Singapore, also known as the “Lion Island”, is a small island nation but contains many interesting things. Singaporean cuisine is influenced by many different cultures, visitors can enjoy Indonesian, Malaysian, Chinese, Indian cuisine; this is also the perfect combination of tradition and modernity. Below are 10 famous delicacies that visitors must enjoy if they have the opportunity to come to the “Culinary Capital of Asia”.
1. Chili crab
Singaporeans are very proud of their traditional Chilli Crab. The main ingredients of this dish are crab sauce and tomatoes along with some other spices. Chilli Crab is usually served with fried buns or bread to dip in the fragrant and spicy sauce.
Chili crab is prepared in two steps, boiling first and frying later to prevent the crab meat from sticking to the crab shell.
2. Hainanese Chicken Rice
Hainanese Chicken Rice is a dish originating from Hainan, China and is very popular in Singapore. This dish is served with cucumbers and dipping sauces such as soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and minced chili, all of which create harmony in the dish. Hainanese Chicken Rice is not too elaborately prepared. The rice is cooked with chicken broth and coconut water, creating an irresistible deliciousness.
Visitors to Singapore will often choose this dish for lunch or dinner.
3. Laksa Noodles
Laksa is a unique dish, with a rich flavor; its eye-catching “fiery” appearance is the perfect harmony of noodles and seafood. This dish is made from rice noodles cooked in a spicy coconut curry broth and served with seafood such as shrimp or fish cakes, eggs, chicken. This famous dish perfectly combines the culinary cultures of Malaysia and China.
4. Fish Head Curry
Fish head curry is unique to Singapore, a land of cultural fusion. It combines the spices of South Indian curry with fish head, a Chinese delicacy. Half or the whole head of a red snapper is stewed in curry and a mixture of vegetables such as okra and eggplant, and is usually served with rice to make the most of the delicious curry broth.
5. Kaya Toast
Kaya is a jam made from sugar, coconut milk, eggs and pandan leaves. When visiting Singapore, you cannot miss the “national breakfast”. Kaya consists of two slices of toast with butter and “kaya” in the middle. Kaya toast is usually eaten with soft-boiled eggs and a cup of coffee or tea.
6. Biryani Fried Rice
Biryani fried rice is a dish of Indian origin but is extremely popular in Singapore. The main ingredient Nasi Biryani is fried rice mixed with aromatic spices such as cloves, cinnamon leaves, bay leaves and beef or chicken. However, many restaurants replace the meat with eggs or potatoes to add variety and richness to the dish. This dish is a unique combination of South Asian, Indonesian and Malay culinary cultures.
7. Dimsum
Dimsum is originally called “Dian Xin”, this is a dish inspired by Hong Kong / Shanghai. The Dimsum breakfast set includes many dishes such as: salted egg buns, steamed dumplings, Siew Mai steamed buns (pork, mushroom or seafood filling), BBQ meat steamed buns, shrimp and meat rolls, etc. Usually, these are steamed dishes with a lot of nutrition.
8. Fujian Noodles
Hokkien is a very popular traditional dish in Singapore. The main ingredient is Hokkien noodles fried in pork and shrimp broth, served with shrimp, squid, chicken or pork, fish cakes, water spinach; you can drizzle with chili sauce and lemon juice to add more flavor to the dish.
9. Coconut rice
Nasi Lemak is a traditional rice dish, originating from Malaysia but famous in Singapore. The main ingredients of this dish include rice combined with fried fish or chicken, eggs, sliced cucumbers, peanuts. The rice is steamed with coconut milk and mixed with pandan leaves to create a unique flavor. Nasi Lemak is usually served on fresh banana leaves or brown paper. Visitors to Singapore cannot miss the typical coconut rice dish here.
10. Wonton Noodles
The dish is influenced by Hong Kong cuisine but is inseparable from Singapore’s culinary culture. The typical Singaporean style of eating it is “dry”, drizzled with some light sweet sauce, some slices of Chinese-style grilled or roasted pork, dumplings stuffed with pork and a small bowl of soup on the side. You can enjoy this noodle in two ways: the spicy version is mixed with chili, the non-spicy version is mixed with tomato sauce.
