Have you ever known that Singapore is one of the most multicultural destinations in the world? Not surprisingly, food in Singapore is also influenced and mixed together to create signature dishes totally unique. You will find a mixture of Chinese, Indonesian, Malay, and Southern Indian influences in Singapore’s cuisine. Singaporeans are also obsessed with their food and their food is significantly influenced by the cultural diversity. Are you ready to discover the amazing cuisine in Singapore? Let’s start!
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Photo: Instagram @popyummy_mag
The first dish is Bak Kut Teh (Pork-rib soup). One of the most memorable moments is when I was waiting in the long queue outside the restaurant with my mother and brother. Obviously, it was one of the most famous restaurants in Singapore where many celebrities visited and left their photo with the owner at the restaurant. The restaurant is known for its signatures - Bak Kut Teh. This dish is mainly influenced by Chinese and Malay cultures.
As you know, Singapore used to be one of the poorest countries after becoming independent from Malaysia. During the period, they faced different difficulties across the country: a severe unemployment rate and a housing crisis. Chinese traders also migrated from southern China, bringing with them distinct languages and cuisines. Singapore cuisine today is influenced by significant immigrations. Therefore, the origins of Bak Kut Ted are uncertain. It may have been invented locally for these laborers to provide them with a much-needed morning energy boost for their daily work, perhaps by Teochew hawkers—Chinese immigrants from the Chaoshan region in China’s Guangdong province. Others claim the recipe was brought over from China’s Fujian province.
Now, let’s talk about my experience with this dish. The Pork-Rib Soup is a must try when you come to Singapore. It is made from soft and tender pork ribs with trademark peppery soup. The broth is concocted with a mixture of garlic and Sarawak pepper which is a home-made product. This soup is often accompanied by steamed rice and crispy dough sticks. There are some ways that you could try this soup: dip dough sticks in the soup and then eat it with a sponge of soup - it brought me to heaven! Otherwise, you could eat the soup with rice, you will get full energy for a day!
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Photo: Momma Kong’s
The second signature dish I would like to recommend is Chili Grab. This dish is ranked at #35 of the World’s 50 Best Foods (CNN, 2020). Indian transplants also shared their love of spicy food, bringing heat to such dishes as the ever popular chili crab. This is an iconic seafood dish that you should try when visiting Singapore. Your visit won’t be perfect without eating this signature dish. There are a dozen famous ways to cook crabs: spicy tomato chili sauce, black peppery sauce, cheese baked, etc.
The origin of Singapore’s Chili Crab actually started from pushcarts along the coast of Singapore and then eventually it evolved into the modern day version. The dish is said to have been invented by Cher Yam Tian in the mid 1950s when she added bottled chili sauce to her dish of stir-fried crabs by accident, instead of using tomato sauce, her usual ingredient. In 1956, she and her husband began selling the dish from a pushcart along the seaside. In 1984, they sold off some of their shares in the business to migrate to New Zealand.
Even though the dish looks really red and spicy, it actually isn’t - its redness mainly comes from the tomato paste. The dish includes a deep stir-fried crab that is served in a succulent, chili tomato sauce. The diners must use their hands to crack the shell open in order to get hold of the tender crab meat hiding on the inside. Mud crabs are usually used for this dish which originates from Sri Lanka, Burmese, or Filipino.
Aside from the fresh crab with chunky and juicy meat, the sauce made from tomato paste tastes mildly spicy and slightly sweet creates a unique taste that could only be found in Singapore. Usually, mallets or nutcrackers are used to ease the whole procedure. Bread is commonly served together with the crab, and it is mainly used to soak up the delicious spicy gravy.
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The third signature dish I would recommend is Sambal Stingray. Even though I don’t like eating fish, I couldn’t deny this dish. It was amazing! Sambal Stingray is a Singaporean Malaysian classic dish that is made from grilled stingray and spicy sambal paste. Apart from Singapore, the dish is also enjoyed in Malaysia where it is known as ikan pari bakar.
As with many local dishes in Malaysia and Singapore, the origin of Sambal Stingray is also an argumentative topic. Depending on who you ask, it could be a Malaysian dish that gained popularity in Singapore, or a Singaporean Malay creation that is commonly sold by Chinese hawkers. This seafood dish first originated in Malaysia in the 1600s. Although stingray had been consumed in this region for generations prior to this, it became popular in the region once Portuguese spice traders visited the region. The spices needed to create fine sambal are brought from Europe. That means it may be one of the traditional Eurasian dishes but its taste is totally unique. Despite being classified as an overfished species by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), it is still a relatively inexpensive fish in Singapore today.
My experience
The stingray fillets are usually coated with sambal and will be grilled and served on the banana leaf with a small bowl of a special dipping sauce and fresh calamansi (a Philippine lemon) on the side. The best part of eating stingray is that there is no need to avoid tiny bones. The smoky, spicy meat is on top with the chili pepper-based sauce. The sauce is typically made from lime juice, shrimp paste, ginger, vinegar, or sugar. Stingray is a great dish for sharing, and is usually eaten with rice.
I highly recommend you try these dishes when you visit Singapore. Try now or cry later. If you're looking for a great place for your meal, click here to see where you could find these signature dishes. Then get back here, and leave your comment below of what you think after tasting it. If you have any questions or recommendations, please feel free to leave your comment below!👇👇👇
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