Joanna James
Singapore, a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, offers a culinary journey like no other. From savoury street food to delightful restaurant dishes, the food scene here is as diverse as the people who call the city-state home. Let's take a closer look at five mouthwatering dishes in Singapore.
Char kway teow is a beloved dish that has its roots in Malaysia and Singapore. This delightful stir-fried noodle dish usually features flat rice noodles, shrimps, eggs, cockles, bean sprouts, chives, and Chinese sausage, all expertly cooked to perfection with a generous drizzle of soy sauce. In certain variations, you might also come across the inclusion of shrimp paste, garlic, crispy fried pork lard, and yellow wheat noodles. This dish's origins are debated, but it's widely enjoyed across the region.
Hainanese chicken rice, originating from Hainan, China, has made a home in the hearts of Singaporeans. This simple yet flavourful dish features tender, steamed chicken served with fragrant white rice. It's often garnished with soy sauce, sesame oil, cucumber slices, and a spicy chilli sauce. Don't forget the delicious soup made from the chicken's cooking broth. The dish found its way to Singapore thanks to Hainanese immigrants in the 19th century.
Chilli crab is Singapore's national pride, emerging from its humble street food beginnings to iconic status. It stars a stir-fried crab bathed in a spicy and luscious sauce. The story of its creation is a legend - concocted in the 1950s by Cher Yam Tian, who added bottled chilli sauce to her crab dish. The result was so scrumptious that her family encouraged her to share it with the world. And thus, chilli crab became a Singaporean treasure.
Curry laksa, known as curry mee in Malaysia, is a spicy noodle soup that fuses Indian, Chinese, and Southeast Asian culinary influences. This hearty dish boasts a sweet and spicy curry and coconut milk base. Unlike thicker curries, the sauce is delightfully thin but packed with flavour. Traditional thin rice noodles are used, often cut into smaller pieces for easier enjoyment. The blend of diverse flavours and textures is a true culinary adventure. The key to the exceptional depth of flavour in curry laksa lies in the intricate blend of spices and aromatic ingredients. It's a perfect representation of the harmony found in Singapore's diverse culinary heritage, where different cultures come together to create something truly extraordinary. Every spoonful of curry laksa tells a story of culinary fusion and craftsmanship that's been perfected over generations.
Hokkien mee is a dish that unites round wheat noodles and thin rice noodles, stir-fried with prawns, eggs, pork, bean sprouts, and a flavourful stock made from prawns and other seafood. Frequently included extras consist of fish cakes, squid, spring onions, the optional addition of pork lard, and chives. Served with sambal sauce and lime on the side, this dish finds its roots in the Hokkien community, hailing mainly from the Fujian province. This is a must-try dish in Singapore. Hotel 81 Orchid, which is a Geylang hotel in Singapore, is just one of the many places where you can embark on a culinary adventure.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
