Heng Gi Goose and Duck Rice - Soy-Herbal Braised Duck Rice

Tucked into a corner of Tekka Centre in Little India, Heng Gi Goose and Duck Rice has spent close to seventy years serving one thing well: Teochew-style braised duck. The stall traces its roots to the old Wayang Street hawkers and was founded by Uncle Yang, who ran it out of Hill Street Food Centre before the move to Tekka. It is listed in the Michelin Guide, with recognition stickers from 2022 and 2024 displayed at the stall, and it shares its lineage with Ah Heng Duck Rice at Hong Lim, run by another of Uncle Yang’s disciples. Despite the goose in its name, the stall today is entirely about the duck, and the braise that defines it.

Heng Gi is part of a small family of Singapore braised duck stalls that share a common origin. The stall was one of the former Wayang Street hawkers, opening first at Hill Street Food Centre before relocating to its present spot at Tekka Centre. Founder Uncle Yang trained the cooks who carry the recipe forward today, and the same lineage runs through Ah Heng Duck Rice at Hong Lim Food Centre, which is helmed by another of his disciples. Diners who know one stall often notice the family resemblance in the braise at the other.

Braised Duck Rice Set — from around $3.50

The set is the stall’s foundation: boneless braised duck sliced over rice, served with a light soup and chilli. The duck is simmered slowly in a soy-based herbal stock until the meat carries the braise’s savoury, faintly herbal character all the way through. What sets the plate apart is the rice itself. Heng Gi uses only plain boiled rice, with no yam rice option, and finishes it by spooning the dark braising stock over the grains so that the rice soaks up the same flavour as the meat. The quality of rice used is a notch above what many chicken rice stalls work with, and the combination of soft rice and boneless duck makes the set generous for its price.

Braised Duck Wings and Feet

Beyond the sliced meat, Heng Gi braises the whole bird, and the wings and feet are available as separate orders for those who want them. These cuts spend longer in contact with the braising stock and take on a deeper colour and a more concentrated flavour than the breast and thigh meat. The wings in particular hold onto the herbal notes of the stock, while the feet are a traditional Teochew accompaniment for diners who prefer the collagen-rich, gelatinous texture that slow braising draws out.

Braised Offal — Gizzards and Liver

The offal selection reflects the old-school, nose-to-tail approach of Teochew lor ark. Duck gizzards come out firm and dense, holding their bite even after braising, while the liver is softer and takes on the stock more readily. Both are portioned as small add-ons, typically around a dollar, and are meant to be eaten alongside the rice with a little of the braising sauce spooned over. For regulars, a plate built from a mix of duck meat and offal is the way the dish has been eaten here for decades.

Braised Pork Belly

Heng Gi’s braise is not limited to the duck. Pork belly goes into the same herbal soy stock and emerges tender, with alternating layers of meat and fat that carry the savoury depth of the braising liquid. Ordered as an add-on at around two dollars, it is a common pairing with the duck rice, giving the plate a second protein and a richer, fattier counterpoint to the leaner duck meat.

Pig’s Ear and Pig Skin

For texture, the stall offers braised pig’s ear and pig skin, both cut into thin slices. The ear has the characteristic crunch of cartilage set against soft skin, while the braised pig skin is smooth and gelatinous. These are the kinds of items that mark a traditional braised-meats stall rather than a straightforward duck rice counter, and they round out the range of cuts that share Heng Gi’s single pot of stock.

Tau Kwa and Braised Egg

The vegetarian-friendly sides sit in the same braise as everything else. Tau kwa, or firm beancurd, absorbs the soy stock along its cut surfaces and provides a plainer, softer element on the plate. The braised egg, priced at under a dollar, is stained a deep brown from its time in the pot and carries the same savoury seasoning through to the yolk. Both are inexpensive ways to add to a set without ordering more meat.

The Soup and Chilli

Each set comes with a light savoury soup carrying subtle Chinese spice notes, a gentle counterpoint to the concentrated braise on the plate. The chilli sauce is the other essential accompaniment, mixed to a spicy and sourish profile and usually served with cucumber alongside. Spooned over the duck, the sauce cuts through the richness of the braise and adds the sharp, tangy lift that completes a Teochew braised duck plate.

Heng Gi Goose and Duck Rice is a rare survivor of old-school Teochew braising in the heart of Little India, holding to a single pot of herbal soy stock and a recipe passed down from Uncle Yang. For anyone wanting to taste a style of braised duck that reaches back to pre-independence Singapore, at a price that has stayed within reach, the corner stall at Tekka Centre is worth the early visit before the day’s braise runs out.

Tekka Centre, #01-335, 665 Buffalo Road, Singapore 210665
Opening Hours: 8:00am – 2:30pm (Monday to Saturday), Closed Sunday
Tel: +65 6396 0969
Payment: Cash