10. Ice Kachang
A brightly-coloured mountain of shaved ice with different sweet syrups and various ingredients, like red beans and palm seeds (also known as atapchi), hidden in the bottom of the bowl, make up the Ice Kachang dessert. It's a classic treat to enjoy in Singapore, and a great way to deal with the heat of the tropics!
Photo courtesy of stb_images
A brightly-coloured mountain of shaved ice with different sweet syrups and various ingredients, like red beans and palm seeds (also known as atapchi), hidden in the bottom of the bowl, make up the Ice Kachang dessert. It's a classic treat to enjoy in Singapore, and a great way to deal with the heat of the tropics!
9. Carrot Cake
"Carrot Cake" is a strange name for a dish that doesn't contain any carrots. Instead, the Singaporean version of Carrot Cake comprises of white radish (daikon), small rice flour cakes, preserved turnip, eggs, and spring onions as main ingredients. Available in "white" (fried without dark soy sauce) and "black" (fried with dark soy sauce), this dish makes for an excellent breakfast option.
Photo courtesy of CuisineParadise
"Carrot Cake" is a strange name for a dish that doesn't contain any carrots. Instead, the Singaporean version of Carrot Cake comprises of white radish (daikon), small rice flour cakes, preserved turnip, eggs, and spring onions as main ingredients. Available in "white" (fried without dark soy sauce) and "black" (fried with dark soy sauce), this dish makes for an excellent breakfast option.
8. Nasi Lemak
Indulge in several dishes at one go when you order Nasi Lemak. This signature Malay dish is served with coconut milk-cooked rice as a staple, together with sides of salty anchovies, crunchy nuts, an egg and spicy-sweet sambal chilli sauce. You also usually get to choose even more sides, like chicken wings, grilled sausages, and vegetables. This is one satisfying dish!
Photo courtesy of Mw12310
Indulge in several dishes at one go when you order Nasi Lemak. This signature Malay dish is served with coconut milk-cooked rice as a staple, together with sides of salty anchovies, crunchy nuts, an egg and spicy-sweet sambal chilli sauce. You also usually get to choose even more sides, like chicken wings, grilled sausages, and vegetables. This is one satisfying dish!
7. Sambal Stingray
Wrapped in banana leaves and grilled to perfection, this spicy seafood dish makes for a fantastic feast, especially if you're with a big, hungry group. You definitely won't be able to stop once you start as you strip bits of tender flesh off the flat bone of the Sambal Stingray and dip it into (even more) fiery-sweet sambal.
Photo courtesy of Happy Girl
Wrapped in banana leaves and grilled to perfection, this spicy seafood dish makes for a fantastic feast, especially if you're with a big, hungry group. You definitely won't be able to stop once you start as you strip bits of tender flesh off the flat bone of the Sambal Stingray and dip it into (even more) fiery-sweet sambal.
6. Roti Prata
These griddle-fried flat breads are of Indian origin and can be relished anytime of the day, whether in the morning as breakfast or past midnight as sinful supper. A word of warning though – there are many different ways to enjoy Roti Prata and the choice of fillings are extensive at most stores. From banana to cheese, to the famous (or perhaps infamous) durian, you'll be spoilt for choice!
Photo courtesy of jpatokal
These griddle-fried flat breads are of Indian origin and can be relished anytime of the day, whether in the morning as breakfast or past midnight as sinful supper. A word of warning though – there are many different ways to enjoy Roti Prata and the choice of fillings are extensive at most stores. From banana to cheese, to the famous (or perhaps infamous) durian, you'll be spoilt for choice!
5. Char Kway Teow
Notice how the greasy foods are always the tastiest? Char Kway Teow is no exception of this (very unfair) rule. Comprised of flat rice noodles, lard, cockles, Chinese sausage, bean sprouts, Chinese chives (and sometimes egg and prawns), the dish is stir-fried over very high heat with heavy douses of light and dark soy sauce and chilli. Mmmmm... so good!
Photo courtesy of Elizetang
Notice how the greasy foods are always the tastiest? Char Kway Teow is no exception of this (very unfair) rule. Comprised of flat rice noodles, lard, cockles, Chinese sausage, bean sprouts, Chinese chives (and sometimes egg and prawns), the dish is stir-fried over very high heat with heavy douses of light and dark soy sauce and chilli. Mmmmm... so good!
4. Bak Kut Teh
Literally meaning "meat bone tea", Bak Kut Teh consists of pork ribs simmered for hours in a soup garnished with various spices and herbs, such as garlic and pepper. Two variations of the soup exist, one is the peppery broth (a Teochew version) and the other is a herbal-type stew (a Hokkien version). Don't forget to dip the pork meat into the dark soy sauce loaded with chilli padi for that extra kick!
Photo courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board
Literally meaning "meat bone tea", Bak Kut Teh consists of pork ribs simmered for hours in a soup garnished with various spices and herbs, such as garlic and pepper. Two variations of the soup exist, one is the peppery broth (a Teochew version) and the other is a herbal-type stew (a Hokkien version). Don't forget to dip the pork meat into the dark soy sauce loaded with chilli padi for that extra kick!
3. Laksa
An extremely fragrant dish, Laksa is a spicy noodle soup comprising of thick rice vermicelli in a thick, orange-coloured coconut gravy-soup. Ingredients vary from store to store, but some staples include cockles, dried shrimp, fishcake, and prawns. Usually, no chopsticks are needed to slurp up this delicious delight – only a spoon is. It may seem strange and difficult at first, but it's all part of the Singapore Laksa experience so have fun while pleasuring those taste buds!
An extremely fragrant dish, Laksa is a spicy noodle soup comprising of thick rice vermicelli in a thick, orange-coloured coconut gravy-soup. Ingredients vary from store to store, but some staples include cockles, dried shrimp, fishcake, and prawns. Usually, no chopsticks are needed to slurp up this delicious delight – only a spoon is. It may seem strange and difficult at first, but it's all part of the Singapore Laksa experience so have fun while pleasuring those taste buds!
2. Chicken Rice
Arguably Singapore's national dish (we have many contenders), Chicken Rice is a hit with both locals and foreigners. Tender chicken (either steamed or roasted) accompanied with savoury, oily white and refreshing cucumber slices... simple yet oh-so-good! Make sure you add the garlic chilli and/or dark soy sauce to your plate – the dish won't be the same without either of these!
Arguably Singapore's national dish (we have many contenders), Chicken Rice is a hit with both locals and foreigners. Tender chicken (either steamed or roasted) accompanied with savoury, oily white and refreshing cucumber slices... simple yet oh-so-good! Make sure you add the garlic chilli and/or dark soy sauce to your plate – the dish won't be the same without either of these!
1. Chilli Crab
Wet wipes and bibs are strongly recommended with the Chilli Crab! The messy seafood treat is extremely high in demand in Singapore. What's not to love, with perfectly cooked crabs swimming in thick chilli-tomato gravy? If you're one to literally lick a bowl clean (if you had the chance to of course), you can mop everything up and enjoy the gravy with small fried buns called mantou – an ideal, rather therapeutic way to end the meal, don't you think?
Photo courtesy of Seafood Paradise
There you have it – our list of ten "die die must-try" dishes. Whether you're a local or a foreigner, you have to admit: in Singapore you get the best of every world when it comes to food!
Singaporean's favourite dishes all in one place
All things local for the true blue Singaporean
Wet wipes and bibs are strongly recommended with the Chilli Crab! The messy seafood treat is extremely high in demand in Singapore. What's not to love, with perfectly cooked crabs swimming in thick chilli-tomato gravy? If you're one to literally lick a bowl clean (if you had the chance to of course), you can mop everything up and enjoy the gravy with small fried buns called mantou – an ideal, rather therapeutic way to end the meal, don't you think?