30 Singaporean Dishes to Try – WildJunket

Last Updated on August 9, 2022 by Nellie Huang

As a proud Singaporean, right here is my curated listing of the most effective Singaporean meals and the place to attempt these Singaporean dishes!

Born and raised in Singapore, I’m proud to be Singaporean. Despite dwelling overseas for the previous 17 years, I’ll all the time contemplate Singapore residence. 

Singapore meals is a vibrant melting pot of flavors from totally different ethnic teams: a mirrored image of how multi-cultural we’re. And irrespective of the place within the metropolis, there are all the time loads of decisions with regards to Singapore meals: from conventional hawker meals to connoisseur heritage eating places serving genuine Singapore dishes.

To share a few of my heritage with you, I’m bringing you on a culinary journey into the world of Singapore delicacies. For these questioning what to eat in Singapore, listed below are a few of the greatest Singaporean meals and the most effective locations to eat in Singapore!

Best Singaporean Food

Thanks to its geographical location, Singapore is on the cultural crossroads of Asia. Singapore’s inhabitants is made up of primarily ethnic Chinese, Malay, and Indian. (I’m ethnically Chinese if you happen to’re questioning.)

In the 1800s, our ancestors got here from neighboring China, Malaysia and India, and introduced alongside their culinary cultures. As a outcome, Singapore meals is an exquisite mix of influences from Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisines. Some fascinating cultural fusion have additionally emerged, resembling Peranakan/Nyonya meals (marriage of Chinese and Malay meals).

We share many similarities with Malaysia, and so our meals are rightfully comparable. Malaysia and Singapore have all the time fought over which dishes are uniquely ours and theirs, however I feel we must always cease arguing and simply preserve consuming!

Singapore Food Culture

In Singapore, consuming is our nationwide pastime and obsession. Singaporeans actually eat across the clock: we eat 5-6 meals a day! You will usually discover Singapore’s hawker centres full of individuals even after midnight. 

Food is a well-liked speaking level in Singapore. We are all the time arguing about which hen rice stall is the most effective or which restaurant serves the most effective chilli crabs. Also, Singaporeans will journey from one finish of the island to the opposite, or wait in line for an hour simply to get the proper plate of noodles.

As a multi-cultural nation, Singaporeans from totally different ethnic teams usually eat collectively. Muslims don’t eat pork and Hindus don’t eat beef, however we’re respectful of one another’s tradition. In each hawker centre, you’ll all the time discover Singapore dishes of assorted ethnicities underneath one roof.

Where to Eat in Singapore

The greatest locations to eat in Singapore are in hawker centres: open-concept meals courts however an establishment of their very own. They serve what you’d name Singapore road meals, with every hawker stall specializing in a single dish.  

Hawker centres are the place you’ll get the most affordable and greatest meals in Singapore. They are the place you go to expertise the true Singapore and style genuine Singapore dishes. Prices are actually reasonably priced: A plate of noodles prices round S$3 (or US$2), whereas a full seafood meal units you again lower than S$30 (US$21) per individual. 

You can discover these hawker centres in each neighborhood and residential space. They are clear and arranged, and distributors have to stick to sure hygiene ranges by regulation. If you’re traveling Singapore with children, don’t fear about meals hygiene right here.  There’s lots of debate of that are the most effective hawker centres in Singapore; these are my private favorites.

Best Hawker Centres in Singapore

Best Food in Singapore

There are SO many Singapore dishes that it’s tough for me to slender them down. But I’ve chosen the 30 greatest meals in Singapore to share with you. I’ve additionally included the most effective locations to attempt every of those Singapore dishes. Time to eat!

Singapore Breakfast Dishes

1. Kaya Toast and Soft-Boiled Eggs

The most conventional Singaporean breakfast dish is kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs, served with espresso or tea. You will discover it in nearly each hawker centre and meals court docket (often on the drinks stall). This is a should eat in Singapore, particularly if you’re a morning individual.

Basically, it’s frivolously toasted white bread lathered with kaya, a a candy creamy unfold produced from coconut milk. The toast is accompanied with soft-boiled eggs. Most hawkers use large XL eggs they usually serve the eggs with soya sauce and pepper. 

2. Chwee Kueh 

Chwee Kueh is my private favourite Singapore meals for breakfast. This conventional Singapore dish is made up of steamed white-flour rice desserts topped with fried pickles. We often have 6-8 of them in a single serving. 

They are served on a brown meals paper, with a wallop of pink sambal chilli. For many, chwee kueh appears too oily for a breakfast dish. My Spanish husband can’t perceive my love for chwee kueh. Too unhealthy for him!

3. Roti Prata

Crispy on the surface, tender on the within, roti prata is without doubt one of the greatest meals in Singapore to have for each breakfast and supper. I’ve fond reminiscences of going for roti prata after an evening of partying with buddies.

Roti means ‘bread’, and prata means ‘flat’ in Hindi. Roti prata is a South Indian flat bread made by frying stretched dough flavored with ghee(Indian clarified butter). It is often served with fish or mutton curry.

While the basic variations are served with curry, there are actually many fashionable variations resembling cheese, chocolate and ice cream (superior for these traveling Singapore with children!).

4. Fried Carrot Cake 

Singapore’s model of the carrot cake is nothing like its British or American counterparts. The Singapore carrot cake, often known as Chai Tou Kway, is a salty fried dish produced from steamed radish desserts. It is fried to crispy perfection, and sprinkled with spring onions.

There are two variations: black or white carrot cake. The black carrot cake is sweeter and made with black candy sauce, whereas the white model is crispy and oily. This genuine Singapore dish has change into so widespread that it’s eaten not only for breakfast, however all through the day.

     

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Singapore Noodle Dishes

8. Hokkien Mee 

Originally from China’s Fujian province, Hokkien Mee has slowly advanced through the years to change into a uniquely Singaporean platter. 

Hokkien Mee is now among the best hawker meals in Singapore and may be present in nearly each meals centre. It is principally a mix of rice noodles and yellow egg noodles, fried in a wok with egg, seafood and slices of pork stomach.

If you’re going to journey Malaysia, you’ll discover that Hokkien Mee in Malaysia may be very totally different from ours. The Malaysian Hokkien Mee is cooked in a candy black sauce and the noodles are actually fats and thick.

9. Wanton Mee

Originally from Canton (Guangzhou) in China, Wanton noodles is a Cantonese noodle dish widespread in lots of components of Asia. Wanton noodles are primarily springy egg noodles drenched in a black savory sauce and topped with char siew (roast pork), leafy greens and wanton (Chinese dumpling).

There are totally different variations of Wanton noodles: from Malaysian Pontian type to Hong Kong model and Thai type. Singapore has given it its personal spin by including inexperienced chilli (and generally the intense pink balachan chilli sauce) to create this genuine Singapore dish.

10. Prawn Noodles

The humble prawn noodle, often known as “hae mee” in Hokkien, is a noodle dish that’s each savory and flavorful. Giant shrimps are served with slurpy rice noodles in a wealthy and flavorful broth.

It is all in regards to the broth: the soup must be cooked for hours with a mixture of pork bones, prawn heads and a complete myriad of condiments. A superb broth ought to be brimming with seafood-goodness and a tinge of sweetness.

11. Yong Tau Foo

A conventional Hakka Chinese dish, yong tau meals is a consolation meals for a lot of. My mum is Hakka (an ethnic group from China) and this dish ties in together with her cultural id.

Yong tau meals is definitely extra of a tofu dish than a noodle dish. The principal ingredient is tofu filled with floor meat combination or fish paste. Variation of this meals embody greens and mushrooms filled with floor meat or surimi. In Singapore although, Yong tau foo may be ordered with rice noodles, soup or with a pink candy gravy. 

12. Beef Hor Fun

This is my husband Alberto’s favourite Singapore dish and we all the time be sure to have this after we’re in Singapore! Beef hor enjoyable is just not fairly as generally present in Singapore as the opposite dishes on this listing. You’ll discover it in lots of hawker facilities however solely few hawker stalls give it justice. 

Braised with tender beef slices, this savory dish of flat rice noodles is drenched in a thick, flavorful black gravy. The gravy is product of black beans, oyster sauce, chilli and Chinese herbs. You can simply inform that the gravy is produced from hours of cooking, utilizing solely the most effective components of the cow. 

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Singapore Rice Dishes

13. Chicken Rice

A ubiquitous sight in hawker centres throughout the nation, hen rice is considered one of Singapore’s nationwide dishes. Chicken rice is a straightforward dish of tender braised hen, served on a mattress of aromatic rice cooked in inventory. We eat it with a ginger paste and a particular chilli.

The conventional dish originated from Hainan Island, off the southern coast of China. Today, it’s nonetheless cooked within the Hainanese method, by blanching the hen in boiling water until it’s absolutely cooked. In a neighborhood twist, the hen may also be roasted or braised in soya sauce for a unique taste. A should eat in Singapore!

14. Braised Duck Rice

This is one other conventional Singapore dish that’s extra widespread amongst locals than foreigners. As its identify implies, it’s a dish of thinly sliced duck meat over a mattress of brown rice and drenched in a thick natural braising sauce.

What makes this dish particular is the uniquely Singaporean taste of star anise, galangal and molasses-like soy sauce that the duck is cooked in. As a outcome, the braising sauce has a delicate herb taste that I like. Combine this with some steamed peanuts, tofu and braised egg (plus a home made ikan bilis chilli sauce), and also you get the proper duck rice. 

15. Nasi Lemak

Nasi lemak is an ethnic Malay dish that includes aromatic wealthy cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It is often accompanied by ikan bilis (anchovies), otah (grilled fish paste), roasted peanuts, fried egg and cucumber slices.

Singaporeans have given it a neighborhood twist by including extra facet dishes to the nasi lemak. You can get something from crispy fried hen drumsticks to luncheon meat and an assortment of greens along with your nasi lemak.

It is not only the components that make a great nasi lemak. Pandan leaves and coconut milk play an enormous position in enhancing the perfume and richness of the rice, complemented by the spicy sambal chilli sauce you could’t miss out on. 

16. Nasi Biryani

Hugely widespread in Singapore, Nasi Briyani is a conventional Muslim-Indian rice dish blended with meat, greens and a gravy or curry. The lengthy grain basmati rice is cooked with garlic, yogurt, fragrant spices, onions and generally with ghee or butter.

The phrase ‘biryani’ is derived from a Persian phrase, birian, which implies fried earlier than cooking. In Singapore, the are native take of the dish comes with tender mutton or lamb. Head to Little India for the most effective nasi biryani in Singapore!

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Singapore Seafood Dishes

17. Chilli Crabs

Another considered one of Singapore’s nationwide dishes, chilli crabs are spicy, tangy and finger licking good. Nothing else represents my nation higher than this spicy, flavorful and conventional Singapore dish. 

Seafood eating places often use contemporary Sri Lankan crabs for this dish and prepare dinner them to a vivid pink shade earlier than dousing a wealthy, piquant chilli gravy over them. It is often served with man tou (deep fried buns) to dip on this flavorful gravy.

This is a must-eat in Singapore, and considered one of Singapore’s well-known meals. It’s not low-cost after all, nevertheless it’s one thing we eat for celebrations or particular events like Chinese New Year. If you aren’t a fan of spicy meals, there are different choices like pepper crab, crabs in salted egg cream, or crab vermicelli soup.

18. Sambal Stingray

Commonly present in most hawker facilities in Singapore, sambal stingray is a well-liked dish served in tze char stalls. Tze char is a sort of meals stall that provides a big selection of Chinese dishes from kongpao hen to fish head curry. 

This dish is ready by grilling a slab of stingray (you should utilize a good electrical grill), then drizzling some uncooked onions and an abundance of scorching sambal chilli over it. It is all the time served with chinchalok (a pink murky sauce with fermented shrimps, onions and lime juice given as a dip in your stingray.

Some of you would possibly discover the thought of consuming stingray appalling. I perceive it’s a uncommon marine animal in different components of the world, however right here in Singapore it’s bred in farms and generally eaten as a neighborhood dish.

19. Sambal Lala

Typically present in hawker centres, the sambal lala (clams) is a spicy and tangy dish cooked with chilli, spices and a pungent shrimp paste. You will discover this dish at seafood stalls that additionally promote chilli crabs and stingray.

The ingredient that may make or break this dish is after all, the sambal belacan chilli sauce. A well-liked condiment in Singaporean and Malaysian meals, sambal belacan is produced from toasted shrimp paste, chillies, sugar and kalamansi lime.

20. Oyster Omelette

Another hawker meals you should attempt in Singapore is the oyster omelette, identified amongst Singaporeans as orh jian. It is considered one of my favourite meals in Singapore: the crunchy bits of the omelette mixed with the contemporary oysters from Korea are to die for.

What makes Oyster Omelette so particular is the batter that’s used. Starch is blended into the egg batter whereas whipping up the omelette, therefore giving it a thick consistency. Dip all that right into a bitter chilli vinegar sauce for the most effective expertise!

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Singapore Meat Dishes

21. Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kut Teh actually interprets to Pork Bone Tea (in Hokkien) and is a Singapore conventional soup dish believed to be launched into Southeast Asia within the nineteenth century by Chinese employees. It was historically served for breakfast, however has since advanced to change into a principal meal. 

With a barely medicinal style, the broth is infused with Chinese herbs and spices like cinnamon and star anise. The pork ribs used to prepare dinner the soup is the star of the present, however the soup can also be loaded with dried shiitake mushrooms, tofu puffs, and garlic. 

22. Roast Meat

Every hawker centre in Singapore may have a stall or two promoting Cantonese roast meat. This refers back to the holy trinity of roast meat – Char Siew (barbecued pork marinated with a candy sauce), Siew Yoke (roast pork stomach), and Siew Ngap  (roast duck with a crispy pores and skin).

Even although the roast meat traces its roots again to the Canton area of China, it has advanced into this native model in Singapore. Really good char siew ought to be char grilled to perfection, whereas siew yoke ought to have a crunchy pores and skin. Roast meat is all the time served with a savory braised sauce and white rice, and a small bowl of broth on the facet.

23. Satay

Of all of the meals in Singapore, satay might be the most well-liked in Singapore amongst all ethnicities. Originally from Indonesia, satay truly developed from the Indian kebab introduced by the Muslim merchants. Beautifully grilled and charred skewers of tender marinate meat are dipped in candy peanut curry sauce and eaten with steamed rice desserts wrapped in pandan leaves.

What makes the Singapore satay totally different from its counterparts in Malaysia and Indonesia is that it’s a lot fattier. Our satay additionally options smaller items of meat on the skewer, so they’re nearly all the time juicy and tender.

It’s a should eat in Singapore, not only for the flavors but in addition for the environment you’ll usually discover at satay stalls. Because satay is grilled on open charcoal, it’s often present in open-air meals centres and road markets (like Lau Pat Sat).

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Singapore Snacks and Appetizers

24. Rojak

Rojak actually interprets to imply “mix” in colloquial Malay, and the dish positive lives as much as its identify. The conventional Singapore dish displays the cultural range of Singapore, together with each Chinese and Malay components in a single dish.

It is actually a salad of blended greens, fruits, and dough fritters coated in a sticky black sauce. Then it’s garnished with chopped peanuts and finely-cut aromatic ginger flowers for a piquant style.

The mark of a great rojak is its sauce, made up of fermented prawn paste, sugar, lime and chilli paste. It should be an appetizing mixture of candy, bitter and spicy.

25. Murtabak

If you might be planning to go to Arab Street (Singapore’s Muslim quarters), you’ve bought to attempt murtabak. Originally an Arab dish, murtabak has change into a well-liked road meals in Singapore.

Murtabak is made by stuffing skinny sheets of dough with minced meat, eggs, and greens. The dough is then wrapped up and fried in oil till it’s crispy on the surface. The lamb meat is usually marinated in a myriad of spices, giving murtabak an explosion of flavors.

26. Putu Piring

In the Netflix particular “Street Food”, putu piring was the lead story of their episode on Singapore. Many Singaporeans argued that putu piring isn’t a mirrored image of Singapore meals in any respect. I beloved it as a child and nonetheless have fond reminiscences of consuming this snack from streetside stands.

Putu piring (or a few of us could realize it as kueh tutu) is a steamed rice cake crammed with melted palm sugar and topped with shredded coconut. Making it by hand is difficult work, so there aren’t too many stalls promoting handmade putu piring nowadays. 

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Singapore Fruit & Dessert

27. Durian

Without a doubt, this fruit is the delight of the nation. Durian is called the King for Fruit, distinctive for its robust aroma and unmistakable taste. Commonly discovered throughout South East Asia, this can be very widespread right here amongst Singaporeans. The D24 species is essentially the most wanted durian species. The brightly-lit stalls alongside Geylang Road have a wide array to select from.

28. Ice Kachang

Ice kacang interprets to imply “bean ice” in Malay. It is principally iced shaving topped with every kind of colourful components like pink bean, jelly, syrup, candy corn, condensed milk, and gula melaka (palm sugar). Originally from Malaysia, the dessert has gone by many adjustments through the years. Traditionally, an ice shaving machine is used to churn out the shaved ice by a hand cranking system. 

29. Chendol

Chendol is widespread throughout Southeast Asia and have totally different components relying on the place you might be. In Singapore, we like our Chendol with pink beans or kidney beans, gula melaka (palm sugar), coconut milk and shaved ice. Chendol truly refers back to the inexperienced jelly “worms” product of rice flour. You can discover that is nearly any dessert stall in hawker centres and meals courts.

30. Soya Beancurd

Soya beancurd, or identified regionally as tau huay, is essentially the most ubiquitous dessert in Singapore. There are even soya beancurd chains like Mr Bean and Lao Ban throughout Singapore.

Soya beancurd is principally made by boiling soya bean milk with sugar and a coagulant. When it’s cooled, it varieties a clean silky pudding that resembles custard. You can have scorching or chilly. Traditionally we have now it with dough fritters for breakfast, however nowadays it’s extra widespread as a dessert.

Do you suppose these are the most effective Singaporean dishes? Did I miss out any Singapore meals that you simply love? Leave a remark beneath to let me know!

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