The latest food craze hitting Singapore shores is mala xiang guo, a spicy and mouth-numbing stir-fry that comprises of a variety of ingredients handpicked by diners.
While this dish is popular among the Chinese nationals, having originated from the Sichuan and Chongqing provinces, Singaporeans are fast catching onto this chilli bug as well!
If you are up for this spicy challenge, then we promise you that it is going to be a fiery hot affair at these five mala xiang guo places!
1. Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo
As one of the pioneering stalls in the mala xiang guo scene in Singapore, Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo is now so hotly-popular that they have two outlets at People’s Park Food Centre just to cater to the crowd.
Credit: carmensiatravelblog.blogspot.sg
Choose from their extensive selection of ingredients, from vegetables to meat and seafood. All of their ingredients are stored in a huge fridge so you know that you are enjoying only the freshest ingredients here!
To top it off, unlike other mala xiang guo stalls, Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo charges by per serving portions as opposed to by weight. Vegetables typically cost $1 per serving while meat and seafood start at $2 and $3 per serving respectively. With such an affordable pricing system, it’s no wonder this mala xiang guo stall is a favourite amongst many!
After choosing your preferred ingredients, do remember to inform the stall owners your preferred level of spiciness: mild, moderate, spicy, extra spicy. If you cannot take the heat, you can even request for the ingredients to be stir-fried without the fiery sauce as well!
Fresh ingredients, coupled with the spicy yet flavourful mala sauce and unmatchable prices, Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo certainly packs a fiery punch in terms of flavour and affordability!
Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo
Address: People’s Park Food Centre, 32 New Market Road, #01-1042 & #01-1052, Singapore 050032
Opening hours: Daily, 11am – 9pm
2. Fragrant Hot Pot
Savouring this spicy mala hotpot is certainly going to result in you sweating buckets. If you prefer enjoying this spicy dish in air-conditioned comfort, Fragrant Hot Pot is the place to head to!
Located at Food Republic, the added air-conditioned comfort comes with a price though. Ingredients here are comparatively pricier as compared to elsewhere. Seafood prices start from $4.50 per 100g while meat items start from $3.20 per 100g. Vegetable items are priced at $1.20 per 100g.
Their specialty mala sauce is made from over 20 various spices and herbs. Their sauce is rumoured to have been prepared and cooked overnight, so as to coax the flavours from spices and herbs for that mouth-numbing sensation.
Fragrant Hot Pot
Address: 313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Road, #05-01/03, Singapore 238895
Opening hours: Mon – Thu 8am – 10pm; Fri – Sun 8am – 11pm
3. Mala Xiang Guo Ju
Located along the stretch of mala xiang guo stalls at People’s Park Food Centre, Mala Xiang Guo Ju stands out with the chef’s unique rendition of mala sauce.
Opened by former restaurant chef, Zhang Bin, his spicy concoction of mala sauce is set to offer patrons a robust mala gravy that will certainly pack a fiery punch!
Similar to Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo, the prices here are based on per serving as opposed to the standard practice of charging by weight.
Prices of vegetables start from $1, meat from $2, and seafood from $3. Similarly, patrons have the option of choosing their preferred level of spiciness. Regular diners have mentioned that the spiciness takes a while to kick in, so if you are going for a milder mala taste, this is the perfect mala xiang guo stall for you!
Mala Xiang Guo Ju
Address: People’s Park Food Centre, 32 New Market Road, #01-1048, Singapore 050032
Opening hours: Daily, 10am – 10pm
4. Cookhouse Mala Xiang Guo
Nestled within JEM, Cookhouse Mala Xiang Guo is the perfect place to satisfy those mala xiang guo cravings in-between your shopping spree! As per the standard practice, ingredients here are charged based on their weight before being stir-fried with the piquant mala sauce. Additionally, the level of spiciness can be adjusted to your preferred level as well.
Instead of the usual bowl of white rice, Cookouse Mala Xiang Guo also offers the option of pairing your mala xiang guo with instant noodles. With this addictive and flavoursome bowl of mala xiang guo, we are pretty sure your taste buds will be all fired up.
Cookhouse Mala Xiang Guo
Address: JEM, 50 Jurong Gateway Road #05-01 Singapore 608549
Opening hours: Daily, 3am – 3pm
5. Hot Hot Hot Mala Xiang Guo
Despite being located in the far West of Singapore, Hot Hot Hot Mala Xiang Guo has no doubt made its mark in the mala xiang guo scene with its perpetual long queues.
As usual, you will need to pick your ingredients before they stir-fry it with their mala sauce. While their ingredients certainly are fresh, be mindful that they charge based on weight and it is slightly pricier as compared to other mala xiang guo stalls.
There are four spiciness level available, non-spicy, mild, medium and spicy.
Whether you are going for the Mala Hot Pot Soup or the Dry Mala Hot Pot, either way we are certain it will be a spicily-gratifying meal!
Hot Hot Hot Mala Xiang Guo
Address: Food Republic Food Courts@Westgate, 3 Gateway Drive, Singapore 608532
Opening hours: Daily, 10am – 10pm
Despite the numbing and tingling sensation induced by the mala sauce, it seems that Singaporeans are not deterred from savouring this fiery hot dish. If you are up for a numbingly-spicy culinary experience, any of these five stalls will certainly satisfy your cravings!
However, if spicy is not on your preferred taste palette, many of these stalls also provide the option of a milder sauce, so you still get a little kick while trying the latest and newest food trend.
(Header image credit: rebloggy.com)
Also, read Count Yourself As A True Blue Singaporean Only If You Have Tried These 9 Local Dishes!
