Singapore, a small island country and a sovereign city-state, is of the principal cities of South East Asia. Although it is small-sized, Singapore has a diversity of religions, cultures, and languages, and hence many international leaders say that Singapore has no specific language or culture. Cuisine wise Singapore has a blend of Chinese, Malay, and Indian in their foods. During the 1850s, Singapore was the principal trading port of British ships on their way to India. Because of this, many Chinese and Indian workers moved to this place for search of work at the harbor. Soon after independence, the Government of Singapore noticed that the population of Singapore is a mix of Indians, Chinese, and Malaysians.
Because of the diverse cultures and people present in Singapore, people visit this city for its varied cuisine and street food. In the 1970s Singapore Government has started erecting markets with hawker centers and food complexes. These hawker centers are spotted all around the city with permanent food stalls and shared tables and seats. Tourists shared their experiences stating that the real spark of Singapore lies in the hawker centers all around the city.
* Frog PorridgeFrog!!! Feeling strange?? I thought the same in the beginning, but it is not what we believe. This is one of the cleanest and most popular dishes found in the hawker centers. The frog is soaked in soy, wine, and spring onions along with ginger and spicy chill. This marinated frog is then cooked well till the meat becomes succulent and delicate. The porridge that accompanies this is sticky yet light. This porridge is often served with green onion sauce. If you are on an adventurous food tour, then no harm in trying this dish.
* Hainanese Chicken RiceThis dish has originated from the island of Hainan, China’s southern tip. This dish has been voted as the unofficial national food of Singapore. The chicken is blanched in boiling water and then immersed in cold water to render it juicy and succulent. This tender chicken is served with rice, which is cooked in chicken stock, ginger, and garlic. A hot chili sauce is served alongside, which is topped with soy and ginger sauce. This dish perfectly serves you the lunch meal on a long and tiring day.
* Char Kway TeowThis is considered as one of Singapore’s most loved street foods. The flat rice noodles (kway teow) are stir-fried (char) in a frying pan with blood cockles, soya sauce, Chinese sausage, and bean sprouts over a high flame. This delicious dish is often served with crispy cubes of fried lard.
* Bak Chor MeeThis street food is quite famous in the Chinese community, also called as minced pork noodles. The thin white noodles are blanched and then tossed in oil with a scrambled egg, feisty chili paste, black vinegar. This is then served with minced pork, pork dumplings, meatballs, or fried lard.
* Sambal StingraySambal Stingray is a Singaporean invented dish. Stingray was somehow looked upon as a cheap and poor tasting fish, but then the local idea of coating the fish with a traditional Singapore sauce made the dish a revelation in the streets of this city. The stingray is grilled in a banana leaf and with a rich coating of Sambal (chili jam) on the fish. This snack can be best enjoyed on the busy beaches of the city.