How to make Singapore-style cili padi soy sauce: quick, spicy, and versatile for fish soup, steamed chicken, prawns, tofu, and daily meals.
If you’ve ever had Singapore-style sliced fish soup, you’ll know the soup is clean, light, and comforting — but the real magic happens when you dip the fish into that little saucer of salty umami sauce with floating pieces of fiery cili padi.
This is that sauce!
No cooking, no fuss, and ready in under 5 minutes.
This hawker centre classic is also extremely easy to make! Sometimes the simplest sauces are the best. This is also great with yong tau foo, steamed tofu, or plain white rice.
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Key Ingredients
- Light soy sauce: Any light soy sauce you have will work!
- Hot water: Unless you’re using reduced salt light soy sauce, dilute with hot water so it’s not too salty.
- Cili padi (bird’s eye chilli): The spicy star of the show! Not quite replaceable with the milder red chillies, it’s just not the same kick.
TOTALLY Optional!
The hawker versions don’t go beyond light soy sauce and chillies, but if you’re making it at home and want a bit more depth of flavour, add any of these ingredients:
- Garlic
- Sesame oil
- Calamansi or lime juice
Key Steps to Make Hawker-Style Cili Padi Soy Sauce
- Place sliced cili padi in a small bowl.
- Pour in the soy sauce.
- Add hot water to dilute slightly and mellow the saltiness.
- Stir!
And… that’s it! For best results, leave it overnight for the flavours to meld better.
What to Serve This With (Besides Fish Soup)
This sauce is incredibly versatile and works with so many simple Asian dishes:
- Singapore sliced fishSingapore Milky Sliced Fish Soup (with no milk!) soup (of course)
- Fishball Noodles
- Ban Mian
But it’s not just for hawker dishes — this sauce works as a go-to condiment for everyday meals, especially at zi char or home-style dinners that have any of these dishes:
- Steamed fish or steamed chicken
- Blanched prawns or poached seafood
- Steamed tofu
Basically, if the dish is mild or lightly seasoned, this sauce brings it to life.
Make It Your Own
Storage
- Store any leftover sauce in a small airtight container in the fridge.
- It will keep for up to 1 week. Although if stored well in the fridge, this can last even longer in my experience! Of course, please discard if it smells off.
- The flavour will intensify over time, more salty, and definitely more spicy. You may want to adjust with a splash of water before serving.
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Cili Padi Soy Sauce Dip
4
servings10
minutes0
minutesHow to make Singapore-style cili padi soy sauce: quick, spicy, and versatile for fish soup, steamed chicken, prawns, tofu, and daily meals.
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Ingredients
4 tbsp (60 ml) light soy sauce
4 tbsp (60 ml) hot water, to taste
3 -5 cili padi (bird’s eye chilli), finely sliced, adjust according to spice tolerance
Directions
- Add soy sauce to a bowl.
- Pour in hot water to dilute slightly and mellow the saltiness.
- Add sliced cili padi to the mixture.
- Stir and serve immediately! Leave overnight to let the flavours develop.
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