Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm (农光行鳄鱼场) @ Neo Tiew Crescent (Kranji)

Earlier this month, I have the privilege to join the Singapore Chefs Association to visit to Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm (农光行鳄鱼场) at Neo Tiew Crescent, Kranji I felt like a kid going on an excursion again. The farm covers an area of around 12 football fields and breed around 14000 saltwater crocodiles.

Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm is the only crocodile farm in Singapore and comes with a full suite faculty for the full life cycle of the lifespan. The farm has its own breeding pond, incubator, pens, slaughter house, tannery and R&D.

Above is one of the breeding ponds at Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm. After mating, the female crocodile will swim to the pens around the circumference of the pond to lay the eggs.

This is the nest of the crocodile with the female crocodile will laid their eggs. Each laid is about 60 eggs.

This is my first time I seen the inside of the egg. It has a huge egg yolk and it is rather rubbery inside.

Actually when the female crocodiles laid their eggs, the staff will collect them from the pen and bring it to the incubator. The temperature controlled incubator will allow the eggs to be developed and hatched into little baby crocodile in a safe environment that is sheltered from being prey in the natural environment and weather.

One purpose of crocodile farming is the skin which is used for making handbags and wallets.

Many of you may not know that crocodile meat is actually quite palatable if you know how to prepare it. In addition, it is low fat, low cholesterol and high protein. After the tour around the farm, we were treated to crocodile feast such as Crocodile Satay, Crocodile Meat Patty and Crocodile Spare Ribs.

I would like to extend my appreciation to Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm, The Seafood Company, Singapore Chefs Association and Tony Tee for the opportunity to learn more about crocodile farming in Singapore.


Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm
321 Neo Tiew Crescent
Singapore 718914

SgKingCroc Food Adventure March 2015 at Iskina Cebu

The monthly SgKingCroc Food Adventure for March 2015 organised by Tony Tee brought us to Iskina Cebu at Paya Lebar. Every month, Tony will collaborate with a restaurant to feature their signature dishes as well as having a crocodile meat dish on the menu.

Iskina Cebu which sells the popular Lechon is opened by owner Chris. Words soon get around the island and long queues are formed each day at his stall to taste the delicious Lechon (roasting the whole pig over charcoal fire) which painstaking takes about 5 hours to cook.

For the month of March, history is created in Singapore. Tony has worked with Chris, bringing Lechon Buwaya or Farm Crocodile Lechon to Singapore which is created by businessman and owner of the Davao Crocodile Park, Mr Philip Dizon in October 2011. Due to the uneven weight and the thickness of the crocodile meat, it needed more time and preparation to roast the crocodile. The picture above is the crocodile with the head and tail removed.

The national dish of Philippines has been roasted to a nice golden brown colour.

Chris the owner constantly check the temperature and ensure the meats are evenly cooked.

Besides the Lechon and Lechon Buwaya, we also have the Lechon Manok which is stuffed with lemongrass, spring onions, ginger, garlic and roasted over charcoal fire.

Lechon Manok

The result is a plate of delicious roasted chicken or Lechon Manok. The chicken has a nice charred smoky skin while the flesh was tender and moist.

Cebu Pochero Bulalo

The dinner also showcases a couple Philippine dishes that Singaporeans have little knowledge of. It is a culinary education for me besides the great taste. The Cebu Pochero Bulalo is slow cooked until the tendons and meats almost fall off the bone. For the event, Tony and Chris has replaced the beef shanks with pig shanks to respect the beliefs of some of the guests. Bamboo shoots and sweet corns in cobs are added to enhance the flavours. This also distinguish the cebuano pochero from the tagalog bulalo version.

Lechon

One of the highlight of the diner is the Lechon. This is my first time having it. I was very impressed how the roasting can achieve such a thin layer of paper thin crispy skin. The meat itself was not gamey at all. In fact the texture was so tender that it felt as if I was eating chicken.

Bulalo on Hot Plate

I was told that Bulalo on Hot Plate is one the relatively new dish in Cebu gaining popularity. Instead of soup, the marrowy part of the beef shanks is tenderized and placed on a sizzling metal plate and then generously topped with buttered cream of mushroom gravy. For the event, Tony and Chris has replaced the beef shanks with pig shanks to respect the beliefs of some of the guests.

Lechon Buwaya

Crocodile meat is one of the healthiest meat containing little fat and high in protein. After a day of marination, stuffed with the same ingredients as the Lechon Baboy, the crocodile meat is roasted over the charcoal fire for around 6 hours, slightly longer due to the thickness of the meat. I have to say the team did a good job in tenderizing the Lechon Buwaya. The result somewhat felt like eating sio bak with the different layers of textures and the hint of saltiness from the seawater crocodile. However I thought the garlicky seasoning was a bit too overpowering.

Halo Halo

For fans for Iskina Cebu, here is a good news. Chris will be offering Philippine desserts with a new partner. We were lucky to have a glimpse of some of the yummy desserts.  My favourite is the Halo Halo, somewhat like a combination of our local ice kachang and bo bo cha cha.

Lastly I leave you with a shot of the dinner which sees the largest crowd ever with 100 pax. This is the reason why I like food blogging and kept me going for all these years as food bonds people together.


Iskina Cebu
Blk 1016 Geylang East Ave 3
Singapore 389731
Tel: +65 67280765
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Iskina-Cebu-Singapore/1374400862814975
Website: http://iskinacebu.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sat: 12pm - 930pm
Sun: 12pm - 730pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Paya Lebar MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Old Geylang @ Geylang Lorong 23

Nestled along the stretch of Geylang Road, the huge compound of Old Geylang housed a 3-in-1 concept of Old Punggol International Seafood Restaurant, Turtle House as well as a durian stall. What a steal for food lover as you can savour the delectable food from all the 3 establishments at one venue.

It was quite unfortunate that during my visit, the durian season was over. The stall only has those Thailand durian breed so we gave it a miss.

Peking Duck

I have my fellow food blogger friends, Celes (Celestialdelish), Samantha (BondingTool) and Tony (JohorKaki) joining me in the sumptuous dinner.

Peking Duck 4/5

The beautiful Peking Duck ($20 half/ $38 whole) has its crackling skin thinly sliced and wrapped in a delectable crepe like skin. Paired with  spring onion and cucumber plus a bit of the homemade sweet sauce, this is an excellent starter to kick start the dinner.

Stir Fried Shredded Duck Noodles 4/5

Adding another $10, the chef took the rest of the duck and wok up a plate of Stir Fried Shredded Duck Noodles. I wasn't expecting much from the simple presentation but I was taken away by how fragrant it tasted. I also like the fact that their version was more peppery giving it a nice aroma.

Herbal Turtle Soup 4/5

One of the item I was looking forward to try is the nourishing Herbal Turtle Soup ($20/$40/$60) service in a claypot. I was very privileged to have Mr Ong the founder of Turtle House with me for dinner. He has came out from retirement to help his children oversee the reborn of Turtle House under the brand of Old Geylang in a new dining concept. There was so much stories and knowledge he shared with us over dinner. I have learnt so much from him about food especially ingredients such as turtle and crocodile.

Back to the food, the Turtle Soup has a nice herbal flavour but not overpowering. Add a bit of rice wine to enchance the flavour. By the way, do you know which is the most delicacy part of the turtle? It's the turtle feet! I tried one and I liked it. It had a crunchy gelatinous texture some what like eating black fungus.

Braised Crocodile Tail with Mushroom 4/5

Mr Ong is not only an expert with Turtle. He is also an expert with crocodile. I was told that he has to teach the the farm where they get the supply how to slaughter and portion the crocodile tail. Each crocodile tail can serve about 3-4 portions. The Braised Crocodile Tail with Mushroom ($12 per person) was my first but definitely would not be my last. There is nothing to scare or worry about the exotic meat. The braised crocodile tail was braised to a texture that felt like eating Dong Po Rou.

Steamed Boston Lobster with Garlic 4.2/5

In my own opinion the best way to appreciate the Boston Lobster (seasonal price) was to steam it with garlic. The flesh was cooked to a nice succulent allowing one to enjoy the natural sweetness of the lobster. If you prefer other preparation styles, the kitchen can do it too.

Crispy Roasted Pork and Roasted Char Siew 4/5

The kitchen at Old Geylang does their own Hong Kong style roasted meat. The Crispy Roasted Pork ($8 per portion) and Roasted Char Siew ($8 per portion) was nicely executed. I preferred the roasted pork over the char siew as I disliked the fact the char siew was too fatty.

Deep Fried Soon Hock 4/5

The Soon Hock (seasonal price) was deep fried to a nice golden brown crisp. The moist fish paired with the special homemade brown sauce was a great dish.

Chilli Crab 4.5/5

Forget about the other Chilli Crab served at other restaurants. You just have to try the Chilli Crab ($52 per kg) offered at Old Geylang. The special gravy has a good balance of spiciness and sweetness in a sumptuous mix of eggs and crab roes. It was understand that the red dates and dried shrimps have been added to the gravy to gave it that unique taste.

Salted Egg Oyster 4.2/5

It was quite excited when I knew I was having Salted Egg Oyster. The Salted Egg Oyster ($8 each) was lightly battered and topped with salted egg sauce. I like the combination but the oyster that day was a bit too small to showcase the potential of the dish. Checked with the restaurant and its confirmed that the size of the oyster was not ideal. Usually it is much bigger.

Chilled Beancurd 4.2/5

Wrapping up the feast was a bowl of delicate Chilled Beancurd. It was actually quite a welcome dessert which was light, refreshing and smooth after the heavy meal.

Word is that the huge compound maybe adding a new Western fare concept to the umbrella arm of Old Geylang. I like the concept of Old Geylang of housing hierachy brands allowing foodies to be able to enjoy the delectable food of this traditional brands. The spacious restaurant has plenty of parking lots at the back of the building. To get to the carpark, access via Sim Ave onto Geylang Lorong 23. Turn right to the carpark after the new Singapore Badminton Hall. The restaurant also offers valet parking for patrons.


Old Geylang
1 Geylang Lorong 23
Highpoint Block 6
Singapore 38352
Tel: +65 68446041
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-Geylang/525332554158513
Website: www.oldgeylang.com.sg
Nearest MRT: Aljunied (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 2am

Direction:
1) Alight at Aljunied MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk to bus stop along Aljunied Road (Stop ID 81089). Take bus number 62, 63, 80, 100 or 158. Alight one stop later. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.

2) Alight at Aljunied MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk to Aljunied Road. Turn left and and continue down Aljunied Road until the traffic junction of Aljunied Road and Geylang Road. Cross the junction and walk towards New Cathay Hotel. Continue straight and walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes.