~ Try these marvellous Singaporean dishes at centrally-located hawker and food centres

 

Top Ten Must-Try Local Favourites

 

Try these marvellous Singaporean dishes at centrally-located hawker and food centres

 

 

Chilli Crab & Black Pepper Crab

The world-famous dish that put Singapore on the culinary map, Chilli Crab is almost synonymous with Singapore. Start with a taste of the fiery sweet and spicy sauce that each crab is cooked in. Then, take a stab at the crab itself, which is delightfully meaty, especially at the claws. For variety, try the equally delectable Black Pepper version for a feisty roasted flavour. Don’t forget to order hot buns to go with your dish. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, they are most useful for mopping up the sauce with.

 

 

Hainanese Chicken Rice

If you are looking for a low-risk, kid-friendly meal that even your most finicky eater might like, this could be it. It’s a hit with adults too.

 

Consisting of moist, poached chicken served with fragrant rice cooked in chicken broth with ginger and garlic, Singapore’s favourite dish has a history that reaches as far back as when Chinese migrants from Hainan Island brought it to Singapore shores decades ago.

 

Also called Singapore Chicken Rice, this all-in-one meal is accompanied by a zesty chilli-lime sauce, ginger puree and thick black soy sauce.

 

 

Bak Kut Teh

A simple but flavourful dish, Bak Kut Teh (meaning Pork Rib Tea) is more of a hearty meal than a light tea.

 

The main ingredient of succulent pork ribs is painstakingly simmered for hours to derive a natural bone-deep sweetness for the soup base. Generous amounts of specially combined herbs and full cloves of garlic are added.

 

Although the savoury and meaty broth is a meal in itself, it is often accompanied by a mouth-watering ensemble that includes steamed rice, dough fritters, tender pork liver and kidney and braised pork knuckles.

 

 

Fried Carrot Cake

Always a hit with the kids, carrot cake also counts as a favourite among many Singaporeans.

 

Steamed cakes of rice flour are diced and stir-fried with shredded white radish, garlic, salt-pickled radish and eggs. Try it dark (flavoured with sweet black soy sauce), or white, without sauce and with extra eggs and prawns. Chopped spring onions and fresh coriander leaves garnish the final offering, and for die-hard chilli fiends, ask for some chilli paste to go with it. This is an addictive breakfast or supper must-try.

 

 

Char Kway Teow

 

On the surface, this iconic Singaporean dish - Char Kway Teow or fried broad noodles - looks deceivingly simple to prepare. But it takes a whole lot of skill, and heart, to fry up a perfect platter.

 

The chef typically stir-fries the noodles, tossing in a thick concoction of sweet black soy sauce. A mix of ingredients such as Chinese sausages, shallots, eggs, bean sprouts, fishcake, prawns, squid or cockles are added for good measure. Finally, a fresh sprig of coriander and fried onions make a garnishing crown.

 

 

Satay

A perennial favourite in Singapore, perhaps because of its bite-sized portions and easy availability, satay consists of pieces of well-marinated meat skewered on a stick and barbequed over charcoal. The irresistibly smokey, savoury Asian version of shish kebab is served with a rich peanut sauce with sliced cucumbers, onions, and ketupat (rice cakes) on the side. Choose from chicken, beef or mutton. Locals say that the best way to eat satay is out under the starry skies with an iced lime juice chaser.

 

 

Laksa

Laksa is a spicy all-in-one meal of noodles bathed in a rich and creamy gravy. Its distinctive flavour comes from the laksa leaf, which though slight, has a powerful fragrance.

 

There is laksa and then there is Katong Laksa. As its name suggests, Katong Laksa is a unique recipe from the Katong district in Singapore. Although thick noodles are used, Katong Laksa is served not with chopsticks, but a spoon. The noodles are also cut shorter to avoid gravy splashes that can ruin a good shirt or worst, interrupt a good slurp.

 

 

 

 

Fish Head Curry

If a giant fish head floating in a pot is not your idea of a delicious family meal, a whiff of Singapore’s signature Fish Head Curry will set you straight.

 

Moist and meaty offerings are tucked behind every nook of this succulent cranium. Cheeks, lips, eyes and all, the entire head is simmered in a spicy, intense red broth. Vegetables like okra, tomatoes and brinjal are also thrown in for flavour. This dish is best enjoyed with fluffy steamed rice.

 

 

Roti Prata

A great many of Singapore’s favourites are simple dishes, and the humble roti prata is one of the best examples. Commonly found in Indian hawker stalls, this light and fluffy pastry is made from flour and fried to a delightfully flaky crisp. Kids will enjoy the almost theatrical performance of prata-making, as the chef first flattens a piece of dough, then twirls it around in the air until it is stretched thin and ready for pan frying. They are either served plain with accompanying curry as a dip, or with a dash of sugar. Try prata with eggs, sardines, tomatoes, cheese and ice cream as toppings and fillings for an affordable and great tasting meal anytime of the day.

 

 

Rojak

A true testament to the multi-ethnic culture of Singapore is this popular local salad. A mixture of crunchy ingredients like cucumber, turnip, banana flower, bean sprouts, tau pok (fried bean curd), fritters, cuttlefish, pineapple, mango and green apples (the list goes on), the dish is smothered in a thick, rich and tasty dressing of prawn paste, tangy tamarind extract, fresh lime and chilli powder. All this comes crowned with a sprinkling of fragrant, crushed peanuts. The taste, as can be imagined, is an explosion of flavours and textures in every mouthful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuck into these local delights at:

 

Food Republic

435 Orchard Road

Level 5, Wisma Atria

5-minute walk from Orchard MRT station

 

Food Street

Smith Street, Chinatown

5-minute walk from Chinatown MRT station

 

Lau Pa Sat Festival Market

Boon Tat Street

10-minute walk from Raffles Place MRT station

 

Maxwell Food Market

Maxwell Road

15-minute walk from Chinatown or Tanjong Pagar MRT station 

 

Makansutra Gluttons Bay

8 Raffles Avenue

#01-15, Esplanade Mall

15-minute walk from City Hall MRT station

 

Newton Food Centre

Newton Circus

Next to the Newton Road roundabout.

Opposite Newton MRT Station

 

StraitsKitchen

Grand Hyatt Singapore

10-12 Scotts Road

Tel: (65) 6416 7114

5-minute walk from Orchard MRT station

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eat Healthier: Tips for healthy eating

 

 

 

About Singapore Food Festival 2007

 

The Singapore Food Festival is the annual showcase of Singapore’s diverse multi-ethnic cuisines where vibrant colours, rich tastes and unforgettable aromas interweave to present Singapore’s unique gastronomic tapestry. Singapore’s authentic hawker fare takes centrestage from 29 June to 31 July 2007 when local favourites like Singapore Chilli Crab, Curry Fish Head and Hainanese Chicken Rice are served up at various events held island-wide. These include the Singapore Tiger Chilli Crab Festival, Curry Fish Head Mela, Yuk! Makan Festival, Tantalising Treats of Singapore Chinatown, Rasa Satay Singapura, Singapore Seafood and many other cooking demonstrations and culinary workshops.  

 

The Singapore Food Festival 2007 is jointly organised by the Singapore Tourism Board and Reed Exhibitions.

 

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Press Contacts:

Estelle Koh / Chong Choon Hui

Levitate Studios Pte Ltd

T: (65) 6223 2725

F: (65) 6220 7652

Email: estelle@levitate.com.sg / choonhui@levitate.com.sg / sff@levitate.com.sg