Pig Slaughterhouse, the first application received and approved since the new requirements were introduced.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The approval does not revive the old system the younger Koh remembers. It authorises a very different product: one made under controlled industrial conditions and subject to approval, export documentation and health certification.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">At the slaughterhouse, blood is collected through a closed pipeline immediately after slaughter, filtered, poured into trays and steamed for 45 minutes to kill pathogens. The finished curds are then chilled and packaged for export. Bangkhla Pig Slaughterhouse produces CP Foods\u2019 pasteurised pig\u2019s blood curd.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Unlike the buckets of raw blood <!-- -->Koh<!-- --> remembers from his childhood, this updated product arrives neatly packaged like boxed tofu.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/8b8668d9c302c1f410616da417d21490926f31a9c07041a5aa71a0f0d0643883?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/8b8668d9c302c1f410616da417d21490926f31a9c07041a5aa71a0f0d0643883?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/8b8668d9c302c1f410616da417d21490926f31a9c07041a5aa71a0f0d0643883?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/8b8668d9c302c1f410616da417d21490926f31a9c07041a5aa71a0f0d0643883\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/8b8668d9c302c1f410616da417d21490926f31a9c07041a5aa71a0f0d0643883\" alt=\"Packs of CP Foods\u2019 Pig Blood Curd on display at FairPrice Xtra in Ang Mo Kio Hub on June 4.\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Packs of CP Foods\u2019 Pig Blood Curd on display at FairPrice Xtra in Ang Mo Kio Hub on June 4.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: GIN TAY<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cCP has been selling pig\u2019s blood in Thailand for six years, and we are confident our technology and processes meet SFA requirements,\u201d says Joyce Yap, director of CP Foods Singapore.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The pasteurised blood curd is now available in Singapore in supermarkets, hawker stalls and popular hotpot chains, including Haidilao. Whether Singaporeans still have an appetite for it remains uncertain.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"font-primary-headline-md-semibold\" data-testid=\"article-subhead-test-id\">The state and the palate<\/h2>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Pig\u2019s blood became unavailable during a public-health crisis. Its long disappearance also raises a broader question: How do food-safety rules shape what a society comes to regard as normal, clean or edible?<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Food historian Nicole Tarulevicz traces the roots of Singapore\u2019s food-safety laws to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In a 2025 study published in the Journal Of Social History, she argues that these laws were never simply about protecting public health. They also served colonial interests, regulating trade, commercial practices and local food cultures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThe British Empire was preoccupied with specific kinds of hygiene,\u201d Tarulevicz explains.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But \u201chygiene\u201d, she says, was not a neutral concept. It often carried racial and ideological assumptions that gave the colonial authorities a rationale for intervening in local practices.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The 1894 municipal abattoir offers a telling example. The authorities regulated the slaughter of cattle and pigs but largely ignored poultry, despite its importance to the local diet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Cattle received careful inspection to ensure a reliable supply of fresh beef for British elites, who associated it with strength and status.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Pork proved more contentious. When the authorities tried to force Chinese butchers to slaughter pigs at the state facility, the butchers responded with a boycott.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The Government retaliated with fines and prison sentences. In one instance, officials even seized a dead pig hidden inside a rickshaw.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The rules were enforced most heavily against non-white residents, even as serious public health problems such as dysentery among coolies received far less attention.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Part of the reason was cost. Improving sanitation meant investing in public infrastructure. Policing food sellers, punishing adulteration and controlling who could handle food were cheaper and gave the colonial state greater control over commerce and everyday life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Food safety, in other words, became a way to decide not only what was \u201cclean\u201d, but who was allowed to participate in the food economy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Singapore inherited this regulatory logic at independence. Tarulevicz notes that its colonial-era framework reflected \u201cspecific British Empire ways\u201d of defining and regulating food.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The food historian adds: \u201cIt is more complex than drawing a straight line from colonial legislation to post-independence bans on specific foods.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Still, that history offers useful context. Food regulation is not only about protecting public health \u2013 it also shapes which practices are considered acceptable, manageable and compatible with the society a government wants to build.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Singapore\u2019s modern food-control system evolved in response to its own circumstances: land scarcity, heavy reliance on imports, dense urban living and the need to prevent disease outbreaks. Yet older ideas about hygiene, inspection and control remained embedded in the regulatory landscape.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">By 1999, when the Nipah virus outbreak prompted Singaporeans to give up pig\u2019s blood, a broader transformation was already well under way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The country was burnishing its image as a clean, modern First World destination for investors and tourists. In June 1997, the Government introduced a public grading system for hawker stalls based on cleanliness and hygiene.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">That same year, French retailer Carrefour opened Singapore\u2019s first hypermarket at Suntec City, signalling the arrival of a new era of large-scale, modern food retail.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The strict regulation of blood products addressed a genuine public-health risk. But it also reflected Singapore\u2019s preference for clear, enforceable food-safety rules, especially for highly perishable products that are difficult to monitor across many small businesses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cGovernments use food policy as a form of soft power to shape social behaviour,\u201d says food researcher Jenny Dorsey, a Fulbright scholar and National Geographic explorer who spent two years with the National University of Singapore studying how government policy affected hawker centres.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Neighbouring countries also experienced the same Nipah outbreak, yet pig\u2019s blood remained readily available in their markets, even during the crisis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cSingapore draws a strict line in the sand,\u201d says Dorsey.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Another reason for the ban was a different approach to risk management.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Taiwan and China faced similar public health threats in 1999, yet they chose a different path. In places where blood and organ dishes are deeply woven into everyday food culture, the authorities opted to test and manage the blood supply rather than eliminate it altogether.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cSingapore is multicultural,\u201d explains Ivy Yeh, an anthropology professor at Nanyang Technological University.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cUnlike Taiwan, where eating organs and blood is so deeply embedded in the dominant culture that people refuse to give it up, the Singapore Government prioritised risk management.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In a dense city-state, an outright ban was simply easier to enforce than regulating a perishable product across hundreds of hawker stalls, says Yeh.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But the decision did more than address an immediate health risk. It also changed what Singaporeans grew up eating.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Research suggests children may need repeated exposure to unfamiliar flavours before learning to enjoy them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">By not allowing pig\u2019s blood \u2013 and later ending the sale and slaughter of live turtles and frogs at wet markets in 2020 \u2013 Singapore also reduced opportunities for younger generations to encounter and develop a taste for such foods.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Traditional staples can become unfamiliar not because they taste bad, but because fewer people grow up seeing, smelling and eating them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The shift is visible across Singapore\u2019s food landscape. The Government is positioning itself as a global hub for alternative proteins and cultured meat, pouring over $300 million into sustainable food research and development.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In 2020, Singapore made global headlines as the first nation to approve lab-grown meat for commercial sale.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">By March 2026, the SFA had published a formal list of 14 approved novel foods: lab-grown chicken, algae biomass and precision-fermented ingredients, all cleared for local import and sale.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Tarulevicz says high-tech food innovation could inadvertently narrow the local palate. She also raises a question: Which parts of the animal are likely to be reproduced, and which will be left behind?<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThe economics of lab-grown meat tend to focus on prime cuts \u2013 eye fillet, chicken breast,\u201d she notes. \u201cDoes it make sense to lab-grow tendons, tripe or intestines? Probably not.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">By prioritising premium Western cuts, Singapore\u2019s futuristic food agenda risks accelerating the loss of traditional offal and organ dishes.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"font-primary-headline-md-semibold\" data-testid=\"article-subhead-test-id\">Brain masala, anyone?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Yet, Singapore has not stopped eating foods that unsettle many diners.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">One of the big draws at Bar B Q Tonight, a Pakistani restaurant in Little India operating since 2011, is brain masala, a rich, intensely spiced dish made with goat brains.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/4a53701332911b082768b5160c3e3d52719893ff0f07f4c0795c4e389be6ecf7?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/4a53701332911b082768b5160c3e3d52719893ff0f07f4c0795c4e389be6ecf7?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/4a53701332911b082768b5160c3e3d52719893ff0f07f4c0795c4e389be6ecf7?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/4a53701332911b082768b5160c3e3d52719893ff0f07f4c0795c4e389be6ecf7\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/4a53701332911b082768b5160c3e3d52719893ff0f07f4c0795c4e389be6ecf7\" alt=\"Bar B Q Tonight restaurant manager Zakir Khan, 42, holding a dish of brain masala made up of goat brain stir fried with tomatoes, browned onions, spices and green chillies costs $20, inside the restaurant on Sept 3, 2026. &#10;&#10;(ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI)\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Bar B Q Tonight restaurant manager Zakir Khan, 42, on Sept 3 holding a dish of brain masala made up of goat brain stir-fried with tomatoes, browned onions, spices and green chillies. It costs $20.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Restaurant manager Zakir Khan does not regard the ingredient as alarming. It simply requires careful and meticulous handling.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/7ef13afcac30d450778b686f3a0612cfa01ee352782d49de11b4e5f0d216d0db?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/7ef13afcac30d450778b686f3a0612cfa01ee352782d49de11b4e5f0d216d0db?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/7ef13afcac30d450778b686f3a0612cfa01ee352782d49de11b4e5f0d216d0db?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/7ef13afcac30d450778b686f3a0612cfa01ee352782d49de11b4e5f0d216d0db\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/7ef13afcac30d450778b686f3a0612cfa01ee352782d49de11b4e5f0d216d0db\" alt=\"Goat brain and some of the ingredients used in brain masala at Bar B Q Tonight restaurant on Sept 3.\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Goat brain and some of the other ingredients used by Bar B Q Tonight in brain masala.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Kitchen staff first parboil the brain with turmeric for 10 minutes before removing the internal nerves by hand. It is then chopped and quickly fried in olive oil with fresh ginger, garlic and house-ground garam masala.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cThe texture feels exactly like tofu,\u201d Khan says, describing it as velvety, rich and deeply savoury.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/0178c977bf6405646103dc8057a1e00fa92ae0e62ab10140e776444c7555af6f?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/0178c977bf6405646103dc8057a1e00fa92ae0e62ab10140e776444c7555af6f?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/0178c977bf6405646103dc8057a1e00fa92ae0e62ab10140e776444c7555af6f?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/0178c977bf6405646103dc8057a1e00fa92ae0e62ab10140e776444c7555af6f\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/0178c977bf6405646103dc8057a1e00fa92ae0e62ab10140e776444c7555af6f\" alt=\"Brain masala made up of goat brain stir fried with tomatoes, browned onions, spices and green chillies costs $20, at Bar B Q Tonight restaurant on Sept 3, 2026. &#10;&#10;(ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI)\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Brain masala is made up of goat brain stir-fried with tomatoes, browned onions, spices and green chillies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The dish is a delicacy. Each goat yields only one brain, and limited supply can push wholesale prices to $40 a kg.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">During the Covid-19 pandemic, when supply chains were disrupted, customers repeatedly called the restaurant asking when it would return.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mid-conversation, Khan\u2019s phone buzzes with a message from a diner reserving a portion for evening pickup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In addition to South Asian expatriates, his regulars include Malay, Indian and Chinese Singaporeans. Some of his most loyal customers are local medical staff from the nearby Farrer Park Hospital, who frequently stop by to scoop up spiced goat brain with hot naan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Their appetite complicates any easy story about inevitable aversion to offal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">If brain masala shows an organ dish sustained through cultural familiarity, Dirty Supper in Tiong Bahru reveals what happens when similar ingredients are presented for contemporary dining.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/c4848d61a76ef707e95cb0b9b27b85a2b828c0fb329e026dbd0fc33b72932a5b?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/c4848d61a76ef707e95cb0b9b27b85a2b828c0fb329e026dbd0fc33b72932a5b?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/c4848d61a76ef707e95cb0b9b27b85a2b828c0fb329e026dbd0fc33b72932a5b?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/c4848d61a76ef707e95cb0b9b27b85a2b828c0fb329e026dbd0fc33b72932a5b\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/c4848d61a76ef707e95cb0b9b27b85a2b828c0fb329e026dbd0fc33b72932a5b\" alt=\"Chef Peter Smit of Dirty Supper preparing a duck on Aug 18.\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Chef Peter Smit of Dirty Supper preparing a duck on Aug 18.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Chef Peter Smit \u2013 who grew up in Australia and has worked in London kitchens \u2013 opened the restaurant in 2024 as a whole-animal operation. He is committed to \u201cwhole animal\u201d cooking, the philosophy of using every part of the animal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe had a farm in Cornwall where we reared our own pigs. We knew all the butchers; we knew all the farmers,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The kitchen breaks down whole lambs, ducks and sides of pork. The results land on an ever-changing blackboard menu: grilled pork heart and kidney treated like steak, smoked pork tongue, duck heads and feet, duck-neck sausages stuffed with liver and heart, and house-cured lamb ham.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">There is usually just one beef steak, from a secondary cut to \u201cplease the masses\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Supply cost and the skill required discourage most restaurants from committing to such a menu. Smit does so out of \u201cpure stubbornness\u201d. He also keeps \u201cfun cuts\u201d like hearts and kidneys under $10 to encourage diners to take a chance on them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cI would rather people try this stuff and go, \u2018Oh, this is actually really good,\u2019\u201d he says. By his account, around 95 per cent of diners do.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/bb19e048ff0ff3a96255d9cd2c9b3802ccd59831c435e1f0ec7aa29f4fd3b710?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/bb19e048ff0ff3a96255d9cd2c9b3802ccd59831c435e1f0ec7aa29f4fd3b710?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/bb19e048ff0ff3a96255d9cd2c9b3802ccd59831c435e1f0ec7aa29f4fd3b710?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/bb19e048ff0ff3a96255d9cd2c9b3802ccd59831c435e1f0ec7aa29f4fd3b710\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/bb19e048ff0ff3a96255d9cd2c9b3802ccd59831c435e1f0ec7aa29f4fd3b710\" alt=\"One of the dishes offered at Dirty Supper is pig snout.\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">One of the dishes offered at Dirty Supper is pig snout.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But he sees a double standard. Duck head, pork kidney or pork heart can appear cool and adventurous when served at a \u201csustainable whole-animal dining experience\u201d for $80 alongside natural wine. \u201cBut if you go to a Chinese restaurant, it\u2019s everywhere, and everyone is eating it. So the only difference is it\u2019s a white boy cooking it.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/23388445408f13f3e0fee39bddfe1a28c348938b67f53650f534f83f027863a9?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/23388445408f13f3e0fee39bddfe1a28c348938b67f53650f534f83f027863a9?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/23388445408f13f3e0fee39bddfe1a28c348938b67f53650f534f83f027863a9?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/23388445408f13f3e0fee39bddfe1a28c348938b67f53650f534f83f027863a9\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/23388445408f13f3e0fee39bddfe1a28c348938b67f53650f534f83f027863a9\" alt=\"Chef Peter Smit of Dirty Supper pictured holding a duck head.\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Chef Peter Smit of Dirty Supper pictured holding a duck head.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Yeh agrees: \u201cIt completely depends on how you present the exact same thing. If you brand it well, the price, and the psychology of disgust, changes entirely.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">More than just biology, that psychology is shaped by class, setting, memory and aspiration.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In post-war Singapore, offal, animal blood, and even reptiles were ordinary foods. Poverty and wartime shortages made intestines, tripe, and frog meat affordable sources of protein, not exotic choices.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">As incomes rose, wet markets and butcher stalls gave way to supermarkets and neatly packaged cuts of meat, putting more distance between consumers and the whole animal. Ingredients once valued for their affordability gradually acquired a stigma as \u201cpeasant food\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The reverse can happen, too: Foods once associated with wealth can become unfamiliar or even unappealing.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"portrait inline-media-wrapper\" style=\"--aspect-article-portrait:1140 \/ 1141\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/ec21d45e2643675a02335ec358a9c8f46973cf8e85caac199d3926e145710c24?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/ec21d45e2643675a02335ec358a9c8f46973cf8e85caac199d3926e145710c24?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/ec21d45e2643675a02335ec358a9c8f46973cf8e85caac199d3926e145710c24?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/ec21d45e2643675a02335ec358a9c8f46973cf8e85caac199d3926e145710c24\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/ec21d45e2643675a02335ec358a9c8f46973cf8e85caac199d3926e145710c24\" alt=\"Allan Tan (left), 35, and his sister Vivian Tan, 49 are the third generation owners of Tan Ser Seng Herbal Soup in Geylang.\" class=\"aspect-portrait flex items-start shrink-0 portrait article-portrait object-contain mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Allan Tan, 35, and his sister Vivian Tan, 49, are the third-generation owners of Tan Ser Seng Herbal Soup in Geylang.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: GIN TAY<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">At Tan Ser Seng Herbal Soup in Geylang, third-generation owners Allan and Vivian Tan are preserving their grandfather\u2019s turtle soup recipe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">A Teochew immigrant, Tan Ah Sai began selling turtle soup after World War II. He would carry the soup pots on a shoulder pole through the streets.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cHe wanted to be different from other chefs,\u201d Vivian says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">His turtle soup \u2013 a herbal broth slow-cooked with a blend of Chinese herbs and freshwater turtles \u2013 quickly attracted everyone from labourers to wealthy businessmen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">In China, Vivian says, turtle soup was traditionally served at banquets and weddings as a sign of prosperity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">For Allan, turtle was never unusual. \u201cI grew up eating turtle. It\u2019s just another meat. It tastes just like pork,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b2ff7774db1587c691a60b90b691a83b0d9ce0f254f1b72f2f7443715bce6430?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b2ff7774db1587c691a60b90b691a83b0d9ce0f254f1b72f2f7443715bce6430?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b2ff7774db1587c691a60b90b691a83b0d9ce0f254f1b72f2f7443715bce6430?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b2ff7774db1587c691a60b90b691a83b0d9ce0f254f1b72f2f7443715bce6430\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b2ff7774db1587c691a60b90b691a83b0d9ce0f254f1b72f2f7443715bce6430\" alt=\"A bowl of claypot turtle soup from Tan Ser Seng Herbs Restaurant in Geylang.\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">A bowl of claypot turtle soup from Tan Ser Seng Herbs Restaurant in Geylang.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: GIN TAY<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But he understands why first-timers hesitate. When the restaurant sold only turtle soup, some diners brought friends or family who refused to try it, and sometimes left without eating.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The family eventually expanded the menu with other soups and dishes, including ginseng black chicken soup. Even that can prompt hesitation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cSome people think chicken shouldn\u2019t be black,\u201d Allan says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Vivian recalls children who happily ate turtle meat until their parents told them what it was.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cIt tastes like pork. It\u2019s just scarier in your mind,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Today, the restaurant has a steady base of local regulars and tourists, mostly from China and Indonesia, even if the long queues of its heyday are gone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Dorsey sees a generational shift: Millennials embraced photogenic food, while Gen Z places greater value on experiences that are \u201creal\u201d and \u201c<!-- -->unglamorous<!-- -->\u201d, making once-shunned ingredients fashionable again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">For younger diners, eating organ meat can be both private enjoyment and a public signal: evidence of curiosity, adventurousness or cultural fluency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cHow we eat is an expression of what we feel comfortable with, but also what we aspirationally want to be,\u201d Dorsey says. For younger diners, ordering organ meat can signal identity \u2013 \u201cwanting to eat it publicly because they want to be seen as adventurous\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Take baker Jeslyn Chow. The 32-year-old enjoys offal and pig\u2019s blood; her favourite local dish is kway chap, flat rice sheet served in a broth and with an assortment of pork cuts including offal, intestines and ears.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">For years, her access to pig\u2019s blood was limited to trips abroad to Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan. Now that it is making a return to Singapore\u2019s food scene, she is eager to enjoy it closer to home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cI\u2019m a strong proponent of using every part of an animal or even fruit or vegetable,\u201d Chow says. \u201cSince it\u2019s already there for us to eat \u2013 the farmer already grew the veggie or slaughtered the pig \u2013 why should some parts be considered \u2018disgusting\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Disgust can be durable, but it is not fixed. A travel experience, a trusted recommendation or a single unexpectedly good meal can change a diner\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/619d58b35a5553c68432ad391165e820f34682ca7e03be21d56150c063ec53d4?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/619d58b35a5553c68432ad391165e820f34682ca7e03be21d56150c063ec53d4?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/619d58b35a5553c68432ad391165e820f34682ca7e03be21d56150c063ec53d4?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/619d58b35a5553c68432ad391165e820f34682ca7e03be21d56150c063ec53d4\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/619d58b35a5553c68432ad391165e820f34682ca7e03be21d56150c063ec53d4\" alt=\"Thomas Koh (right), a third generation hawker at Koh Brothers pig organ soup.\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Thomas Koh, a third-generation hawker at Koh Brothers Pig\u2019s Organ Soup stall.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Koh sees this at first hand at his pig organ soup stall. When young customers play it safe with lean meat and meatballs, he encourages them to try the intestines, recommending them as the house speciality.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe clean our intestines really well. It might be different from others you\u2019ve tasted before,\u201d he tells them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">As Yeh puts it: \u201cIn childhood, we might be taught to dislike something. But when we mature and gain the ability to explore, we realise, \u2018Oh, this is actually so tasty.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The question is whether Singapore\u2019s food culture will give younger diners enough opportunities to make that discovery.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/32965984b968adc8f8b5f0ddd44c96eca7fab5c02935c6559d730302eed7ea51?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/32965984b968adc8f8b5f0ddd44c96eca7fab5c02935c6559d730302eed7ea51?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/32965984b968adc8f8b5f0ddd44c96eca7fab5c02935c6559d730302eed7ea51?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/32965984b968adc8f8b5f0ddd44c96eca7fab5c02935c6559d730302eed7ea51\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/32965984b968adc8f8b5f0ddd44c96eca7fab5c02935c6559d730302eed7ea51\" alt=\"Pig intestines at Koh Brothers pig organ soup shop at Tiong Bahru Market\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Pig intestines at Koh Brothers Pig\u2019s Organ Soup stall at Tiong Bahru Market<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->The Straits Times<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The challenge extends beyond pig\u2019s blood. Hawker culture is already losing the workers and businesses that keep its more unusual dishes alive. The median age of a hawker is 59, while rising costs, long hours and a shortage of younger successors are forcing many famous stalls to close.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Government efforts to bring in new hawkers have had limited success. Of the 566 aspiring entrepreneurs who completed the 2020 Hawkers\u2019 Development Programme, only 16 stalls remained operational by April 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">For those who do enter the trade, economics can also push tradition aside. As Makansutra founder K.F. Seetoh notes, hawkers have to make a living, and labour-intensive heritage dishes are often harder to justify.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The change is already visible in newer hawker centres: Stalls serving offal, turtle soup or beef lung are increasingly replaced by Chinese mala, Japanese donburi and Korean hotplate dishes.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"landscape inline-media-wrapper\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/0fc262383da92e562b82c8755c6b26e36b49849ad7fd9e6560b06131c8f85feb?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/0fc262383da92e562b82c8755c6b26e36b49849ad7fd9e6560b06131c8f85feb?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px and max-width: 3999px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/0fc262383da92e562b82c8755c6b26e36b49849ad7fd9e6560b06131c8f85feb?w=900\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 4000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/0fc262383da92e562b82c8755c6b26e36b49849ad7fd9e6560b06131c8f85feb\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/0fc262383da92e562b82c8755c6b26e36b49849ad7fd9e6560b06131c8f85feb\" alt=\"Thomas Koh (right), a third generation hawker at Koh Brothers pig organ soup.\" class=\"aspect-landscape flex items-start shrink-0 object-cover landscape article-landscape mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 pt-08 pb-16\">\n<p class=\"inline text-secondary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Thomas Koh (right), a third-generation hawker at Koh Brothers Pig\u2019s Organ Soup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inline text-tertiary font-secondary-captions-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\"> <!-- -->ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The result is a narrowing food landscape. Some diners still seek out traditional flavours, but the mainstream is moving towards dishes that are more familiar, standardised and easier to produce.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Magazine editor Lynette Koh, 45, is nonchalant about pig\u2019s blood making a comeback.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">She had never tried it in Singapore, having been barely a teenager when it disappeared from menus. Her first taste came years later on a trip to Taipei, when she decided to see what she had been missing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWhat\u2019s the big deal? It doesn\u2019t even taste like anything, aside from tofu. Then I might as well eat tofu since it\u2019s actually healthy,\u201d she says, adding that she has not been tempted to try it again since its return to Singapore.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">It is one reason why, despite requests from older customers, Koh hesitates to add it back into his family\u2019s recipe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">A big hurdle is cost. Buying a box of pig\u2019s blood for around $7 \u2013 with each bowl needing half a portion \u2013 would push his prices up significantly. He also doubts younger diners would eat it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cAfter 30 years, it\u2019s hard to reintroduce it,\u201d Koh explains. \u201cIf I add it now, people might react poorly and go, \u2018Ew, what is this in my soup?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He may be right. Thirty years is long enough for an ingredient not just to disappear from menus but from collective memory.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But Koh has also watched a table of young customers leave having ordered intestines for the first time, and come back the next week to order them again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<center><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/pigs-blood-is-back-but-is-singapore-hungry-for-it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><br \/>\n<center\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thomas Koh was 11 years old in 1999 when he watched his grandfather\u2019s world collapse. Since the 1950s, the Koh family has run Koh Brother&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":82886,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=82885"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82885\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/82886"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=82885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=82885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=82885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}