Chinese cuisine
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Many of these dishes were adapted by early Chinese immigrants to suit local circumstances (such as available
ingredients) and cannot strictly be considered mainstream Chinese cuisine with some Malay and other influences
present.
Bak kut teh (Chinese: 肉骨茶; pinyin: ròu gǔ chá), pork-rib soup made with a variety of Chinese herbs and spices.
Bak Chang, savory rice dumplings, usually pork (bak) filled alongside mushrooms and salted egg yolk, steamed in
bamboo leaves. Chinese in origin, but a longtime favorite of Peranakan cuisine.
Bak chor mee (肉脞面 roù cuò miàn), egg noodles with minced pork or chicken and other ingredients, served dry or
with soup. Usually the flat, tape-like mee pok noodle is used. A variation on fishball noodles.
Ban mian (板面 bǎn miàn), hand-made flat noodles served with vegetables, minced meat, sliced mushrooms and an
egg in an ikan bilis-based soup. Noodle variations are common. Ban mian usually refers to flat, long noodles, mee
hoon kuay refers to squarish flats and you mian refers to thinner noodles.
Chai tow kway, or Carrot Cake (菜头粿 cài tóu guǒ), diced and stir-fried rice cubes with an egg mixture and sometimes
with prawns. Comes in black (with soy sauce and/or chili) or white (without soy sauce, but sometimes with chili)
versions.
Char kway teow (炒粿条 chǎo guǒ tiáo), thick, flat rice flour (kuay teow) noodles stir-fried in dark soy sauce with
prawns, eggs, beansprouts, fish cake, cockles, green leafy vegetables, Chinese sausage and some fried lard.
Char siew rice (叉烧饭 chā shāo fàn) and Char siew noodles (叉烧面 chā shāo miàn, Cantonese dish of rice or noodles
served with barbecued pork in a thick sauce.
Chee cheong fun (猪肠粉 zhū cháng fěn) – a thick, flat sheet of steamed-rice flour which is made into rolls, sometimes
with a pork, chicken or vegetable filling. It is served with a sweet soy bean sauce.
Chinese Cuisine (con’t)
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Chok (粥 zhōu), Cantonese rice porridge in various flavours including chicken and pork, often served with
ikan bilis and either sliced century egg or fresh egg.
Chwee kway or zhui kueh (水粿 shuǐ guǒ), steamed rice cake topped with preserved radish; usually eaten for
breakfast.
Claypot chicken rice (砂煲鸡饭 shā bāo jī fàn), rice cooked with soy sauce in a claypot, then topped with
braised chicken and Chinese sausage. It may also include salted fish and is often enjoyed when the rice at the
bottom is charred.
Curry chicken noodles (咖喱鸡面 gā lí jī miàn), yellow egg noodles in chicken curry.
Drunken Prawn, prawns cooked with Chinese rice wine
Duck rice (鸭饭 yā fàn), braised duck with rice cooked with yam and shrimps or it can simply be served with
plain white rice, served with a thick dark sauce. Side dishes of braised hard-boiled eggs, preserved salted
vegetables, or hard beancurd (tau kua) may be added. Teochew Boneless Duck rice, the same dish but refined
since decades ago. Due to the slightly tougher texture of duck, the duck is artfully deboned and sliced thinly
for the convenience and ease of the diner, allowing the sauces to seep into the meat, making it a more
pleasant experience on the whole. Hainanese chicken rice and other similar dishes have followed this style
due to the popularity.
Egg Tarts, a Cantonese pastry of yellow egg custard baked in a pastry shell. Commonly served at Dim Sum
and popular seller at bakeries. Another variation is the Portuguese Egg Tart which has caramelized sugar on
the top.
Fishball noodles (鱼丸面 yú wán miàn), usually of the Teochew variety. Any of several kinds of egg and rice
noodles may be served either in a light fish-flavoured broth or "dry" with the soup on the side, with fishmeat
balls, fishcake, beansprouts and lettuce. As with bak chor mee, the most commonly ordered noodles are mee
pok although Kway Teow soup versions are also extremely popular.
Fish head bee hoon (鱼头米粉 yú tóu mǐ fěn), a kind of noodle soup in which the main ingredients are rice
vermicelli and fried fish head (separated into chunks). This dish is notable for the creamy, rich soup, which is
typically made using a mixture of fish stock and milk – the latter being an uncommon ingredient in Chinese
cuisine. A variant using ordinary fish meat also exists.
Fried rice (炒饭 chǎo fàn) or in Hokkien char png. Day-old rice is fried with various meat chunks and
vegetables, along with eggs.
Chinese cuisine (con’t)
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Hainanese chicken rice (海南鸡饭 hǎi nán jī fàn), flavorful steamed chicken served with rice cooked
in chicken stock. Normally eaten with chili sauce, dark soy sauce, and ginger paste. A common
variation is using roast chicken instead. Considered the landmark dish of Singapore. It is not available
in Hainan, as suggested by its name, as the dish was adapted to local tastes by Hainanese immigrants.
Hae mee (虾面 xiā miàn), yellow egg noodles in a rich broth made from prawn and pork rib stock,
topped with whole or sliced fresh boiled prawns.
Har Cheong Gai, chicken wings fried in a batter with fermented shrimp paste . A common dish at Cze
Cha stalls.
Hokkien mee (福建炒虾面 fú jiàn chǎo xiā miàn), rice vermicelli and yellow noodles fried with
shrimp, sliced cuttlefish and lard bits.
Hor fun (河粉 hé fěn), flat rice noodles in gravy often served with fish or prawns. A common variation
is using beef instead.
Hum chim peng (咸煎饼 xián jiān bǐng), a deep-fried Chinese bun-like pastry sometimes filled with
bean paste.
Kaya toast, a traditional breakfast dish. Kaya is a sweet coconut and egg jam, and this is spread over
toasted bread. Combined with a cup of local coffee and a half-boiled egg, this makes a typical
Singaporean breakfast.
Kuay chap (粿汁 guǒ zhī), 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.
Lor mee (卤面 lǔ miàn), a Hokkien noodle dish served in a viscous, dark soy sauce-based broth with
meat roll slices, fishcake and beansprouts.
Mee Sua (面线 miàn xiàn), not a dish but a type of thin, wheat vermicelli. Usually found in fishball
noodles, or served with pork meat or kidney or chicken meat.
Chinese cuisine (con’t)
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Ming Jiang Kueh (面煎粿 miàn jiān guǒ), a thick chewy pancake with a ground peanut and sugar filling.
Other variations include grated coconut and red bean paste. In keeping up with the taste of the younger
crowd, this traditional snack is also served in blueberry, cheese and chocolate varieties now.
Ngo hiang, a food composed of combining various vegetables, seafood and/or meats and commonly served in
other dishes such as Rojak or added as a side dish to a Cze Cha meal.
Oyster omelette (蚝煎 háo jiān), oysters fried with a special flour-and-egg mixture. Also known in Hokkien as
orh luak/luah.
Pau (baozi), steamed bun with wide assortment of fillings such as char siew, minced pork, red bean paste,
lotus paste or vegetables
Pig's organ soup (猪杂汤 zhū zá tāng; literally "pig spare parts" soup), a soup-based variant of kway chap.
Popiah (薄饼 báo bǐng), Hokkien/Chaozhou-style spring roll or rolled crepe, stuffed with stewed turnip,
Chinese sausage, shrimps and lettuce.
Chinese Rojak, a vegetable salad with a topping of dark prawn paste. It is different from Indian rojak.
Soon kway (笋粿 sǔn guǒ), a white vegetable dumpling with savoury sauce.
Teochew Fish Porridge, rice porridge with sliced fish meat, spring onions and other additions
Vegetarian bee hoon (斋米粉 zhāi mǐ fěn), thin braised rice vermicelli to which a choice of various gluten,
vegetable, or tofu-based delicacies may be added.
Wanton mee (云吞面 yún tūn miàn), yellow noodles with chicken or pork or prawn dumplings. Often served
with slices of barbecued meat.
Yong tao foo (酿豆腐 niáng dòu fǔ), a variety of vegetables stuffed with fish and meat paste cooked in a light
ikan bilis-based soup. May also be eaten "dry" with sweet bean and chili sauces.
Youtiao (油条 yóu tiáo), fried dough crullers. Similar to those served in other Chinese cuisines around the
world.
Yusheng (鱼生 yú shēng), a raw fish salad traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year. The modern version of
the once simple raw fish salad from Chiuchow which is now ubiquitous in Chinese restaurants during the
New Year celebrations, was developed in a Singaporean restaurant called Lai Wah Restaurant by master chef
Than Mui Kai during the 1960s.
Malay Cuisine
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Malay and Indonesian
Nasi Padang
Malay dishes are adapted to local tastes and differ from Malaysian and Indonesian versions. Spice and coconut milk are
common ingredients, although Chinese ingredients such as taupok (tofu puffs) and tofu (known as tauhu in Malay)
have been integrated. Many Chinese adaptations of these dishes also exist.
Acar, pickled vegetables and/or fruits with dried chilli, peanuts, and spices. This condiment also has Indian and
Peranakan versions.
Agar agar – agar extracted from seaweed that is usually moulded into a jelly-like cake, sometimes with layers and
colourings, and in various shapes.
Ayam goreng, fried chicken.
Ayam bakar, grilled chicken with spices. There is also a fish version, ikan bakar, and the dish can be made in many
styles.
Ayam percik, barbecued chicken with a sweet-spicy marinade
Ayam penyet, fried "smashed" chicken that has been adapted from Indonesian cooking
Assam Pedas, seafood and vegetables cooked in a sauce consisting of tamarind, coconut milk, chilli, and spices.
Bakso, also Ba'so, meatballs served with noodles.
Begedil, mashed potato mixture that is fried into patties, eaten alongside Mee Soto.
Belacan, not a dish in itself, but a paste made from prawns commonly used in spice pastes
Curry puff, also known as epok-epok, a flaky pastry usually stuffed with curried chicken, cubed potatoes and a slice of
hard-boiled egg. Sometimes sardines are used in place of the chicken.
Dendeng Paru, an Indonesian dish of "dried" beef lung cooked in spices.
Gado-Gado, Traditional Indonesian salad with spicy peanut dressing
Goreng pisang, bananas rolled in flour, fried and eaten as a snack. There is also a version made from Cempedak, which
is known as Jackfruit in English.
Gulai Daun Ubi, sweet potato leaves stewed in coconut milk.
Malay Cuisine (con’t)
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Keropok, deep fried crackers usually flavored with prawn, but sometimes with fish or vegetables
Ketupat, a Malay rice cake. Steamed in square-shaped coconut leaf wrapping. Usually served with satay.
Lemak Siput, shellfish cooked in a thick coconut milk-based gravy.
Lontong, compressed rice cakes (see ketupat) in spicy vegetable soup
Mee rebus, yellow egg noodles served in a thick sweet-spicy sauce made from fermented soy beans. Often served with a
hard-boiled egg and shredded tofu puffs.
Mee siam, "Siamese noodle", or thin rice noodles in a tangy spicy soup; may also be served "dry". Often served with a
hard-boiled egg
Mee soto, a spicy chicken noodle soup, now often served non-spicy.
Nasi ayam penyet, Indonesian dish of flattened, lightly battered or batter-less, fried chicken served with spicy sambal,
vegetables, and chicken-flavoured rice
Nasi Goreng, a spicy and sweet fried rice dish which originated from Indonesia
Nasi lemak, coconut rice with omelette, anchovies (ikan bilis), peanuts, cucumber, sambal, and sometimes fried
chicken or otak-otak. It is traditionally wrapped in banana leaves to enhance flavor, but is now common to see the dish
wrapped in brown wax paper.
Nasi padang, an Indonesian meal of steamed rice with a wide choice of meat and vegetable dishes ranging anywhere
from fried chicken to curried vegetables, for example.
Nasi kuning, a Javanese dish of rice cooked in coconut milk and colored yellow using tumeric.
Otak-otak, spicy fish cake grilled in a banana leaf wrapping
Oxtail soup, oxtail cooked to tenderness in a soup with nutmeg, cloves, chilli, and spices.
Rendang, beef slow-cooked in coconut milk and spices which originated in Sumatra.
Roti john, egg-dipped bread filled with various ingredients (usually meat and onions) and then fried. Accompanied
with chilli sauce.
Roti Jala, Fried lace pancakes usually served with curry
Sambal, not a dish in itself, but a common chili-based accompaniment to most foods.
Satay, grilled meat on skewers served with spicy peanut sauce and usually eaten with ketupat, cucumber and onions.
Soto ayam, a spicy chicken soup which features chicken shreds, rice cakes and sometimes begedil.
Indian Cuisine
 Indian
 Like Chinese-Singaporean cuisine, Indian-Singaporean has influence from multiple
ethnic groups. Tamil influence is particularly strong.
 Indian rojak
 Rice served with papadum, on Banana leaf
 Achar, a condiment consisting of pickled vegetables and/or fruits. It has also found its
way into Malay and Peranakan cooking, where other unique versions exist.
 Muruku, a circular type of crackers.
 Appam, a fermented rice pancake.
 Curry – The basic Indian vegetable or meat gravy. Malay and Chinese versions also exist.
 Putu Mayam, a dish Sri Lankan in origin, similar to Sri Lankan hoppers. Thin vermicellilike cakes are eaten with coconut sugar. A typical breakfast food.
 Murtabak, a variety of roti prata with minced mutton/beef and onion folded within the
dough.
 Thosai, rice and lentil pancake. Commonly served as a "masala" version that includes
spiced potatoes and served with different types of sambar.
Indian Cuisine (con’t)
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Vadai, spicy, deep-fried snacks that are made from dhal, lentils or potato.
Pappadom, also known as pappoms or papad, they are a type of southern Indian wafer.
Mamak Rojak, a dish of various vegetables and fruits, beancurd, seafood deep fried in batter, crushed
peanuts, crispy dough crullers, and a spicy and sweet chilli sauce. Traditional Malay/Indonesian and
Chinese variants are common as well.
Soup Kambing, a local Mamak (Tamil Muslim) dish of spiced mutton soup.
Soup Tulang, a local Mamak (Tamil Muslim) dish of mutton or beef bones stewed in a spicy red sauce
with the intent of eating the marrow.
Nasi Biryani, a flavoured rice dish cooked or served with mutton, chicken, vegetable or fish curry.
Basmati rice is used. Alternatively, Dum Biryani is a version more akin to the traditional South Asian
dish, which is a variant that bakes the spiced meat with the rice.
Naan, a flatbread cooked in a tandoor oven
Chapati, an unleavened flatbread
Tandoori, marinated meat, usually chicken in a mixture of spices and yoghurt and cooked in a clay
oven
Butter Chicken, a dish of chicken cooked in a gravy of spices, yoghurt, butter and tomato
Roti prata, a local evolution of the Pakistani and Indian paratha. Extremely popular for breakfast or
late night supper, this dish is enjoyed by all Singaporeans and commonly served with sugar and curry.
A plethora of modern variations are available including egg, cheese, chocolate, masala, durian and
even ice cream. It should ideally be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the dough is
flipped to attain the right texture, then cooked quickly on a greased stove.
Cross-cultural Cuisine
 Cross-cultural
 A number of dishes, listed below, can be considered as truly hybrid or multiethnic food.
 Laksa, rice noodles in a coconut curry gravy with shrimp, egg and chicken.
Peranakan in origin. A specifically Singaporean variant (as opposed to shared
by Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine) is Katong laksa. Raw or lightly
blanched cockles are also usually added to the dish.
 Fish head curry, a dish created by Singapore's Malayalee (an Indian ethnic
group from Kerala) community with some Chinese and Malay influences. The
head of an ikan merah (literally "Red fish") – which is red snapper, is stewed in
curry with vegetables. Usually served with either rice or bread.
 Mee Goreng, yellow egg noodles stir fried with ghee, tomato sauce, some chilli,
egg, vegetables and various meats and/or seafood.
 Oat Prawn, prawns that have been stir fried with sweetened oats.
 Kueh Pie Tee, a thin and crispy pastry tart shell filled with a spicy, sweet
mixture of thinly sliced vegetables and prawns. A popular Peranakan dish.
Cross-cultural Cuisine (con’t)
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Tutu Kueh, steamed rice flour pastries with a sweet shredded coconut/peanut filling
Satay bee hoon, thin rice vermicelli served with spicy satay sauce
Sambal kangkong, a dish of leafy green vegetables (water spinach) fried in sambal.
Tauhu goreng, fried tofu with sweet sauce. Served at many malay stalls
Kari Lemak Ayam, a Peranakan Chicken curry with a coconut milk base.
Kari Debal, a Eurasian-Singaporean curry dish with Portuguese and Peranakan influence.
Includes chicken, cabbage, sausage and bacon bits stewed in a curry sauce.
 Ayam Buah Keluak, a Peranakan dish of chicken stewed with spices and Southeast Asian
black nuts.
 Singapore-style Western food, Chinese interpretations of Western cuisine, although
Malay versions also exist. Hainanese cooks in Singapore hybridised western dishes for
local palates during the country's British colonial era, creating such dishes as stewed pork
chop in tomato sauce served with green peas, and chicken chop - a sauteed chicken
breast served with a soft bread bun and fries.
Popular dishes
 Seafood
 Singaporeans also enjoy a wide variety of seafood including crabs, clams, squid (known
as sotong in Malay), stingray, oysters and lobsters.
 Favourite seafood dishes include
 Barbecued stingray ("hang hir" in Hokkien), smothered in sambal and served on banana
leaf. It is also known as Ikan Bakar. Unique in Singapore and very common in Malaysia.
 Chili crab, hard shell crabs cooked in a thick tomato and chili-based gravy.
 Fried oyster or Oyster omelette, an oyster omelette mixed with flour and fried, garnished
with coriander leaves.
 Black pepper crab, hard shell crabs cooked in a black pepper sauce.
 [edit] Vegetarian
 Another highly-noticeable trend in recent times is the growth of vegetarian eating places
in Singapore. More people are changing their diet for a healthier lifestyle. The Singapore
Vegetarian Society has a list of the vegetarian-food outlets in Singapore.
 [edit] Western food
 Commonly seen dishes like Chicken Chop, Fish and Chips, mixed grills, cheese fries and
etc., are generally popular in Singapore, typically spotted in hawker centres, coffee shops
and food courts in Singapore.
Fruits
 Fruits
 A durian stall in Singapore
 A wide variety of tropical fruits are available all year round,
though most of them are imported from neighbouring countries.
By far the most well-known is the durian, known as the "King of
Fruits", which produces a characteristic odour from the creamy
yellow custard-like flesh within its spiky green or brown shell.
However, in spite of their popularity, durians are not allowed
within public transport, many hotels and public buildings
because of their strong odour.
 Other popular tropical fruits include the mangosteen, jackfruit,
longan, lychee, rambutan and pineapple. Some of these fruits are
also used as ingredients for other dishes: iced desserts, sweetand-sour pork, and certain kinds of salad such as rojak.
Desserts
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Singapore desserts have a varied history and can be found in every hawker centre and food court in
the region. A stall will usually have a large variety of desserts for sale, including but not limited to:
Almond jelly (杏仁豆腐), a smooth jelly made from almonds
Beancurd Barley (often with ginkgo and/or snow fungus)
Bubur cha cha (also Bobochacha, momochacha), yam and sweet potato cubes served in coconut milk
and sago, served hot or cold.
Chendol Ais, a coconut milk drink mixed with palm sugar, cendol (green, pandan-flavored starch
strips), and shaved ice. Modern variants may include more elaborate ingredients such as red bean.
Cheng tng, a light refreshing soup with longans, barley, agar agar strips, lotus seeds and a sweet syrup,
served either hot or cold.
Green bean soup
Honeydew sago, honeydew melon cubes or balls, served in chilled coconut milk and sago.
Ice kacang, a mound of grated ice on a base consisting of jelly, red beans, corn and attap seeds, and
topped with various kinds of coloured sugar syrups such as gula melaka, rose syrup and evaporated
milk
Kueh, also known as kuih. Small cakes or coconut milk based desserts that come in a variety of
flavors, usually having fruit such as durian, banana, or sometimes pandan. "Kueh Lapis" is a rich,
multi-layered cake-style kueh using a large amount of egg whites and studded with prunes. "Lapis
Sagu" is also a popular kueh with layers of alternating color and a sweet, coconut taste. This dessert is
common in Malay, Indonesian, and Peranakan cooking.
Mango pudding
Desserts (con’t)
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Red bean soup (红豆汤)
Or-Ni, a Teochew dish consisting of yam paste, coconut paste and ginko nuts. A popular dish in
Chinese restaurants.
Pandan chiffon cake, a fluffy light cake flavoured with pandan leaves and is a characteristic green
colour
Pineapple tarts are made with pineapple jam in a pastry.
Pulut Hitam, a creamy dessert made of black glutinous rice and served with coconut cream
Red ruby, a Thai dessert made by boiling pieces of water-chestnut covered in tapioca flour and red
food colouring, and serving them over shaved ice, rose syrup and evaporated milk. Also known as
"mock pomegranate" since the chestnut pieces bear a resemblance to the seeds of that fruit.
Sugee Cake, a soft cake made with semolina flour and a high concentration of egg yolks. Served in
Eurasian, Malay and Chinese cuisine
Sagu Gula Melaka, sago pearl pudding with coconut milk and palm sugar syrup
Tau Suan, mung daal beans in jelly, served hot, with dough crullers
Tangyuan, glutinous rice balls (stuffings such as black sesame, red bean or peanut) served in soup. A
variation known as "Ah Balling" also exists, often served with a peanut soup
Tau-Huay, hot and soft soya bean curd sweetened with syrup.
Watermelon sago, watermelon cubes or balls, served in chilled coconut milk and sago.
Drinks
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Drinks/beverages
A typical open-air kopi tiam in Singapore
Chin chow drink, 仙草水 (xiān cǎo shuǐ)
Bandung, rose syrup with evaporated milk
Bubble Tea, is traditionally made by adding boba balls(made from a mixture of tapioca
and carrageenan powder), large or small, to shaken milk black tea.
Horlicks Dinosaur, conventional Horlicks served with lots of Horlicks powder on top
Milo Dinosaur, conventional Milo served with lots of Milo powder on top
Milo Godzilla (aka Milo T-Rex), Milo Dinosaur with a scoop of ice-cream and optional
whipped cream
Singapore Sling
Soya bean milk
Sugar cane juice
Teh halia tarik, ginger tea with milk pulled (tarik)
Teh tarik, tea mixed with evaporated milk, usually Carnation brand. This tea is unique in
that during preparation, the tea is tossed repeatedly from one mug to another to create a
thick froth (hence the name teh tarik, meaning '"pulled tea"). See picture here.
Tiger Beer
Local names for Coffee and Tea
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Local names for coffee and tea
At kopi tiams, coffee and tea are usually ordered using their local names.
Coffee
Kopi, coffee
Kopi-gau, coffee (strong brew – "gau" is "厚" in Hokkien)
Kopi-po, coffee (weak brew – "po" is "薄" in Hokkien)
Kopi-C, coffee with evaporated milk
Kopi-C-kosong, coffee with evaporated milk and no sugar ('kosong" means
empty in Malay)
Kopi-O, coffee with sugar only
Kopi-O-kosong, coffee without sugar or milk
Kopi-O-kosong-gau, a strong brew of coffee without sugar or milk
Kopi-bing or Kopi-ice, coffee with milk, sugar and ice
Kopi-xiu-dai, coffee with less sweetened milk
Kopi-gah-dai, coffee with extra sweetened milk
refers to Carnation, a brand of evaporated milk.
Local names for coffee and tea
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Tea
Teh, tea with milk and sugar
Teh-C, tea with evaporated milk
Teh-C-kosong, tea with evaporated milk and no sugar
Teh-O, tea with sugar only
Teh-O-kosong, plain tea without milk or sugar
Teh tarik, the Malay tea described above
Teh-halia, tea with ginger water
Teh-bing, tea with ice, also known as Teh-ice
Teh-xiu-dai, tea with less sweetened milk
Teh-gah-dai, tea with extra sweetened milk
Drinks example lke the above list could be extra ordered adding more ice or more sugar
or milk. For example, one can add the "bing"(Ice in mandarin) suffix to form other
variations such as Teh-C-bing (tea with evaporated milk with ice) which is a popular
drink considering Singapore's warm weather.
 These names are indicative of the multi-racial society in Singapore as they are formed by
words from different languages, and have become part of the lexicon of Singlish. For
example, teh is the Malay word for tea which itself originated from Hokkien, bing is the
Hokkien word for ice, kosong is the Malay word for zero to indicate no sugar, and C