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Chang Ji Cooked Food – They Got Their Stingray Right!

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There’s really nothing quite like the experience of eating an awesome barbecued stingray. What are the two things that distinguish the good from the bad? Answer: the sambal chili and the freshness of the fish.

Very often, I come across a barbecued stingray that is covered with the most delicious sambal chili paste. But alas, the flesh of the stingray is overcooked and stiff! At other times, the stingray may be grilled perfectly, but the sambal chili simply lacks punch.

When it comes to these two principles, chang ji cooked food at chinatown complex certainly have got both things right.

Sambal stingray
SGD7 onwards

Served on banana leaf, the portion above may look skimpy, but that’s only because we ordered the smallest portion. Come to think of it, most of the barbecued seafood stalls these days sell their stingray from $8 onwards. We seldom see anything cheaper than that.

The stingray is soft, tender and fresh, and comes with a vast amount of that flavorful sambal chili paste! Don’t you just hate it when sellers are stingy with their chili? So when a stingray is served drenched in a heap of yummy sambal, it really perks me up. For me, this is what I call “shiok“!

Oh don’t worry. Despite being caked in a thick layer of the chili, it’s certainly not the tear-inducing hot. Most people would be quite comfortable with the spice level.

My only complaint is that the chili is very oily and really ups the guilt factor when indulging in this dish. Any less oily and it would have been perfect!

Sambal sotong (calamari)

Sambal sotong (calamari)
SGD7 onwards

Similarly drenched in the delightful sambal is the sotong (calamari). Again, prices start from $7. For that low price, we got a surprisingly ample portion!

It’s a shame that the sotong is slightly tough. If it had been softer and less rubbery, it would have scored a worthy five drumsticks!

Lime

Of course, sambal seafood is always served with lime and the pinkish mixture that I don’t know the name for. Some people stay away from it. But for me personally, it completes the whole stingray-eating ritual. I love soaking a slice of the sambal-drenched stingray into that sweet and sour pink mixture before putting it in my mouth.

There’s really nothing quite like the experience of eating an awesome barbecued stingray :)

Chang Ji Cooked Food
Chinatown Complex

335 Smith Street #02-197
Singapore 050335

Bus services: 2, 12, 33, 54, 61, 63, 80, 124, 145, 166, 143, 147, 190, 197, 851, 961, 970, 961C
Nearest MRT: Chinatown

Opening hours: 5pm – 11:30pm (Closed on Tuesdays)

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About the Author

Veron Ang is the founder and chief editor of Sparklette. She lives in Singapore and has dined and traveled across the world. She also runs Sparklette Studio, a web design and WordPress development firm. If you'd like to connect with her, head on over to the contact page or follow her personal updates on Twitter: @VeronSG.

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11 responses

Leave your comment

vinsion
February 24, 2009

wow.. the sambal chilli looks so good.
if the sambal chilli fails, the stingray will be just soso..

im so gonna try it. =)
Reply
- Veron
  February 24, 2009
  
  Exactly! The sambal is the real star of the dish :)
  Reply
m3n9z
February 24, 2009

ohhh…. my mouth is watering now!! Even though i’ve just eaten breakfast..
Yummy yummy!!
Reply
stormscape
March 9, 2009

Hey Veron, the pinkish mixture is Chinchalok. Aka fermented shrimp.
Reply
- Veron
  March 10, 2009
  
  Shrimp?? I never would have thought! Those little black dots must be the eyes! *shudders*
  Reply
casual cutie
March 24, 2009

wow…so delicious…
Reply
JC
April 24, 2009

the pinkish thing is cincaluk i think..fermented shrimps
Reply
Hao
April 30, 2010

Stumbled upon your website when I wanted to search for what to eat as the claypot rice stall (suprising it was just next door) was closed on Thu >”< Great to say it was an excellent recommendation!

Anyway the pinkish thing is known as cincalok in Malay aka fermented shrimps. It's not the typical salty version as I would have expected and it is not too sourish as well.
Reply
- Hao
  April 30, 2010
  
  spelling error: suprisingly (=
  Reply
- Veron
  April 30, 2010
  
  Yay! Glad you enjoyed the food. I think this stall sells the cheapest stingray around and the food is yummy, too! I like the cincalok to be sweet and slightly sour, as that goes very well with the sambal stingray. Another recommendation for good stingray (and the same type of cincalok) is Rong Guang at Alexandra Village (temporarily at Blk 127 due to the revamp of the food centre).
  Reply
  - Hao
    April 30, 2010
    
    Try to go during weekdays for dinner as the place is almost empty – the owner told us this was due to two ERP gantry that costs $5 altogether @.@
    Reply