Roti Prata
Translated as “flat bread”, this pancake-like Indian bread usually served with curry is popular for breakfast and supper. Creative fillings such banana, durian, cheese, chocolate and even ice cream are available for the adventurous.
Ayam Buah Keluak
Ayam Buah Keluak, the favourite dish of the Peranakans as well as many others of other races is, like many Peranakan dishes, difficult and time-consuming to make. The special curry is made with the unique keluak nuts, obtained from Indonesia.
While the fruit is actually poisonous, the nut is carefully prepared and cleaned. Still, the preparation is tedious. Nonetheless, this is gastronomic pleasure at its finest.
Char Kway Teow
Loosely translated as “stir-fried rice cake strips”, char kway teow is a simple dish. The kway teow, or flat rice noodles, is stir-fried in crispy bits of lard with soy sauce, eggs, Chinese sausages, belacan (shrimp paste), bean sprouts and chives. Despite the risk of Hepatitis A, some still insist on raw or half cooked see hum (cockles) for flavour and texture.
Popiah
Teochew for “thin pancake”, popiah is actually a paper-thin flour crepe with a filling of cooked vegetables such as turnip, lettuce and bean sprouts, and with a little meat. Originating from Fujian, China, it is derived from the Chinese spring roll, which was consumed during Spring because of the abundance of vegetables.
Ice Kacang
Ice Kacang is made of shaved ice with a core of red beans, sweetened attap seeds and green chendol strips. It comes drizzled with sweet corn, condensed milk and coloured syrup in red, green and yellow. This is an iconic Singaporean dessert and has even been pictured on Singapore Tourism Board postcards.
Hokkien Prawn Mee
This dish was created by Hokkien sailors from Southern China when they fried excess noodles along Rochor Road. Today, thick yellow noodles are stir-fried with eggs and seafood in lard, giving it a rich full flavour, then served on an Opei leaf (soft palm bark).
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