One is literally spoilt for choice if one explores Singapore's wide array of hawker centres, food courts & restaurants for Chinese, Japanese, Korean, South East Asian, North Asian, Indian & European food. In this & subsequent parts, I cover some of the more popular ones.
 |
| Murtabak |
 |
| Sambal Stingray |
2. Murtabak: Murtabak is often described as spicy folded omelette pancake with bits of vegetables mixed with green onion and minced meat. It originated in Yemen & is very popular in Singapore, Malaysia & Indonesia.
3. Chilli Crab: Fresh meaty crabs swimming in a spicy-sweet chilli sauce with deep fried or steamed mantou (Chinese steamed bun).
4. Fish Head Curry:
A whole head of a red snapper stewing in curry gravy with various veggies added. The best and most tender parts are the cheeks and the eyeballs.
5. Laksa: Rich coconut cream-based curry soup with rice noodles that has ingredients like shrimp, fish cake, cockles, egg and tau pok (beancurd).
6. Char Kway Teow: Flat rice noodles stirfried with soy sauce, chilli, whole prawns, deshelled cockles, bean sprouts, egg, slices of Chinese sausage and fish cake.
7. Black Pepper Crab: Black pepper crab is one of the two most popular ways that crab is served in Singaporean cuisine. It is made with hard-shell crabs, and fried with black pepper.
Black Pepper Crab
 |
| Char Kway Teow |
8.Yong Tau Foo: - typically where you get to choose the individual components of the total mix and how you want it -soupy base etc. - very popular across Singapore & Malaysia & Indonesia.
9. Mee Hoon / Bee Hoon:
If in Singapore you ask for Singapore noodles no one would quite know what you are talking about because there's no dish by that name. What passes for Singapore noodles is typically Mee Hoon / Bee Hoon locally, stir-fried or in a light soupy base.
10. Mango Pudding: Mango pudding is a very popular dessert in Singapore &Hong Kong, where pudding is eaten. There is very little variation between the regional mango pudding's preparation.
11. Hainanese Chicken Rice (Roasted or Steamed):
- hugely popular across all categories in Singapore. To be had with veggies & after adding chilli paste & soy sauce (dark).
 |
| Hainanese Chicken Rice |
 |
| Mango Pudding |
 |
| Chendol |
12. Chendol: Chendol is an iced sweet dessert that contains droplets of green rice flour jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar syrup.
13. Ice Kachang: Ice kachang literally meaning "bean ice", also commonly known as ABC (acronym for Air Batu Campur meaning "mixed ice"), is a Malaysian dessert which is also common in Singapore (where it is called ice kachang) and Brunei.
Shown below is Ice Kachang topped with basil seeds, peanuts, corn, and a scoop of ice cream.
This is another traditional Singapore dish that is more popular among locals than foreigners. As its name implies, it is a dish of thinly sliced duck meat over a bed of brown rice and drenched in a thick herbal braising sauce.
 |
| Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng |
15. Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Berempah
Classic Nasi Lemak undergoes a transformation of sorts with nasi lemak ayam goreng berempah. This includes a substantial portion of crispy ayam goreng berempah, and even more so at its perfectly seasoned, crisped (yet not oily) skin, which complements the incredibly fragrant and soft coconut rice.
16. Wagyu Beef Hor Fun
Sliced wagyu beef hor fun, features a bed of tender wagyu beef slices, red chilli, sliced onions and a dusting of ground peanut and coriander leaves resting atop delicately crisped hor fun noodles, served with a lime wedge. The secret? The noodles are left to soak in a semi-salty beef broth before being cooked.
 |
| Wagyu Beef Hor Fun |
17. Rojak
 |
| Rojak |
18. Satay
This classic Malay dish consists of skewered meats served with rice cakes and dipped in a sweet peanut sauce.
 |
| Satay |
19. Bak Kut Teh
Bak Kut Teh consists of pork ribs stewed for hours in a herbal broth made of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, garlic and more. The result is a peppery soup that is as comforting as it is nourishing. It is best enjoyed with a bowl of rice and a saucer of soy sauce.
20. Nasi Biryani
 |
| Bak Kut Teh |
Bak Chor Mee is a bowl of flat yellow noodles with pork (minced pork, liver, meatball). It is garnished with dried fish, green onions, chilli paste and black vinegar. You can have the noodles in soup or dry (the soup is in a separate bowl).
The noodle is a unique food of Singapore culture. It’s the combination of ingredients that makes the noodle so tasty.
22. Hokkien Prawn Mee
 |
| Hokkien Prawn Mee |
23. Roti Prata
Nothing says Indian comfort food like a warm, doughy round of roti. This Indian origin flatbread is prepared by frying stretched dough drenched in ghee (clarified butter) and is served with fish or mutton curry. Roti prata is perfect at any time of day. It goes well with eggs, cheese, and even chocolate and fruit.
24. Kaya Toast
What's for breakfast? In Singapore, breakfast is all about simple comforts, and that can only mean one thing: kaya toast. This delectable breakfast treat is made from charcoal-grilled or toasted slices of bread surrounding cold pats of butter and a hearty smear of kaya, a jam made from coconut and eggs. Usually it is served alongside two soft-boiled eggs. Tip: Enjoy it with a hot cup of local kopi, or coffee.
Silver pomfret steamed with salted plums, fresh juicy tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, salted mustard greens, and silky-soft tofu, typically with a little lard.
 |
| Fried Carrot Cake |
26. Fried Carrot Cake
Don’t expect any actual carrot in this dish as this savoury treat also known as "chai tow kway" in Teochew dialect is made from rice flour and white radish which is sometimes called ‘white carrot’ in Chinese. Brought over by Chinese immigrants, these cubes of starchy cake are fried and enjoyed with dark soy sauce at most street-side and hawker stalls.
 |
| Singapore Ramen |
27. Singapore Ramen
Singapore ramen is delicious "dry" noodles (soup on the side) mixed with a rich sauce and topped with a wonton, an onsen egg, a fried, potato-wrapped prawn and braised pork belly.
28. Otak-otak
Otak-otak, primarily an Indonesian dish which is equally popular in Singapore & Malaysia, it is an Asian grilled fish cake made of ground fish meat mixed with tapioca starch and spices. Its
main ingredients are fish meat, spices, leek, wrapped with banana leaf.
29. Wanton Mee
Originally from Canton (Guangzhou) in China, Wanton noodles is a Cantonese noodle dish popular in many parts of Asia. Wanton noodles are essentially springy egg noodles drenched in a black savory sauce and topped with char siew (roast pork), leafy vegetables and wanton (Chinese dumpling).
30. Prawn Noodles:
The humble prawn noodle, also known as “hae mee” in Hokkien, is a noodle dish that is both savoury and flavourful. Giant shrimps are served with slurpy rice noodles in a rich and flavorful broth.
31. Nasi Padang
What is Nasi padang? It is named after its birth city in Sumatra and is pure Indonesian food. Usually this delight is steamed white rice with jackfruit curry, eggs with chili sauce, green chili relish, and a choice of meat. Usually the meat best with the dish are beef rendang, fried chicken and ayam bakar (charcoal grilled, roasted chicken).
32. Chinese Oven-steamed Fish
The fish — about 3 pounds of it — gets steamed in the oven on a baking tray that gets a splash of hot water and a tight wrapping of foil before it goes into the oven.
 |
| Nasi Padang |
Once the fish is cooked, it’s garnished with an easy-peasy red chile oil, soy sauce, green onions and shallow-fried garlic slices.
 |
| Chinese Oven-steamed Fish |
33. Kueh
34. Hainanese Nyonya Chicken Curry
35. Fishball Mee Pok
36. Black Peppercorn Shrimp
Juicy jumbo prawns, fried with black pepper sauce, are heavenly.
37. Steamed Egg with Preserved Radish & Minced Meat.
Steamed Egg with Preserved Radish is a simple steamed egg dish topped with fried preserved radish and minced meat. This recipe’s specialty calls for chinese sweet-salty preserved radish (daikon) otherwise known as “Chai Poh". It is a turnip that has been salted and sweetened heavily to preserve like a pickle. It adds a distinctive crunch and savoury yet sweetish flavour to any dish.
A combination of sweet and salty preserved radish can be used, but using just sweet preserved radish is equally tasty as well. Its sweet and salty flavour perfectly complements the super smooth and fresh taste of the steamed egg custard.
38. Hong Kong Style Steamed Fish
 |
| Mee Siam |
39. Mee Siam
Mee siam is a dry noodle dish prepared with garlic, blended chilli, fermented yellow soy bean paste, tamarind, chicken stock and blended dried prawns. This culinary practice not only lets you better enjoy the texture of its noodles, but also brings out its unique flavours.40. Shredded Chicken Noodles:
Shredded Chicken Noodles with kiao – minced pork dumplings wrapped in fish paste skin. The yellowtail meat has to be manually scraped, minced into a pulp, beaten to the right texture, then rolled paper-thin.
41. Cheng Tng
42. Claypot Bean Curd
Claypot Bean Curd is super easy and quick to cook. Cut bean curd into smaller pieces and deep fry till golden brown. Then in a simple combination of assorted vegetables, meat, prawn and mushrooms, cook them in a rich, flavourful and thickened sauce. When done, serve it piping hot in a claypot with equally piping hot steamed rice. The mildly flavoured bean curd tends to soak up the sauce that is full of flavour.
43. Steamed Bean Curd with Shallot Oil
44. Steamed Pork Ribs with Pickled Plum
Steamed Pork Ribs with Pickled Plum is an extremely easy to prepare dish. The sweet tenderness and the juiciness of the pork ribs coupled with the slightly sour taste of the sauce makes this dish a very appetising and popular home cooked dish in many households.
45. Sup Tulang
Sup Tulang (Beef Bone Soup) is an aromatic beef soup flavoured with spices like coriander, cinnamon, chilli, onions and aniseed. A very similar dish to the Philippine Nilagang Baka (Boiled Beef) except for the spices used.
The meat is tender and yet not drying at all, despite the long braising time and even the breast duck meat is succulent.
47. Curry Laksa
Although laksa is largely found in other Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, Singapore also prides itself in making one of the best laksa recipes in the world. Commonly known as curry laksa, it is made with rice noodles, shrimp or other seafood such as cockles or clams, and is finished with a thick and creamy curry with coconut milk sauce. What makes Singaporean laksa unique is the addition of shrimp paste which further enriches the dish and gives it a more savoury taste.
48. Soya Sauce Chicken
Unlike Hainanese chicken rice (the other famous chicken dish in Singapore), Soya Sauce Chicken is a Hong Kong style chicken dish which is slow braised over low fire in an aromatic stew of spices and dark soy sauce. It is typically served with noodles or rice. Thanks to the slow braise, the chicken remains moist and ultra tender, while the skin is incredibly smooth and flavourful.
49. Har Cheong Gai
The name of this Singaporean dish translates as shrimp paste chicken. It consists of chicken wings (or drumsticks) that are dipped in a classic combination of eggs, flour, and starch, and a marinade consisting of shrimp paste, rice wine, sesame oil, and other seasonings.
50. Popiah
For a sampling of local fare at odd times of the day, Popiah is your best bet. Its name means ‘thin pancake’– derived from the papery think skin that wraps around the stuffing. And what a stuffing! It traditionally contains vegetables, prawns, and jicama, sometimes coupled with eggs and Chinese sausages. However, the rules to making Popiah aren’t entirely set in stone– which only means that vendors have the chance to get creative, making each Popiah experience different from the last.
Duck rice is a meat dish which is the variant to the popular chicken rice. It is made of either braised or roasted duck and plain white rice. The braised duck is usually cooked with yam and shrimps; it can be served simply with plain white rice and a thick dark sauce; side dishes of braised hard-boiled eggs, preserved salted vegetables, or hard beancurd may be added.
Part II of this blog can be accessed by taking the jump here:
52. Ice Cream Sandwich
Coming in a delightful array of colours and flavours are Singapore’s classic street snack, the famous ice cream sandwich. Strategically situated near schools and colleges, as well as on busy street corners, these IG-worthy concoctions are best described as a brick of ice cream wrapped in slices of rainbow-coloured bread.
Comments
Post a Comment
Comment moderation is enabled so comments may take some time before showing up.