Many American travelers like to play
it safe when eating in new countries or new places. Afraid to dabble in local
cuisine, they frequent American chain restaurants like McDonald’s and Subway,
because let’s face it, they are everywhere. But they’re just cheating
themselves out of a full cultural experience. I understand that new cuisines
and new places aren’t without their digestive…. challenges at times, but you
can enjoy the local flavours and really get a taste of a culture by exploring,
researching and visiting recommended culinary hotspots. My Tasty Tip
this week is: When you travel abroad, eat like a local!
I want to explore Singapore, mainly because that is where I am at the moment. Singaporeans love to eat. Any time of day, no matter how long the queue, and I can hardly blame them. The culinary fingerprint of this island melds together the exotic spices of India with the health boosting delights of the Orient. The dishes are humble but insanely delicious and the best way to enjoy Singaporean flavours is to sample the local favourites.
Chicken Rice: You can’t go anywhere without seeing this tasty favourite offered at hawker stalls and food centers. This dish is basically rice topped with boiled or steamed chicken that comes with flavourful dipping sauces and slices of cucumber garnishing the plate. I personally am not the biggest fan of boiled chicken so I opt for the variant roasted chicken. Different stalls have different variations so don’t be afraid to experiment. Recommended location: Tian Tian Chicken Rice stall.
Laksa: I’ll admit, I was hesitant to try this dish at first. Laksa is thick rice vermicelli in spicy, coconut gravy with a seafood kick. That might sound dicey, but it is a very flavourful, fresh dish loved all across the island. It is understood though that the Katong variation, which serves the noodles cut into smaller lengths, is the most popular and there are “laksa wars” between hawker stalls claiming to serve the best on the island. Recommended location: Katong Laksa.
Hokkien Mee: I ordered this dish purely by accident. I said Hong Kong noodles and the woman behind the counter heard Hokkien Mee. But a happy accident it turned out to be because this island favourite is delicious. Thick egg noodles and rice vermicelli are fried in a hearty seafood stock along with squid, pork belly, deep-friend lard and prawns. This is typically served with a little lime to add freshness to the heavy dish. Admittedly not the healthiest option but great comfort food. Recommended location: Nam Sing at Old Airport Road Food Center.
Satay: One of my personal favourites. Every culture loves meat on a stick and Singaporeans are no different. This Asian kebab is served with a rich peanut dipping sauce. Your choice of meat is marinated in local spices and skewered on thin bamboo sticks and served with rice cakes steamed in woven coconut leaves. And the best thing about satay is it is usually very cheap and found all over the island. Recommended location: Haron Satay at the East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
Nasi Lemak: Nearly every hawker stall I’ve come across advertises Nasi lemak. I’ll admit, I ignored this for a long time because I wasn’t really interested but this Malay breakfast dish of rich rice cooked in coconut milk and served with spicy sambal sauce, fried anchovies, peanuts, a fried egg and cucumbers is a local favourite every Singaporean recommends. Recommended location: Adam Road Food Center.
Sambal Kangkong: I’ve saved my personal favourite for last. I’m a meat lover yet somehow, this local vegetarian dish has stolen my heart. No matter what I order, I typically order a side of sambal kangkong but most of the time it is my main meal. This flavourful green vegetable dish is leafy water spinach (kangkong) wok-fried in a sambal of garlic, shallots, chilies, dried shrimp and shrimp paste. It’s juicy, it’s spicy and it’s exactly the food I’d be stranded on a desert island with. Recommended location: Any of the hawker stalls at Old Airport Road Food Center.
These are just a few of my top picks of the local fare but honestly you could spend months on this small island exploring the food and flavours. No matter where you travel this summer, stay away from McDonald’s! Unless it's novelty menu items.
I want to explore Singapore, mainly because that is where I am at the moment. Singaporeans love to eat. Any time of day, no matter how long the queue, and I can hardly blame them. The culinary fingerprint of this island melds together the exotic spices of India with the health boosting delights of the Orient. The dishes are humble but insanely delicious and the best way to enjoy Singaporean flavours is to sample the local favourites.
Chicken Rice: You can’t go anywhere without seeing this tasty favourite offered at hawker stalls and food centers. This dish is basically rice topped with boiled or steamed chicken that comes with flavourful dipping sauces and slices of cucumber garnishing the plate. I personally am not the biggest fan of boiled chicken so I opt for the variant roasted chicken. Different stalls have different variations so don’t be afraid to experiment. Recommended location: Tian Tian Chicken Rice stall.
Laksa: I’ll admit, I was hesitant to try this dish at first. Laksa is thick rice vermicelli in spicy, coconut gravy with a seafood kick. That might sound dicey, but it is a very flavourful, fresh dish loved all across the island. It is understood though that the Katong variation, which serves the noodles cut into smaller lengths, is the most popular and there are “laksa wars” between hawker stalls claiming to serve the best on the island. Recommended location: Katong Laksa.
Hokkien Mee: I ordered this dish purely by accident. I said Hong Kong noodles and the woman behind the counter heard Hokkien Mee. But a happy accident it turned out to be because this island favourite is delicious. Thick egg noodles and rice vermicelli are fried in a hearty seafood stock along with squid, pork belly, deep-friend lard and prawns. This is typically served with a little lime to add freshness to the heavy dish. Admittedly not the healthiest option but great comfort food. Recommended location: Nam Sing at Old Airport Road Food Center.
Satay: One of my personal favourites. Every culture loves meat on a stick and Singaporeans are no different. This Asian kebab is served with a rich peanut dipping sauce. Your choice of meat is marinated in local spices and skewered on thin bamboo sticks and served with rice cakes steamed in woven coconut leaves. And the best thing about satay is it is usually very cheap and found all over the island. Recommended location: Haron Satay at the East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
Nasi Lemak: Nearly every hawker stall I’ve come across advertises Nasi lemak. I’ll admit, I ignored this for a long time because I wasn’t really interested but this Malay breakfast dish of rich rice cooked in coconut milk and served with spicy sambal sauce, fried anchovies, peanuts, a fried egg and cucumbers is a local favourite every Singaporean recommends. Recommended location: Adam Road Food Center.
Sambal Kangkong: I’ve saved my personal favourite for last. I’m a meat lover yet somehow, this local vegetarian dish has stolen my heart. No matter what I order, I typically order a side of sambal kangkong but most of the time it is my main meal. This flavourful green vegetable dish is leafy water spinach (kangkong) wok-fried in a sambal of garlic, shallots, chilies, dried shrimp and shrimp paste. It’s juicy, it’s spicy and it’s exactly the food I’d be stranded on a desert island with. Recommended location: Any of the hawker stalls at Old Airport Road Food Center.
These are just a few of my top picks of the local fare but honestly you could spend months on this small island exploring the food and flavours. No matter where you travel this summer, stay away from McDonald’s! Unless it's novelty menu items.
No comments:
Post a Comment