Top 8 Singapore Dishes You Can’t Miss!

Posted on: Jan 10, 2024 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

Top 8 Singapore Dishes You Can’t Miss!

The delicious cuisine of Singapore is one of the most crucial aspects of its tourism sector. Tourists visiting Singapore love to dedicate a portion of their trip towards trying out the popular regional delicacies. Similar to researching international travel insurance and the visa procedure, consider preparing a list of Singaporean dishes you want to try during the trip planning phase. Go through this page to find some of the most popular dishes within Singapore cuisine that you can consider trying.

Popular local dishes to try in Singapore

The cuisine of Singapore features a unique blend of various cultures, with lots of influences from the West, India, China, Malaysia, etc. Whether it's trying out local street food or going for a fine dining experience at a well-known restaurant, the following are some of the most popular dishes that you can find throughout the country;

1. Hainanese chicken rice

If you like non-veg dishes, especially chicken, then this local Singaporean dish is something you just can’t miss. The Hainanese chicken rice is available in two main variants, one with roasted chicken that has crispy skin and the other where the chicken is steamed. Besides the chicken, the other main element that makes this dish whole is fragrant jasmine rice. The Hainanese chicken rice is served with sliced cucumbers, dipping sauces, cilantro, and sometimes a soup on the side. It is an ideal dish to try as a main course and is available all across Singapore.

2. Roast Meat

Roast Meat is a very basic but extremely popular local dish in Singapore, especially in the street food sector. You can easily find a stall dedicated to serving roast meat at major hawker centres, restaurants and cafes. Put on display behind clear glass, you get to choose your choice of meat and watch the hawkers prepare it in front of you. The most common choices of meat available for this dish are chicken, duck and pork. The most popular combinations for roast meat include char siew (barbecued pork), roast duck with rice and spicy sauce and sliced cucumber on the side.

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3. Chilli crab

Chilli crab is a massively popular Singaporean delicacy you can try if you love seafood. It is loved by both locals and foreigners visiting the country on a trip. Hard-shell crabs are the main element of this dish, prepared in a mildly spicy gravy with chilli and tomato as the main base. While shelling the crab can be a bit challenging, the flavourful taste of the dish makes all the effort feel worth it. Despite having "Chilli" in the name, this dish is not that spicy, meaning anyone can give it a shot. You can combine tasting the delicate crab meat with crispy fried buns that you can dip in the gravy and eat alongside.

4. Laksa

Another flavourful dish to try in Singapore during your visit is Laksa. It is basically a noodle soup dish prepared by cooking rice noodles in coconut curry soup. Laksa is a perfect example of the unique blend of Malay and Chinese styles of cuisines, and the one served in Singapore is called Katong Laksa. This soup noodle dish also contains a variety of meat (like fish cakes, chicken, egg, shrimp, etc.) and depending on where you try it, you may also get it with tofu and cockles. If you like spicy food, ask the cook to add "sambal belachan", which also gives Laksa its red colour.

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5. Hokkien Prawn Mee

When roaming the hawker centres in Singapore, consider trying the famous Hokkien Prawn Mee dish. It is an aromatic and flavourful noodle dish originating from China. One of the main ingredients of this dish is stir-fried Hokkien noodles (the Singapore variants use flat egg noodles), prepared along with sliced meat (mainly pork or chicken), prawns, and squid or fish cake. Besides, the dish is seasoned with chilli, vinegar, and soy sauce, enhancing its taste. When you order this dish at the food stall, it should come with calamansi lime and Sambal Belachan on the side.

6. Satay

Satay is one of the most well-known dishes that is part of the Singapore cuisine. It is basically a type of dish containing small pieces of vegetables and meat grilled on a bamboo skewer. It is great as a snack or starter and is available across the major hawker centres and restaurants in the country. Traditionally, Satay in Singapore is cooked over a slow charcoal fire with hand-held fans to control the intensity of the flames. It is served along with spicy sauces and has a slight zesty twist to its flavour. The choice of meat options for Satay mainly includes chicken, mutton, pork and beef.

7. Nasi Lemak

If you are looking to indulge in a local dish that is both nutritious and appetising, you can look into Nasi Lemak. Though its origin is in Malay cuisine, the dish is loved by many in Singapore due to its simple nature and flavourful taste. Nasi Lemak is actually a well-portioned dish containing fragrant rice imbued with pandan leaves and coconut milk. It also comes with other elements, such as sliced cucumbers, vegetables, fried chicken, omelette, grilled fish, nuts, etc., as side dishes. To get the fine traditional taste, ask for Sambal Belachan and Ikan Bilis on the side.

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8. Kaya toast

Kaya toast is a highly sought-after breakfast item you can try during your visit to Singapore. As the name suggests, it is a type of toast that uses a special jam made of sugar, eggs and coconut milk. The jam has a sweet flavour and thick texture, which, when spread in a good amount between two toasted slices of bread, makes the popular Kaya Toast complete. There are a lot of ways you can combine Kaya Toast to get the best out of your Singaporean breakfast. Some popular pairing items are classic tea or coffee on the side or just half-boiled eggs with pepper and soy sauce to accompany them.

Conclusion:

This sums up the topic of some of the best local dishes to try in Singapore during your trip. There are various veg and non-veg options available, but the latter one is more popular. Trying Singapore’s popular dishes is a great approach if you want to witness and embrace the beautiful local culture and traditions. Consider making a list of the dishes you want to eat during the trip-planning phase to have a better idea of things. Also, don’t forget to get travel insurance for Singapore from India to stay covered against a variety of medical and non-medical contingencies during the trip.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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