I cannot imagine myself traveling to a foreign country without trying the local cuisine. It’s like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower or visiting NYC with the omission of Times Square. Curiosity to explore the world, the desire to taste unusual delicacies and numerous culinary tv shows contributed to the emergence of culinary tourism. An ideal example could be the popular food show Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. Bourdain, searched the continent looking for surprising new flavors. I have to confess that Bourdain became a huge inspiration for my trip around Asia and thanks to him, I learned about the famous Hawker Centers which offers the world’s cheapest Michelin-star meals. Here is the list of my favorite Singapore dishes (the order in accordance with the pictures):
- Singapore Sling – the most popular Singaporean drink based on gin, Grand Marnier flavored with orange, cherry, lemon, pineapple juice and spices, served invariably for over 100 years!
- Chinese dried fish and seafood – Yes, fresh seafood and fish can be delicious but believe me that when dried and sprinkled with seasoning it is also very tempting.
- Durian – a fruit with the strongest odor in the world. The smell and taste are so incredibly intense that the fruit is forbidden in many public places. The taste is so expressive that you will either love it right away or you will hate it forever.
- Grass Jelly Beancurd – is a jelly-like dessert made from soy or tofu. It has a light bitter aftertaste. Usually served cold with fruits.
- Chwee Kueh (水粿lit. Water Rice Cake) – a typical Singaporean dish usually served for breakfast. Made from rice flour and water. Served with fried onions and meat. Delicious!
- Chicken Curry – best served with a mandarin sauce.
- Fish Head Bee Hoon – means nothing less but pork bone broth with fried fish head. This dish has been on the Singaporean menu for over 100 years.
- Hainanese Chicken Rice – one of the most famous and appreciated dishes in Singapore. It is a whole chicken cooked with pork broth and then immersed directly in cold water or ice cubes. Served with rice cooked with the chicken broth, ginger and garlic.
- Fried carrot cake – fried Singaporean carrot cake made from the basis of eggs, preserved radish (chai poh) and white flour radish, which resembles a “white carrot”, thus giving rise to the name of the dish.
- Dim Sum – last but not least! Inspired by cuisines from Hong Kong and Shanghai it is a set of small flour-scalded dishes filled with meat, soy or vegetables. This is ideal for traditional gatherings.
