Ask for a recommendation
我要煮鱼片汤，两个人吃的。您推荐哪一种鱼？
I’m making fish soup for two. Which fish would you recommend?
Your first wet-market run, made easy.
Choose a market. Know what to buy. Walk in with a plan.
Find your market
Start with a neighbourhood, then choose what matters.
Schematic · not to scale
MarketSelected
A curated discovery guide, rather than live ratings or prices. Recommendations draw on Kelly’s experience, editorial guides and official location data. “Good value” is comparative, not a price guarantee.
Plan your shop
Your first fish-stall order.
A little guidance. A lot less awkward.
What are you cooking?
Choose your fish
Tell them your dish and how many people you’re feeding.
I’m making fish soup for two. Which fish would you recommend?
Kelly’s tip
Batang, seabass, red grouper and threadfin are my fish-soup choices. Ask what suits your dish today.
Your quick stall checklist
Fish for twoBatang, seabass, red grouper & threadfin
The bone-broth guideChoose for flavour and body
Your first shopping listA small, practical starter shopMore Mandarin phrases for the fish stall
Use these when the stallholder speaks Mandarin. Read the pinyin, or show the Chinese phrase on your phone. You can start politely with “您好” (nín hǎo — hello).
Keep the head and bones for stock
鱼肉帮我切片，鱼头和鱼骨另外装，可以吗？
Please slice the fish and pack the head and bones separately. Is that okay?
Ask for the preparation
可以帮我去鳞、去内脏，再切片吗？
Could you remove the scales and innards, then slice the fish?
Make the fish head fit your pot
鱼头可以帮我切成两半或四块吗？
Could you cut the fish head into halves or four pieces?
Check quantity and price
我要大概四百克的鱼肉。这样多少钱？
I’d like about 400g of fish meat. How much would that cost?
Check payment before ordering
可以用 PayNow 付款吗？
Can I pay using PayNow?
For the quantity phrase, 400g is an example for two generous bowls; adjust it to your meal. Check which payment methods the individual stall accepts.
More fishmonger tips
What to say at the fish stall.
Skip the awkward guessing. Lead with what you’re cooking and let the fishmonger help you choose the right cut.
Start with the dish
“Fish soup for two, please.” Or: “I’m steaming this.” It gives the stallholder the context to recommend the right fish and cut.
Use the full-fish split
“Soup slices in one bag; head and bones separately for stock.” One buy becomes dinner and tomorrow’s broth.
Ask for the prep
“Please descale, gut and cut into soup pieces.” For fish head, ask for it halved or quartered so it fits your pot.
Freshness, made simple
Look for fish that is shiny and bright. If something smells off or looks dull, choose another option.
Make fish your last stop
Do produce and dry goods first, then buy chilled fish or meat just before heading home—ideally into an insulated bag.
The auntie/uncle shortcut
“What’s nicest today for soup?” It is the easiest way to get a practical recommendation and start a warmer conversation.
Kelly’s bone-broth pairing: chicken bones + feet for clean flavour and body; pork big bones + soup bones for depth; fish head + bones for a sweeter soup base.
Fish for two: what to buy and how much
How much fish should you ask for?
300–400g of boneless fish is the practical sweet spot for two generous bowls. Published two-person recipes range from 200g to 400g; 400–500g is a more protein-forward or leftovers-friendly buy, not the minimum you need.
Batang
FIRM & CLASSICBudget-friendlier with a firm bite. A dependable choice when you want clear slices that hold together in soup.
Seabass
MILD & VERSATILEGentle, clean and easy for a first fish-soup shop. Ask for boneless slices if you prefer less fuss at the table.
Red grouper
SWEET & DELICATEA sweeter, more delicate upgrade. Great when the fish is the star of the bowl and you want a softer texture.
Threadfin
SOFT & PREMIUMSoft, silky and premium-feeling. Choose it for a special bowl when you are after a more tender flake.
The bone-broth guide & simple recipe
The bone-broth guide.
Choose your bones. Make your broth.
Choose bones for flavour and body. “Collagen-rich” here describes the gelatinous texture that connective tissue creates in stock—not a health claim. Combine a flavour bone with a body-giving one for the best result.
Chicken bones
CLEAN & FAMILIARAsk the poultry stall for a chopped chicken frame. It gives a light golden stock for congee, chicken noodle soup or a simple vegetable soup.
Chicken feet
SILKY BODYMore body than flavour. Pair with chicken bones for a fuller ramen-style broth or a stock that sets when chilled.
Pork big bones
DEEP & ROUNDEDChoose the large, meaty bones for richer bak kut teh-style soups, ramen broth or long-simmered noodles.
Pork soup bones
GENTLE & SWEETA cleaner everyday stock for lotus-root soup, ABC soup, congee or a simple noodle base.
Fish head
SWEET UMAMIPan-fry first for a creamy white broth. Best for fish soup bee hoon, tofu soup or seafood noodles.
Beef marrow bones
BUTTERY & RICHRoast first for luxurious mouthfeel. Use for pho-style broth, gravy or a bold sipping stock.
Beef rib bones
MEATY DEPTHMore beef-forward than marrow alone. Use for Korean-style beef soup, beef noodles or a hearty stew base.
Kelly’s simple bone broth
Four ingredients. One comforting pot.
Into the pot
- 1 kg bones
- A knob of ginger
- 1 tbsp black or white pepper
- 4 cloves garlic
Water to cover the bones.
60 min at high pressure
Plus time to pressurise and release naturally.
- Add ingredients & water
Add the bones, ginger, pepper and garlic. Pour in water to cover.
- Cook & release
Pressure cook on high for 60 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally before opening.
- Strain & use
Strain into a clean, heatproof container. Season when using.
Follow your cooker’s instructions and stay below its maximum fill line. If the bones will not fit safely, make a smaller batch.
Pressure timings: Kelly’s recipe. Stovetop timings: suggested ranges, adapted from published recipes.
Timing notes & recipe sources
Stovetop ranges are a starting point, not exact pressure-cooker conversions. Bone size, water quantity and your preferred flavour affect the result. Ask the stallholder to chop large pork bones.
Sources: Chicken stock · Pork leg-bone stock · Pork neck-bone stock · Beef stock.
The chicken range is adapted for chicken bones or feet; the pork soup-bone range uses smaller, meaty neck bones as its reference. Fish head remains in the Bone guide, but is not included in these long-cooking recipe timings.
Your first shopping list & practical tips
What people usually buy first.
A ranked starter list for a simple, low-pressure shop. This is not sales data; it ranks everyday purchases by how commonly wet markets are used for them.
- Leafy vegetables & herbs — buy the amount you’ll use.
- Fresh fish & seafood — ask for it to be cleaned or cut.
- Chicken, pork & other meat — tell the stallholder your dish and serving size.
- Fruit — an easy no-conversation first purchase.
- Eggs, tofu, noodles & pantry staples — ideal for a weeknight top-up.
- Spice blends & curry ingredients — especially good at Tekka and Geylang Serai.
Wet-market nerves, made practical.
Start with a short list, visit in the morning, and buy one ingredient. Ask for the quantity you need—stallholders are used to it.
- Bring cash or check payment before choosing a stall.
- For meat or fish, say how many people you’re cooking for and how you want it cut.
- Wear closed, non-slip shoes. Markets can be wet.
My wet-market slice fish soup shop.
My go-to high-protein comfort meal starts at the fish stall. Ask for sliced fish for the soup, fish bones or fish head for a sweeter stock, plus chilli padi for heat.
01 Sliced fish02 Fish bones03 Fish head04 Chilli padi
My favourite run: Kebun Baru
My favourite wet-market run.
226D Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 is where I build a proper slice fish soup from scratch. Most stalls now take PayNow—still ask before the order, and keep a little cash as backup.
Not just a shop. A ritual.
The early start, the wet floor, the auntie who remembers your usual order and the soup simmering at home—these are the everyday memories worth keeping alive.
