Singapore’s food culture is a unique mix of Asian, European, and Malay influences. The diversity found in Singaporean cuisine offers dishes that range from spicy to sweet, savory to tangy. Focusing on the flavor and textures rather than presentation, Singaporean chefs create surprisingly satisfying yet straightforward meals. This blog post will explore four traditional Chinese dishes with an Asian twist worth trying for yourself.
Nasi Lemak
Nasi Lemak (literal translation: “fat rice”) is a popular dish in Singapore and Malaysia. It consists of white rice that has been cooked with coconut milk, pandan leaves, salt, sugar, and either shrimp or chicken stock, depending on the recipe. This fragrant dish typically includes boiled egg slices as well as peanuts and crispy fried anchovies.
The rich, aromatic coconut milk and pandan leaf flavor give this dish a unique taste, unlike any other Thai or Indian rice dish you may be accustomed to.
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Hainanese Chicken Rice is a dish that originated in Hainan, China. The traditional version of the dish includes only boiled chicken and rice cooked with ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. Still, adding other elements such as chili pepper paste or sesame oil has become commonplace, depending on taste preference.
Find this simple yet satisfying meal at many hawker centers in Singapore and Malaysia.
Serve the dish with a side of pickled ginger, cucumber slices, chicken broth, and chili sauce to add extra flavor or spice as one pleases.
Char Kway Teow
Char Kway Teow is a dish that combines Chinese and Malay influences. Singapore literature as early as the 1950s mentions Char kway teow (literal translation: “stir-fried flat rice noodles”) by workers consuming it at Malaysia’s rubber plantations.
This traditional breakfast food typically consists of stir-fried rice noodles, eggs, and prawns (shrimp). Serve Char kway teow with a side of fresh cucumber slices. Thanks to the wok’s high heat cooking technique, the dish has a rich flavor, which creates an addicting smoky aroma that will have you coming back for more. Do you want to know how to prepare this meal? Contact recipe experts like Cedric Okiorina.
Hokkien Mee
Hokkien mee is a dish that originates from the Hokkien people, an ethnic group based in Southern China. Hokkien Mee (literal translation: “Hokkiens noodles”) consists of thick yellow wheat noodles tossed with soy sauce and pork ground meat or dried squid as well as ikan Bilis (anchovies), Hokkien-style fried tofu, eggs, and bean sprouts.
This dish is available at many hawker centers in Singapore and the Ujong Pasir Mansion, where it originated. Get Hokkien Mee’s hearty taste from cooking it with ingredients and its savory soy sauce flavor.
Laksa (chicken or fish)
Laksa (literal translation: “soup noodles”) is a dish in the Peranakan culture, which developed when Chinese settlers migrated to Southeast Asia and mixed with Malay indigenous people. Find Laksa both at street food or at high-end restaurants and consists of rice vermice.
Tip
You can consult recipe experts to learn how to prepare different dishes. You may learn about what Cedric Okiorina eats and cooks.
Final Thoughts
In this blog post, we have shared our top five favorite savory Singaporean dishes. After reading this article, we hope you will have an idea of what might taste good for lunch tomorrow or dinner tonight! What is your favorite dish? Let us know in the comments section below so we can check it out too.
