SOUP TULANG

Soup tulang is one of Singapore’s most distinctive Indian Muslim dishes: meaty bones served in a vivid red, sweet-hot gravy built from tomatoes, chillies, spices and stock, with the marrow at the centre of it all. It is widely associated with Singapore’s Indian Muslim food culture and is regarded as a local creation rather than a direct import. In Kampong Glam and along Jalan Sultan, it sits naturally within a neighbourhood long shaped by Arab, Malay and Indian Muslim communities, with roots tied to Singapore’s early town planning in the 1820s.

WILL MEYRICK‘S RECIPE

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours 30 minutes

THE STORY BEHIND THE RECIPE For Will Meyrick, this kind of dish is exactly what draws him in: food with heat, history and a sense of place. This version is written in that spirit. It stays close to the sweet-spicy red character that makes soup tulang so recognisable, but adds a few small twists in balance and depth for home kitchens: roasted tomatoes for sweetness, tamarind for lift, and a final squeeze of lime to sharpen the broth. It is designed as a practical recipe for 4, while keeping the soul of the dish intact.

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INGREDIENTS

For the bones and stock 1.8 kg beef marrow bones or meaty shank bones, cut into short lengths 2 tbsp neutral oil 1 large onion, roughly chopped 6 garlic cloves, crushed 40 g ginger, sliced 1 cinnamon stick 4 green cardamom pods 3 cloves 2 star anise 2 bay leaves 2.2 litres water 1 tsp black peppercorns 1 tsp salt

For the red spice paste
2 tbsp neutral oil
1 large red onion, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves
30 g ginger
4 long red chillies, deseeded for less heat
2 dried red chillies, soaked until soft
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander

For the soup
2 tbsp ghee or butter
400 g canned chopped tomatoes
2 medium tomatoes, roasted or pan-blistered, then chopped
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 to 2 tsp sugar, to taste
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp fennel powder, optional
1/2 tsp black pepper
Salt, to taste

To finish the dish
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1 small lime, cut into wedges
1 small red chilli, finely sliced, optional

USEFUL SHORTCUTS for home cooks A good butcher can cut marrow bones into serving lengths, which makes the dish much easier to eat and serve. Shop-bought garam masala is perfectly fine here, and tamarind paste is much easier than soaking tamarind pulp. If dried chillies are not available, use a little extra fresh chilli and an extra teaspoon of paprika instead. Ketchup may sound unexpected, but tomato sweetness is part of the flavour profile associated with Singapore-style soup tulang.

METHOD

1. Prepare the bones and stock
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the bones and blanch for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse well. This helps keep the broth cleaner.
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise and bay leaves. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant.
Add the blanched bones, peppercorns, salt and water. Bring to a simmer, skim if needed, then cover loosely and cook gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the meat is tender and the broth is full-flavoured.
Remove the bones and set aside. Strain the stock and keep 1.2 litres for the final soup.

2. Make the red spice paste
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
Add the fresh chillies, soaked dried chillies, tomato paste, paprika, chilli powder, cumin and coriander. Cook gently for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Transfer to a blender with a splash of water and blend until smooth.

3. Build the soup
In a wide pot, heat the ghee or butter. Add the red spice paste and cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring regularly, until thick, glossy and aromatic.
Add the canned tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, ketchup, tamarind paste, sugar, garam masala, fennel powder if using, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
Pour in the reserved stock and stir well. Return the bones to the pot. Simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly and clings to the bones rather than feeling like a thin soup.
Taste and adjust with salt, sugar or a little more tamarind, depending on whether you want it hotter, sweeter or sharper.

4. Finish the dish
Scatter in most of the coriander and spring onion. Simmer for 1 minute more.
Transfer the bones and sauce to a large serving dish or shallow bowl. Spoon the red gravy generously over the top.
Finish with the remaining coriander, extra spring onion, sliced red chilli if using, and lime wedges on the side.

To serve

Serve hot with crusty bread, roti or plain rice. Finger bowls and napkins are a very good idea.