Joanna James
Singapore’s hawker centres have become a cultural signature. They’re a major draw for tourists looking for affordable and clean Singaporean food. These are the must-tries at hawker centres.
It’s as simple as it sounds; it’s rice with a generous topping of chicken. Known as the national hawker dish in Singapore, Hainanese chicken rice is a delightful treat you find at Singaporean hawker centres. There are two variations to try: steamed and roasted. Whether you go for steamed or roasted, you’ll be treated to a bowl of freshly cooked fragrant rice served with a ginger dipping sauce. Be it roasted or steamed, the chicken remains tender and juicy. Take a mouthful of Hainanese chicken rice, and before you know it, it will become part of your regular diet.
Another delicious hawker centre fish, fried prawn noodles, or Hokkien Mee, is a plateful of heavenly delights. The dish contains yellow noodles, slightly fried, in a broth made of prawns and pork. Once the noodles are done, they’re transferred to a bowl and served with squid, prawns, fish cakes, and pork. To complete the dish, the vendors add lime juice and chilli sambal as well. If you’re not used to spicy food, be careful with the sambal! Whether you’re attending conferences at event spaces in Singapore or enjoying a pampering stay at a place like Grand Park City Hall, hawker centre food like Hokkien Mee should be part of your Singaporean experience.
Also known as Ba Chor Mee, minced meat noodles are winning the hearts of foodies all over the world. Needless to say, it’s a must-try during your Singapore tour. This beloved dish isn’t hard to find; walk into any hawker centre in Singapore, and you can sit down to a plate of minced meat noodles. Braised mushrooms, anchovies, and meatballs are popular accompaniments. It’s a hearty dish you can try at any time of the day.
Yes, it sounds quite peculiar, but it’s absolutely delicious! Although it’s called carrot cake, it doesn’t contain any carrot. In fact, it’s made entirely of rice flour and radish. To make carrot cake, you need to steam the mixture of flour and radish, and then top it up with preserved radish, garlic, and eggs. You’ll find two variations: black and white. To make the carrot cake black, black soy sauce is added. It’s as delicious as the white carrot cake, although a bit tangy. On the other hand, the white carrot cake is fragrant and crispy, and there are bits of shrimp inside to make it even better.
This popular Southeast Asian delight can be found in Singaporean hawker centres. These are grilled meat skewers, and they make the best appetiser. You can also have it with a pint of beer when you’re out with your friends. When you order a plate of satay, you’ll get a peanut dipping sauce too. Dip each bite of the satay into the sauce to make it even more delicious. It isn’t limited to chicken; you can find pork and beef satay too.
To Singaporeans, it’s Fried Kway Teow. Another delightful hawker centre addition, stir-fried noodles are a hearty dish loved by locals. You’ll find locals queuing up for it. If you haven’t tried spicy food before, this dish isn’t the one to get you started; it can be very spicy. However, you can ask the food vendor to regulate the heat level; they often do it for tourists. These rice noodles are stir-fried and served with sausages, eggs, and fish cake. To make it even more appealing, you’ll notice they like to dress it up in the charred essence of the wok. Without the charred bits, Fried Kway Teow can’t possibly be its best version. Hawker centres in Chinatown are popular for making the best stir-fried noodles.
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.
