Singaporean food is a source of national passion and pride. We look at some of Singaporeans’ favourites
The recent food festivals in Singapore, and even Gordon Ramsay coming to put our hawker heroes to the test, are testament to the passion for and pride in our local Singaporean food.
Our multi-cultural society of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian and Peranakan and more ensure a great variety of dishes for us to choose from for every meal.
Here are a number of Singaporeans’ favourite dishes that you should acquaint or reacquaint yourself with.
Chilli Crab
In the 1950s, Madam Cher Yam Tian lived in an attap house with her husband, Mr Lim, who would catch crabs from the beach.
Once, he requested that she cook the dish differently, so she stir-fried the crabs with tomato sauce, then chilli sauce.
Today, chilli crab has become premium hawker food with eggs, sambal and spices. It is unofficially Singapore’s national dish, and is listed in CNN Go’s “World’s 50 most delicious food”.
Fish Head Curry
An entire snapper’s head is cooked in a spicy, tangy tamarind curry. It is said to originate from an Indian chef named Gomez, who had decided to cook discarded fish heads in curry.
Laksa
This rich coconut curry broth-based noodle soup comes with meat, garnishing and see hum (cockles). Originally eaten only with a spoon, it is one hot and spicy dish that Singaporeans don’t mind eating in our tropical climate. It’s simply shiok!
Rojak
Rojak, meaning “wild mix” in Malay, is made up of fruits and vegetables such as bean sprouts, tau pok, pineapple and cucumber, mixed in a dark shrimp paste and served with a sprinkle of ground peanuts for texture and a crunchy bite.
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