The latest permanent menu offering from Putien, enjoy both beloved signature dishes and new concoctions with Putien’s Yellow Croaker spread!
Sporting a unique name, this fish is delivered fresh from Ningde, Fujian, often known as the ‘home of China’s large Yellow Croaker’ where over 85% of the world’s Yellow Croaker are produced, to Putien’s many restaurants. The fish is a prized ingredient in Chinese restaurants, known for its golden underbelly. We enjoyed seven dishes from the Yellow Croaker menu, and we were pleasantly surprised by how every dish had its own unique taste.
Dish 1: Chinese Kale Fried With Salted Yellow Croaker
The first dish we tried was the Chinese Kale With Salted Yellow Croaker ( from $13.90). Combining fresh Chinese Kale with Salted Yellow Croaker cubes, the dish was a perfect hit of savoury flavour, with the Yellow Croaker cubes being delectably crunchy. The freshness of the kale added to the overall taste of the dish, and we loved how the two flavours came together!
Dish 2: Yellow Croaker Fillet Soup
Previously a seasonal dish, this beloved hit is now available as an ala-carte menu item. One of Putien’s specialty dishes, the Yellow Croaker fillets are coated in pure sweet potato powder and added to a tangy broth with cauliflower, parsley, and tomatoes. The Yellow Croaker Fillet Soup ($19.90) was light and refreshing, and a dish that left us wanting seconds!
Dish 3: 100-Second Stewed Yellow Croaker
The main Fujian signature dish, the 100-Second Stewed Yellow Croaker from ($13.90/ 200g) is prepared by steaming the freshest yellow croaker from Ningde for only a precise 100 seconds, a method specially developed by founder Mr. Fong Chi Chung himself. The dish accentuates the freshness of the Yellow Croaker, lightly seasoned with onions, ginger, Fujian aged wine, and Puning bean sauce.
Dish 4: Yellow Croaker in Chopped Chillies
A departure from the previous light and tangy dishes, the Yellow Croaker in Chopped Chillies ($39.90) packs a delicious punch. Featuring a special homemade sauce made with mildly spicy chillies and all-natural sun-dried Fujian sea salt (which you can purchase from Putien), it gives the dish a spicy kick. The sauce is fermented for three weeks at a temperature of 24 degrees Celsius which enhances the fragrance of the chillies. Spice lovers will definitely enjoy this one! The freshness of the fish combined with the fragrant chillies makes this dish a standout favourite.
Dish 5: Pan-fried Yellow Croaker
Thrice-cooked by deep-frying, searing, and then braising in a secret house sauce till fragrant, the Pan-fried Yellow Croaker ( $39.90/ 500g) is a popular hit with diners and now permanently introduced onto the main menu! We especially loved its crunchiness and texture. It went amazing with the secret house sauce, and we can see why it’s so popular! The spring onion garnishes complimented the Pan-fried Yellow Croaker, which definitely blew us away.
Dish 6: Yellow Croaker in Sambal Sauce
A local twist to the traditional dish, the Yellow Croaker in Sambal Sauce ($39.90) is specially prepared using traditional Singaporean recipes. Marinated in a sambal homemade sauce with over ten kinds of spices, tomato juice, shrimp paste, and soy sauce, the dish manages to balance the sweet, spicy, sour, and savoury.
Dish 7: Yellow Croaker Claypot Soup
And for our final dish, we ended our gastronomic journey in tasting the Yellow Croaker with the Yellow Croaker Claypot Soup ($19.90). The milky soup brought out the pan-fried Yellow Croaker’s natural flavour, boiled on high heat to bring the taste of Fujian to this dish. Ending the meal on a warm, wholesome note, I can say that Putien’s Yellow Croaker menu truly does the dish justice, and it is more than worth its affordable price.
If you’d like to taste the Yellow Croaker Festival for yourself, why not spend an afternoon in Putien?
Address: Islandwide with an outlet at 127 Kitchener Road, Singapore 208514
Opening Hours: Monday–Sunday 11:30am–3pm, 5:30–10pm
