This is another of those countries I have been looking forward to! I usually enjoy Southeast Asian cuisine, and I was intrigued by food from Singapore since I knew there were a lot of influences from elsewhere. I think that always results in some interesting dishes.
Singapore is an island country in Southeast Asia, composed of one main island and over 63 smaller islands. It is located south of Malaysia.
Singapore was originally an important maritime trading post, and it was a part of several different empires over the years.
In 1819, Singapore was established as a trading post of the British Empire, and in 1867, the country came under direct British control.
During World War II, Singapore was occupied by Japan, but returned to its status as a Crown colony under Britain afterwards. Singapore gained self-governance in 1959, and in 1963, it became part of the new federation of Malaysia. However, this didn’t work out due to ideological differences, and Singapore became an independent country in 1965.
Today, Singapore is a highly developed country, ranking well in education, healthcare, housing, peace, personal safety, and infrastructure.
What Do People Eat in Singapore?
Traditional Singaporean cuisine is already diverse, but when you add the influences from Malaysia, Indonesia, China, India, and even from some Western countries, the result is a wide range of delicious dishes!
Because Singapore has such a long history of trading and interacting with nearby countries, it’s difficult to know which dishes actually originated in Singapore. Some dishes, such as laksa, have been around at least before British settlers ever arrived. Biryani (a rice pilaf of which many versions exist) has also been popular for a long time, but this actually originated in ancient Persia and probably made its way to Singapore via India.
Seafood features prominently in Singaporean cuisine. Rice and various types of noodles are very popular, but bread of many kinds is also common. A wide range of flavors can be found in Singaporean dishes, displaying a spectrum of sweet, spicy, savory, and sour.
Hawker food (Singaporean street food) is widespread and diverse, and a popular option for anyone looking for a cheap and delicious meal while out and about.
What I Made
- Curry Shrimp Laksa (Spicy Noodle Soup)
- Popiah (Fresh Spring Rolls)
- Bak Kut Teh (Pork Soup)
- Hokkien Mee (Stir-Fried Noodles with Shrimp)
- Char Kway Teow (Flat Rice Noodle Stir-Fry)
- Roti John (Baguette Sandwich with Omelette and Meat)
- Hainanese Chicken Rice (Poached Chicken with Rice)
Scroll down to read about other popular Singaporean dishes I didn’t make!
Curry Shrimp Laksa (Spicy Noodle Soup)
Laksa is a spicy noodle soup, and there are many varieties found across Singapore. I chose to make the popular curry laksa.
I began by making shrimp stock from scratch for the first time, and I can tell you now that it was well worth it! I added shrimp shells and heads to a stock pot and sautéed them for a little while. Then, I added water and simmered for a while. I strained out the shells and set the stock aside. I was supposed to cook clams in it at this point, but I decided to skip them.
I made a curry paste by blending dried chilies, dried shrimp, macadamia nuts, fresh chilies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, galangal, and turmeric in my spice grinder. Then I transferred it to a bowl and stirred in some shrimp paste.
I cooked the curry paste with a little oil, then stirred in coconut milk and the shrimp stock. I simmered for about 10 minutes, then added fish sauce and sugar to taste.
Meanwhile, I cooked my noodles. I used round rice noodles, but I did not cut them into small pieces as suggested in the recipe.
I added tofu puffs and shrimp to the broth, and removed them once the shrimp were cooked. Then I briefly cooked some bean sprouts in the broth and removed those too. At this point, I was meant to also include fish cakes, but I didn’t have any since the Asian grocery store was out of the ones I wanted.
I assembled my laksa bowls by first adding noodles, then shrimp, tofu puffs, and bean sprouts, followed by broth. I garnished with a little cilantro.
This was very good. It was a little spicier than I expected, but it was delicious all the same!
This recipe is from Hot Thai Kitchen.
Popiah (Fresh Spring Rolls)
Popiah are fresh spring rolls made with a crepe-like wrapper. There are many popular fillings, but I used a mixture of shrimp and vegetables.
First, I made the popiah skins/wrappers. I whisked together flour, salt, and water to make a thin batter. I was meant to strain it to remove any lumps, but I felt my batter was pretty smooth already, so I skipped this step. I brushed some of the batter in a thin layer onto the bottom of a non-stick pan over low heat, then turned the heat up to start cooking. Once the wrapper was cooked, I removed it from the pan and continued with the rest of the batter. This worked surprisingly well; the batter didn’t stick and I didn’t have any of my wrappers break too badly when removing them from the pan.
For the filling, I started by sautéing garlic and dried shrimp. I added shredded jicama, carrot, salt, sugar, and white pepper. After a few minutes, I added shrimp (crab meat was another option in this recipe). Once the shrimp were cooked through, I was ready to begin assembling my popiah.
I put down a popiah wrapper and brushed it with sweet chili sauce. I added a sprinkle of peanuts and some of the vegetable/shrimp mixture, followed by a few cilantro leaves. Then, I folded it up and repeated with the rest of my prepared ingredients.
I was apprehensive about these because I had never tried jicama before. However, I really liked this dish! The filling was very flavorful and I enjoyed the combination of vegetables and shrimp. I’d make this again!
The recipe I used is from What To Cook Today.
Bak Kut Teh (Pork Soup)
Bak kut teh translates to ‘pork rib tea’ and there are many takes on it across China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Singapore’s version is simple and contains plenty of pork.
I began by briefly boiling pork ribs and pork shoulder pieces in water. I strained the meat and rinsed it, which is done in order to create a clearer broth later.
I returned the pork to the pot with fresh water and began to simmer. I added star anise, cinnamon, black pepper, white pepper, and a few crushed garlic cloves. After around 45 minutes, I added dried shiitake mushrooms and tofu puffs, and continued to cook unti the pork was tender.
I added soy sauce and fish sauce to taste, and then my bak kut teh was ready. I served it with a simple dipping sauce made from chili garlic sauce and soy sauce, along with white rice and stir-fried bok choy. I thought that this made for a great meal, but I do think the side dishes were necessary as the pork on its own was a bit one-dimensional.
This recipe is from Great Curry Recipes.
Hokkien Mee (Stir-Fried Noodles with Shrimp)
This noodle dish is usually made with some kind of seafood, and for my challenge, I decided to use shrimp. I also made use of the shrimp broth I had left over from making my curry laksa. That broth is a bit different than that in this recipe, which also includes chicken feet/bones, onion, garlic, and dried anchovies. However, I knew the broth I made tasted delicious so I didn’t bother trying to add anything else to it.
I began by cooking some shrimp in my shrimp broth. Then, I set them aside for the moment.
I added oil to my wok, then added an egg and scrambled that. I added my noodles (both yellow noodles and rice noodles) along with a ladle of shrimp broth. I cooked until the noodles absorbed the broth, then pushed them aside. I added more oil and used it to sauté some garlic. Then, I added fish sauce and white pepper along with more shrimp broth.
I stir-fried for a little longer, then added green onions and bok choy (the bok choy was my own addition to get in a vegetable). I stirred in bean sprouts and my cooked shrimp, as well as a bit more shrimp broth. Then, I squeezed over some lime and the noodles were done.
I served my noodles with chili garlic sauce on the side. The recipe included directions for making sambal chili, but I was short on time so I decided to make this substitution instead.
These noodles were delicious! I’d like to make them again, but I want to make sure I have time to try the homemade sambal chili next time.
This recipe is from Nomadette.
Char Kway Teow (Flat Rice Noodle Stir-Fry)
Char kway teow is a stir-fry with flat rice noodles, flavored with dark soy sauce. Popular protein additions include eggs, shrimp, Chinese sausage, fish cakes, and blood cockles. I made shrimp and egg char kway teow.
I began by briefly cooking some chili garlic sauce in oil. Then, I added garlic and shrimp, and cooked for a few minutes until the shrimp were just barely cooked through. I added the rice noodles (which I’d previously soaked to soften), along with dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Then, I moved everything aside and scrambled some eggs. I stirred in green onions and bean sprouts and tossed everything together, then seasoned with a little white pepper.
This was super delicious! It also came together so quickly and the ingredients were so simple that I know I will make it again.
This recipe is from Nomadette.
Roti John (Baguette Sandwich with Omelette and Meat)
This is a popular hawker food, made with a baguette and filled with egg, onion, and often meat and cheese. You can also add whatever vegetables you like, and ketchup is usually added too.
I began by cooking minced beef with onion, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Then, I added the beef mixture to a bowl of beaten eggs.
For each serving, I poured some of the egg and beef mixture into a skillet. Then, I halved a section of baguette and placed it cut-side down on the eggs. I cooked for a few minutes, then flipped the baguette over. The egg was attached at this point, and the baguette can be folded over it to make a sandwich.
I served my roti johns with lettuce, red onion, and tomato, and for condiments I used ketchup, mayonnaise, and sriracha. I thought these were great! Definitely something I would make again, especially considering how easy it was.
The recipe I used is from Singaporean and Malaysian Recipes.
Hainanese Chicken Rice (Poached Chicken with Rice)
Hainanese chicken rice is considered the unofficial national dish of Singapore. It is thought to have been invented in Singapore by chefs from Hainan, an island off the south coast of China. The dish consists of poached chicken served with rice, which is flavored with the stock created by cooking the chicken.
I began with a whole chicken. I removed some fat from the cavity and set it aside, then rubbed the chicken with salt.
I brought a pot of water to a boil and added ginger slices and scallions. Then, I added the chicken. Once the water began to boil again, I reduced the heat to a simmer and covered the pot. I think my chicken took around 45 minutes to cook through.
Once the chicken was ready, I transferred it from the pot to an ice bath and let it sit there for about 15 minutes. Then, I drained it and set the chicken aside until the rest of the components were ready.
For the rice, I added a little oil and the chicken fat I’d reserved earlier to a skillet. I cooked it for a few minutes to render the fat, then added some minced garlic followed by jasmine rice. After a few more minutes, I transferred the rice to my rice cooker (leaving the solid chicken fat behind) and poured in some of the stock from poaching the chicken. I let the rice cooker do its thing while I moved on to the next step: the sauces.
This recipe included three sauces. First, I made a ginger garlic sauce by sautéing finely chopped ginger and garlic for a few minutes in oil. I seasoned this with salt, and that was the first sauce done.
Next, I made a sweet dark soy sauce. I combined water and sugar in a small saucepan and cooked, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolved and the liquid thickened. I stirred in dark soy sauce and set this aside.
Finally, I made the chili sauce. I combined finely chopped ginger, garlic, and chilies with sesame oil, salt, sugar, lime juice, and rice vinegar. Then, I stirred in just a little chicken broth to loosen it up. I used green chilies here since they’re easier for me to obtain, but red chilies would be more common.
I served the chicken with the rice and a drizzle of all three sauces. I was meant to keep the skin on the chicken, but I ripped it. And then I decided it would be healthier (though less traditional) not to include it anyway.
I loved this dish! The chicken itself was good, but the rice was some of the best rice I’ve ever had and the sauces were the perfect addition. I also got a few meals out of this, so I think it was well worth the time and effort.
The recipe I used is from The Woks of Life.
Other Popular Singaporean Dishes
- Kaya toast – toast with butter and kaya (coconut jam), often served for breakfast with soft-boiled eggs.
- Bak chor mee – translates to ‘minced meat noodles’. Includes ground pork, egg noodles, and many toppings, which can include slices of pork, fish balls, and bean sprouts. This can be served as a stir-fry or as a soup.
- Curry puffs – flaky fried pastries with a curry filling, often made of chicken and potatoes.
- Chili crab – crabs stir-fried in a flavorful tomato-chili sauce.
Final Thoughts
I really loved all the food from Singapore I tried this week! My favorite was the Hainanese chicken rice but the char kway teow was a very close second.
Next time, I will be cooking food from Slovakia.