Singapore is known for its amazing food, and it’s no wonder why. It is a melting pot of cultures, with a unique blend of Chinese culture, Malay culture, Indian culture, and so on. People come from all over the world to try out the amazing dishes that Singapore has to offer. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, you’ll find some of the most iconic dishes in Singapore. The food in Singapore is a mix of traditional recipes and new things, and it all adds up to a great dining experience that reflects the city’s rich culture. Let’s dive into some of Singapore’s best dishes.
1.Chili Crab
Chili crab has become one of Singapore’s most popular dishes. It’s made with fresh crab that’s cooked in a tangy tomato sauce. The sauce is full of chili peppers and garlic, plus ginger. People often eat it with mantou (a steamed bun) to dip it in the sauce. It’s a popular dish with locals and tourists alike because it’s got a mix of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors.
2.Singapore Sling
Singapore Sling is a pink-tinted cocktail. It’s made with gin and cherry brandy, plus some orange liqueur and pineapple juice. It’s topped with lime juice and grenadine and served over ice. It’s often topped with a pineapple slice or cherry. It’s a fruity and refreshing drink, and it’s a symbol of the city’s cocktail culture.
3.Bak Kut Teh
Bak Kut Teh is a type of soup that originated in Malaysia and Singapore. It’s a soup that’s made by simmering pork ribs in a thick broth full of herbs and spices, like star anise, garlic, etc. This makes the meat tender and full of flavor. It’s usually served with rice, fried dough, and chili paste. It’s a reminder of their rich culinary history.
4.Hainanese Chicken Rice
Chicken and rice are two of the most popular dishes in the Hainan region of China, but they’re also popular in Singapore and other parts of Southeast Asia. This dish is made with poached chicken on top of fragrant rice that’s cooked in a chicken broth. The chicken is tender and the rice is aromatic, making it a delicious and comforting dish.
5.Curry Puffs
Curry Puffs are a type of pastry usually deep-fried or baked in a shell and filled with different fillings. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but in Singapore, they’re usually made with a crust that’s flaky or thick, and filled with Chinese or Indian fillings. The most popular filling is chicken curry, but you can also fill it with things like sardines, tomatoes, corn, or red beans.
6.Char Kuay Teow
Char Kuay Teow is a classic dish from Singapore that’s known for its yummy wok-fried noodles. It’s made with flat rice noodles that are cooked in a wok and then fried with shrimp and eggs, plus sometimes Chinese sausage and bean sprouts. It is commonly served with a zesty soy sauce mixture, creating a delectable balance of tastes and textures.
7.Oyster Omelet
If you’re in Singapore, you’ll probably find Orh Jian at one of the many hawker centers. Orh Jian is a type of omelet made with raw oysters and eggs. It’s a classic Hokkien dish that’s become popular in parts of Asia and is often sold at street food carts. It’s also known by lots of different names, like Oh Chien, Luak, or O-A-Tian.
8.Kaya Toast
Kaya toast is a classic breakfast dish that’s been around for a while. It’s two pieces of toast or bread that’s been grilled. The dish, known as kope tiam in Singapore, is made by spreading butter on toast and topping it with kaya, a jam made from coconut, eggs, and sugar.
9.Popiah
Popiah is a classic Chinese street food dish that’s been popular in Taiwan and other parts of Asia for a while now. It’s a fresh spring roll that’s shaped like a pancake and filled with lots of different ingredients like turnips, jicamas, beans, lettuce leaves, fried tofu, peanuts, shredded Omelets, minced Pork, Shrimp, and Crab, depending on the vendor.
10.Fish Head Curry
Fish Head Curry is a dish made with whole fish heads – usually red snapper – cooked in a Kerala-style curry with lots of veggies like eggplant, okra, and spices. It’s got a mix of South Indian and Chinese roots, and it’s a popular dish in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The gravy is sour-sweet and goes great with rice or naan bread.
11.Hokkien Shrimp Mee
If you’re a seafood lover, Hokkien shrimp mee is a must-try. It’s made with thick yellow noodles, and it’s usually topped with prawn, squid, or sometimes pork. It’s stir-fried in a mixture of spices like garlic and garlic-sauced shallots, then simmered down in a rich broth. It’s a delicious combination of seafood flavor and umami.
12.Nasi Lemaka
Nasi Lemaka is Malaysia’s national dish. It’s a delicious representation of the country’s cuisine. The fragrant rice is cooked with coconut milk, pandan leaves, and spices to give it its unique flavor and aroma. It is often served with spicy chili paste, sambal, crispy anchovies, nuts, boiled egg, cucumber, etc. It’s a combination of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors.
13.Laksa
Laksa is one of the famous dishes in Singapore. It is a hot Peranakan noodles soup made with chicken, shrimp, or fish. The soup is full of herbs and spices like lemongrass and chili, as well as turmeric. You can add all kinds of toppings like shrimp and chicken, tofu, and bean sprouts to give it more texture and flavor. With its creamy, tangy, and spicy flavors, Laksa is a popular comfort food that celebrates the rich culture of the region.
14.BBQ Sambal Stingray
BBQ Sambal Stingray is a mouth-watering Singapore dish that’s a crowd-pleaser. The fish is marinated in a spicy mix of sambal and chili paste and then grilled over charcoal flames to perfection. The result is smoky, spicy, and tender. It’s usually served on banana leaves and topped with lime wedges and rice. BBQ sambal stingray offers a unique combination of flavors and textures that show Singapore’s love for bold and tasty food.
15.Mee Rebus
Mee Rebus a popular noodle soup dish that’s been around for a while in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. It’s egg noodles with a spicy and sweet curry-like sauce. It’s made with a bunch of different ingredients like shrimp, tauchu, sautéed shallots, and lemongrass. It’s also thickened with cornstarch. You can top it off with a hard-boiled egg, some dried shrimp, a boiled potato, fried potatoes, beans, and other goodies.
16.Crab Bee Hoon
Crab Bee Hoon is a delicious dish that brings out the sweetness of the crab meat. It’s made with vermicelli noodle noodles cooked in a rich, creamy broth that’s often flavored with crab shells. It’s topped with tender chunks of crab, making it even better in taste and texture. Fresh ingredients like veggies and herbs add a touch of freshness to the dish.
17.Rojak
Rojak is a delicious combination of different flavors and textures from Malaysia and Indonesia. It’s made with lots of different fruits and veggies like cucumbers, pineapple, beans, and so on, usually topped with crunchy dough and tofu. But the real star of the show is the sauce, which is sweet and spicy and made with shrimp paste and nuts. The combination of flavors in Rojak provides a unique experience.
18.Wanton Mee
Wanton mee is one of Singapore’s most popular Cantonese dishes. It’s made with egg noodles and topped with yummy wontons. The wontons are usually filled with pork and shrimp, and the egg noodles are usually seasoned with soy sauce and oyster sauce. Wanton mee is usually topped with slices of charcoal pork and veggies.
19.Lontong
Lontong is an Indonesian and Malaysian traditional dish that is beloved for its comforting flavor. It is a compressed rice cake that is served with a rich, creamy vegetable stew that is rich in coconut and spices. The stew is made with a variety of vegetables, tofu, and tempeh that are simmered for a long time in a coconut-based broth. The combination of the soft texture of lontong with the rich and creamy flavor of the stew creates a delicious and nutritious meal.
20.Beef Rendang
This Indonesian and Malaysian dish is the epitome of slow-cooker perfection. It’s made with tender chunks of beef simmered in coconut milk and a blend of spices like lemongrass and galangal, plus chili. The slow cooker lets the meat soak up all the delicious flavors, making it a smoky, spicy, and savory masterpiece.
