Chinese-inspired The dishes that comprise "Singaporean Chinese cuisine" today were originally brought to Singapore by the early southern Chinese immigrants (
Hokkien,
Teochew,
Cantonese,
Hakka and
Hainanese). They were then adapted to suit the local availability of ingredients, while absorbing influences from Malay, Indian and other cooking traditions. Most of the names of Chinese-originated Singaporean dishes were derived from languages and dialects of southern China,
Hokkien (Min Nan) being the most common. As there was no common system for transliterating these Sinitic languages and dialects into the Latin alphabet, it is common to see different variants on the same name for a single dish. For example,
bah kut teh may also be spelt
bak kut teh, and
char kway tiao may also be spelt
char kuay teow. •
Bak kut teh (), pork rib soup made with a variety of Chinese herbs and spices. In Singapore the broth is usually Teochew style, meaning peppery and light in color, unlike the dark, herbal Hokkien style favoured in Malaysia. •
Beef kway teow (), flat rice noodles stir-fried with beef, served dry or with soup. •
Bak chang (), glutinous rice dumplings, usually filled with pork, mushrooms and stewed egg, steamed in bamboo leaves. Although it is Chinese in origin, it is also a favourite in
Peranakan cuisine. •
Bak chor mee (), egg noodles with minced pork, braised mushroom, pork meatball and other ingredients, served dry or in soup. Usually the flat, tape-like
mee pok noodle is used. •
Ban mian (), hand-made flat noodles served with vegetables, minced meat, sliced mushrooms, and an egg in an
anchovy-based soup. Noodle variations are common. "Ban mian" refers to flat, long noodles; "mee hoon kuay" () refers to flat, rectangular noodles; "you mian" () refers to thin noodles. •
Chai tow kway (), also known as char kway () or carrot cake, is a dish of steamed
radish/
daikon cakes diced and stir-fried with garlic, egg, chopped preserved radish, and sometimes with shrimp. This dish comes in black (fried with sweet dark soy sauce) or white (fried into an omelette) versions, with a chilli paste sometimes added. •
Char kway teow (), thick, flat rice noodles stir-fried in dark soy sauce with shrimp, eggs, beansprouts, fish cake, cockles, green leafy vegetables, Chinese sausage and fried cubes of lard. •
Char siu (), also romanised cha-su, cha siu, cha sio, caa siu and char siew, is barbecued pork marinated in a sweet BBQ sauce in
Cantonese cuisine. •
Chicken noodles is an egg noodle dish with diced chicken meat. •
Chwee kueh (水粿;
chúi-kóe/shuǐ guǒ), a type of steamed rice cake served with preserved radish. •
Crab bee hoon () is a rice vermicelli dish served with whole
mud crab. It may be served dry or in soup and sometimes in a
claypot. •
Drunken prawns (), prawns cooked with
rice wine. •
Duck rice (), braised duck served with rice cooked with yam and shrimp. It can be served simply with white rice and a thick dark sauce, or with braised hard-boiled eggs, preserved salted vegetables, and hard bean curd
(tau kua) on the side.
Teochew boneless duck rice is a similar, but a more refined dish. The duck is deboned and sliced thinly, allowing the sauces to seep into the meat. Roasted duck rice is also commonly sold. •
Fish ball noodles (), similar to bak chor mee, except that fish balls are used instead of minced pork. •
Fish soup bee hoon () is a Singaporean soup served with sliced fish pieces, green vegetables and bee hoon. •
Frog leg porridge () is served with frog legs, scallion, ginger and thick black sauce in a claypot with porridge in another claypot. •
Hae mee (), stir-fried prawn noodles cooked in a broth made from prawn heads and pork bones, topped with ingredients such as prawns, sliced pork belly, squid, egg, lard, and served with sambal chili and lime on the side. •
Hainanese chicken rice () is based on the Hainanese dish
Wenchang chicken. It is considered Singapore's national dish. •
Hainanese curry rice is a dish consisting of steamed white rice smothered in a mess of curries and braised gravy. •
Har cheong gai (), chicken wings fried in a batter with fermented
shrimp paste. •
Hokkien mee (), egg noodles and rice noodles stir-fried with egg, slices of pork, prawns and squid, and served and garnished with spring onion, lard, sambal chilli and lime (for adding lime juice to the dish). •
Ham chim peng (), a deep-fried bun-like pastry sometimes filled with bean paste. •
Kaya toast (), a traditional breakfast dish.
Kaya is a sweet coconut and egg jam which is spread over toasted bread. Combined with a cup of local coffee and a half-boiled egg, this constitutes a typical Singaporean breakfast. •
Kway chap or kuay chap (), a Teochew dish of flat, broad rice sheets in a soup made with dark soy sauce, served with pig offal, braised duck meat, various kinds of beancurd, preserved salted vegetables, and braised hard-boiled eggs. •
Mee pok (), a noodle dish characterised by its flat and yellow appearance, varying in thickness and width. •
Min chiang kueh (), a thick, chewy pancake with a ground peanut and sugar filling. Other variations include grated coconut and red bean paste. This traditional snack also is served in blueberry, cheese and chocolate varieties. •
Oyster omelette (蠔烙;
háolào), a dish of omelette cooked with fresh raw oysters, tapioca starch and eggs. • Pig's brain soup (), a soup dish comprising pig brain with Chinese herbs. •
Pig fallopian tubes (), a dish comprising stir-fried pig fallopian tubes with vegetables and sambal chilli. •
Pig's organ soup (), a soup-based variant of kuay chap •
Pig's trotters () usually braised in black sauce and vinegar. •
Popiah (), Hokkien/Teochew-style
spring roll or rolled
crêpe, stuffed with stewed turnip, Chinese sausage, shrimp and lettuce. •
Shredded chicken noodles (), a noodles dish topped with shredded chicken, fish dumpling and mushroom. •
Sliced fish soup (), a soup dish consisting of fish and vegetables. •
Soon kway (), a white vegetable dumpling with black soy sauce. •
Teochew porridge (), a rice porridge dish consumed with a selection of local side dishes. •
Turtle soup (, also known as ), a soup or stew made from turtle flesh. •
Vegetarian bee hoon (), thin braised
rice vermicelli to which a choice of various gluten, vegetable, or beancurd-based delicacies may be added. •
Yong tau foo (), a dish that contains a varied selection of food items, including tofu filled with ground meat mixture or fish paste, fish balls, crab sticks, an assortment of vegetables and meat. •
Youtiao (), also called yew char kueh (), fried dough crullers similar to those served in other Chinese cuisines around the world. •
Yam ring (), a deep-fried ring of
taro filled with stir-fried ingredients •
Ngoh hiang (also known as lor bak or five-spice meat roll) is a common Chinese dish in Singapore and Southeast Asia. It is a sausage-like roll made with minced meat (usually pork and shrimp), seasoned with five-spice powder, and wrapped in beancurd skin, which is then deep-fried. It is frequently seen in hawker centers and restaurants, often eaten as an appetizer or snack. File:Newton HokkienMee.JPG|
Hokkien mee File:Singapore Beef Fried Rice by Banej.jpg|Beef fried rice topped with a sunny-side-up egg File:Kaya toast, Yinzo Kopi, Ipoh, Malaysia with cup of coffee.jpg|
Kaya toast, a traditional breakfast dish File:Ban mian.jpg|
Ban mian Malay and Indonesian (fried rice) Situated between
Malaysia and
Indonesia, Singaporean
Malay dishes are influenced by the food of the neighbouring
Malay Peninsula,
Sumatra,
Java and the
Riau Islands. Despite absorbing regional influences, it tends to be adapted to local tastes and differs from their counterparts in neighbouring countries. Although Malays, such as the
Orang Laut, are native to Singapore, most Malays in Singapore today are descended from native Indonesians or native Malays from present-day Malaysia. •
Bakso, also Ba'so, meatballs served with noodles. •
Begedil, mashed potato mixture that is fried into patties and eaten together with mee soto. •
Curry puff, also known as epok-epok, a flaky pastry usually stuffed with curry chicken, potato cubes, and a slice of hard-boiled egg. Sardines are sometimes used in place of chicken. • Dendeng paru, a dish of dried beef lung cooked in spices. •
Goreng pisang, bananas rolled in flour, fried, and eaten as a snack. •
Gudeg putih, white jackfruit curry. • Gulai daun ubi, sweet potato leaves stewed in coconut milk. •
Keropok, deep fried crackers usually flavoured with shrimp, but sometimes with fish or vegetables. •
Ketupat, rice cakes steamed in a square-shaped coconut leaf wrapping and usually served with satay. • Lemak siput, shellfish cooked in a thick coconut milk-based gravy. •
Lontong, compressed rice cakes (see ketupat) in a spicy vegetable soup. •
Nagasari, a rice snack with Indonesian origins. •
Nasi goreng, steamed rice stir-fried in a wok, often mixed with other ingredients, such as eggs, vegetables and meat. •
Nasi Padang, a steamed white rice served with an array – sometimes as many as 12, or more – of pre-cooked dishes, the mini banquet usually laid out in small plates. •
Otak-otak/otah, spicy fish cake grilled in a banana leaf wrapping. •
Pecel lele, fried catfish served with chilli paste. •
Rawon, beef soup. •
Rojak bandung, a variant of
Singaporean-style rojak. •
Roti john, an omelette sandwich. •
Sambal, not a dish in itself, but a common chilli-based accompaniment to most foods. •
Satay, grilled meat on skewers served with satay sauce (a spicy peanut sauce) and usually eaten with ketupat, cucumber and onions. •
Sayur lodeh, a mix of vegetables in coconut milk. •
Soto, a soup dish mainly composed of meat and vegetables. •
Soto ayam, a spicy chicken soup that features chicken shreds, rice cakes and sometimes begedil. •
Tumpeng, a cone-shaped rice dish of Javanese origin. It is served with side dishes of vegetables and meat.
Indian on a banana leaf Like other Singaporean ethnic cuisines, Indian Singaporean cuisine has been influenced by multiple cultural groups. Dishes from both North India and South India can be found in Singapore. •
Appam, a fermented rice pancake. •
Dosa, rice and lentil pancake. Commonly served as a "masala" version that includes spiced potatoes and is served with different types of sambar. •
Murtabak, an
Indian-Muslim dish originating from the Middle East. It consists of folded dough stuffed with spiced minced meat, onions and egg, and is often served with curry. •
Naan, an Indian oven-baked flatbread. •
Putu mayam rice flour
string hoppers or noodles served with sugar and coconut usually eaten for breakfast. •
Roti prata, a local evolution of the Indian
paratha. It is a common dish for breakfast and supper. It is a fried bread pancake that is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The dough is flipped to attain the right texture, then cooked quickly on a greased stove and served with curry or sugar. A plethora of modern variations are available, including egg, cheese, chocolate,
masala, durian and ice cream. •
Satti sorru: Indian claypot rice •
Soup kambing, a local
Tamil-Muslim dish of spiced mutton soup. • Soup tulang, a local
Tamil-Muslim dish of mutton or beef leg bones stewed in a spice. The bones are broken to allow the marrow to be eaten. • Soup tulang merah, is a dish consisting of mutton or beef bones stewed in a sweet and spicy red soup of mutton stock, tomatoes, ginger, chillies and spices. It is considered a Singapore invention •
Tandoori chicken, chicken marinated in a mixture of spices and yogurt and cooked in a clay oven. •
Vadai, spicy, deep-fried snacks that are made from dhal, lentils or potato.
Cross-cultural and
otah A number of dishes, listed below, can be considered as truly hybrid or multi-ethnic food. • Ayam buah keluak, a Peranakan dish of chicken stewed with spices and Southeast Asian black nuts (buah keluak). •
Biryani (Indian variant) or
nasi briyani (Malay variant), a popular mixed rice dish commonly found in places offering Malay or Indian food. • Cereal prawns (), stir-fried prawns with sweetened cereal. • Laksa lemak, a Peranakan dish of vermicelli noodles and fried bean curd served in a creamy coconut sauce with slices of shrimp, fish, and cockles. •
Fish head curry, a dish created by Singapore's Malayali (an Indian ethnic group from
Kerala) community with some Chinese and Malay influences. The head of a
red snapper (
ikan merah, literally 'red fish') stewed in curry consisting of varying amounts of coconut milk and tamarind juice, along with vegetables (
okra and
eggplant are common). Usually served with either rice or bread. •
Kari debal or devil's curry, a Eurasian Singaporean curry dish with Portuguese and Peranakan influences. Includes chicken, cabbage, sausage, and bacon pieces stewed in a curry sauce. • Kari lemak ayam, a Peranakan chicken curry with a coconut milk base •
Katong laksa, Singaporean thick rice noodles cut into shorter pieces (bee hoon) in a coconut curry gravy with prawn and egg. Sometimes tau pok (beancurd puffs) or fish cake may be added. •
Kueh tutu steamed rice flour pastries with a sweet shredded coconut or peanut filling •
Kueh pie tee, a thin and crispy pastry tart shell filled with a spicy, sweet mixture of thinly sliced vegetables and prawns. •
Kway teow goreng, stir-fried
flat rice noodles. •
Mee rebus, egg noodles with a spicy slightly sweet curry-like gravy. The gravy is made from sweet potatoes, curry powder, water, salted soybeans, dried shrimp and peanuts. •
Mee siam, a dish of thin rice vermicelli. •
Mee goreng, yellow egg noodles stir fried with ghee, tomato sauce, chilli, eggs, vegetables, and various meats and seafood. •
Mee soto, a spicy noodle soup dish. •
Rojak, a traditional fruit and vegetable salad dish of Indian origin and with Malay/Indonesian influences. • Sambal kangkong, a dish of
water spinach (kangkong) fried in sambal. •
Satay bee hoon, rice noodles served with cuttlefish, fried bean curd puffs, cockles and water spinach in satay sauce. •
Tauhu goreng, fried bean curd with sweet sauce. • "Western food" in hawker centres where "Singapore-style" chicken chop (topped with black pepper or mushroom sauce), chicken cutlet, and pork chop are available. These are usually served with fries or mashed potato, coleslaw and baked beans. This style is often called "Hainanese Western food" due to the fact that it traces its origins to Hainanese immigrants who worked as cooks in the kitchens of Western employers.
Seafood Singaporeans also eat a wide variety of seafood including fish, squid (known as
sotong in Malay), stingray, crab, lobster, clams, and oysters. Well-known seafood dishes include: •
Black pepper crab, hard-shell crabs cooked in a black pepper sauce. Salted egg crab and buttermilk crab are also common •
Chilli crab, hard-shell crabs cooked in chilli sauce, usually served with
man tou, or deep-fried buns •
Oyster omelette, an oyster omelette mixed with flour and fried, served garnished with coriander •
Sambal lala, soft-shell clams fried with sambal sauce •
Sambal stingray or
hang hir (), smothered in sambal and served on banana leaf; also known as
ikan bakar in Malay ==Fruit==