Sup kambing or Indian mutton soup was one of my favourite dishes and my circle of friends when I was a young man. Nowadays, Indian mutton soup isn't mentioned as much in social media based on my observation but I still love it a lot.
Mutton soup ranked #11 in a Straits Times survey of the most popular hawker dishes in Singapore in 1993. It didn't specify the type of mutton soup but I would venture that they were referring to Indian mutton soup. Chinese mutton soup was rather scarce at that time as now, while the 1990s was the heyday of Indian mutton soup in Singapore.
Singapore's sup kambing is derived from south Indian versions of the dish. An example is Aatukal Paya (goat leg soup) from Tamil Naidu.
There are many varieties of Aatukal Paya which is a blend of spice (pepper, cumin, fenugreek, turmeric, etc) and aromatics (ginger, garlic, shallot) boiled in water with chopped chunks of mutton leg. The mutton soup is served garnished with coriander and eaten with an obligatory carb such as boiled rice.
South Indian staples such as mutton soup were brought to Singapore and Malaysia mainly by Indian Muslim traders. Indian Muslim traders have been in today's Malaysia since the Melaka Sultanate days of the 1500s and in Singapore following its status as a British trading post in 1819.
During the British Malaya days, many came from Kerala and Tamil Naidu as indentured labourers, convict labour, while others like traders came seeking better economic opportunities.
The inauguration of steamship service between Madras (today's Chennai) and Penang / Klang (Kuala Lumpur) / Singapore contributed to surges in migration from south India.
Some of today's sup kambing stalls and restaurants trace their origin to the 1950s - their founders arriving in British Malaya after the Second World War and Independence of India in 1945 and 1947 respectively. Indian population in Singapore grew from 50,000+ in 1931 to 124,000+ in 1957.
Some of these migrants started sidewalk, hole-in-the-wall "mama shops". "Mama" is the Tamil honorific for maternal uncle. It is the same as we, addressing any elder male as "uncle".
Some Indian Muslim migrants set up mutton soup stalls often at back lanes of busy streets, five foot ways or car parks.
This mutton soup stall at Shenton Way in the 1970s.
Mutton Soup stall at the back of Upper Cross Street in the 1970s.
Mutton soup was often offered together with other dishes such as biryani and mee goreng.
This stall at Bugis Street in the 1990s.
Tamil Muslim mutton soup did not stay the same when in Malaysia / Singapore. Perhaps driven by business considerations, the recipe was tuned to widen its appeal to Malays and Chinese.
This sup kambing stall was at Hock Lam Street in the 1970s. Note the Chinese signage 羊肉汤.
The Chinese community took to Mama (Indian Muslim) sup kambing and it was popular enough to occasionally feature in Chinese newspapers.
The difference between the south Indian and Singapore versions is mainly in proportioning of spice and aromatics, and addition of local produce not as easily found in south India. Examples include more generous use of lemongrass, pandan leaves, curry leaves, leeks, etc. Singapore versions also often have more green chili pepper which give the soup an olive-green hue and signature spicy bite.
The mutton soup is garnished with fresh coriander and also deep fried shallot.
In Singapore, mutton soup is eaten with baguette (French loaf) as well white bread slices or boiled white rice.
Traditionally, fresh local goat was used but most stalls today use frozen lamb imported from Australia or New Zealand.
Even within south India, there are different regional versions of mutton soup. What we have and enjoy in Malaysia / Singapore are localised versions reflecting our cultural melting pot.
A delicious celebration of our harmonious cultural diversity.
Written by Tony Boey on 20 Jul 2025
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In the south Indian Tamil style, the mutton is boiled in tumeric and garlic powders, then tuned with salt. Served garnished with coriander.
Haji M. Abdul Rajak stall since 1955
interesting note on sup kambing.
ReplyDeleteA dish made by Indian , but targeted on Chinese customers , with a Malay name.
Many dishes in fact was assumed to belong to a certain dialect or ethnic group, was actually made for customers of other races.
Indian Rojak is another good example.