The cuisine in Singapore is a unique blend of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and even Western flavours. It’s a great place to eat out with friends or family, but if you’re looking for something more authentic than the food courts in Orchard Road or Clarke Quay, here are some of my favourite Singaporean foods:
Black Pepper Crab
Black pepper crab is a traditional Singaporean foods of crabs stir-fried in dark soy sauce and thick with lots of black pepper. The seasoning comes from adding an array of spices like star anise, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It’s usually you serve with steam white rice, but you can also eat it with plain bread or French baguette if you’re watching your carb intake.
The best way to enjoy black pepper crab is by cracking open the shell yourself (using your fingers or a fork) and eating it with steamed white rice. If you want to be truly authentic, use your hands instead!
You’ll find this dish at most hawker centres around town—but if they don’t serve black pepper crab specifically (and even if they do), ask for “crab” or “spicy crab”. The person behind the counter should know exactly what you mean! Prices vary depending on where you go; expect budgeted dinner, including drinks—or less if you only order one item from their menu instead of going all-out Singaporean style!
Chicken Rice
Chicken Rice is a Singaporean dish that has become a staple of Singaporean cuisine. It has origins in Chinese cuisine but has uniquely evolved over many years to suit the tastes of Singaporeans. Today, Chicken Rice is enjoyed by people around the world as well.
Chicken rice you can make with cooking chicken and rice together in a clay pot with ginger and other spices. The dish you can eat with sauces like soy sauce or chilli paste. It’s usually you serve with chicken broth, or soup poured on top too! To eat chicken rice, some people prefer chopsticks, while others prefer forks or spoons (this depends on individual preference). But whatever way you choose to consume it—chopsticks or utensils—you’ll find this dish very satisfying!
Bak Kut Teh
Bak Kut Teh is a type of herbal soup dish you believe to have medicinal properties. You can make with pork ribs, meat and herbs, a popular dish in Singapore.
Bak Kut Teh means “pork bone tea” in Hokkien, also refers to how bak kut teh broth is serve. It with deep-fried dough sticks similar to Chinese crullers but crispier on the outside. The stew pork ribs are usually eaten with rice or noodles as a complete meal.
Hokkien Mee
Hokkien Mee is a noodle dish from the Hokkien region of China. It features yellow noodles and a variety of meats, such as pork, chicken and prawns, served with fish cake and vegetables. The dish is popular in Singapore and Malaysia, where you can serve with chilli sauce.
Conclusion
Singaporean foods is one of the best in the world. You might try some of these dishes for yourself if you get a chance to visit Singapore, but even if you don’t have the chance yet, it’s worth getting familiar with these four dishes so that when you do go out for dinner with friends, they can order them!
