FOOD AND CULTURE
Learning Intention:
We are learning to explore the dishes from the different ethnic groups and the international cuisine in Singapore.
Success Criteria:
We know we have learnt when we can:
DIVERSITY OF LOCAL ETHNIC DISHES
LOCAL CULTURE OF SINGAPORE
Chinese Cuisine
Wet ingredients
Dry ingredients
Methods of cooking
Common methods of cooking for Chinese dishes include:
Chinese cuisine has its influence from different regions of China.
1. Hainanese cuisine:
Chicken rice is a Hainanese dish that is commonly found in Singapore. The rice is flavoured with garlic and chicken stock. It is served with steamed and roasted chicken and chicken broth. Chilli sauce with ginger, minced garlic and dark soya sauce accompany the dish.
2. Cantonese cuisine:
Cantonese dim sum is well-liked in Singapore.
Popular dishes include:
3. Hakka cuisine:
Yong tau foo is a popular Hakka dish found in Singapore. The dish consists of an assortment of items often filled with fish and meat paste. It may be served in soup or dry, mixed with a blend of chilli and sweet sauce. Yong tau foo is usually served with rice noodles.
4. Hokkien cuisine:
Hokkien mee is a mixture of yellow noodles and thick rice vermicelli cooked with prawns and squid, usually fried in pork fat.
Some are served a little wet and some are served dry. Lime and chilli are the accompaniments.
5. Teochew cuisine:
Bak kut teh, a peppery pork rib soup, is a Teochew dish commonly found in Singapore.
It is often served with braised dishes such as bean curd skin, peanuts and preserved vegetables.
6. Sichuan cuisine:
Mala xiang guo, or mala hot pot, is a popular Sichuan dish.
Two types of broth are made- one spicy (made with chilli and peppercorns) and the other mild (made with meat and Chinese herbs). Ingredients such as meat, bean curd, mushrooms and vegetables are then cooked in the broth and eaten with dipping sauce.
6. Shanghainese cuisine:
Xiao long bao is made with a thin flour dough filled with pork. The dish is steamed and served with sliced ginger. Vinegar and chilli sauce.
Festive dishes
Food plays a key role in many festivals where the traditional dishes are made and eaten.
Chinese New Year is celebrated over 15 days. Families spring clean their homes, buy new clothes (usually red) and gather to share a reunion dinner on the eve of new year and visit relatives and friends to strengthen ties. Some dishes that signify health, wealth and prosperity are commonly served over the festival.
Chinese New Year
Malay Cuisine
Malay cuisine is diverse and has its influence from Malaysia and Indonesia. Malay dishes are very popular in Singapore. They use many spicy and aromatic spices.
Nasi lemak is rice that is cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It is served with garnishes including cucumber slices, fried ikan bilis, peanuts and a hard boiled egg. A chilli sauce accompanies the dish.
2. Nasi Padang:
Nasi padang is rice served with a variety of dishes made of meat, fish, vegetables and a spicy sambal. Chicken or beef rendang are common side dishes in a nasi padang.
3. Mee rebus:
Mee rebus is a dish made with yellow noodles served in a thick, creamy sauce. The sauce is usually made with mashed sweet potatoes. Other common ingredients are wedges of boiled eggs and bean curd pieces, cubed and fried. It is garnished with sliced green chilli. Sometimes, a begedil (potato cutlet) is added.
4. Tauhu goreng:
Tauhu goreng is fried bean curd covered with peanut sauce. It is garnished with bean sprouts and cucumber slices.
5. Mee siam:
Mee siam is a rice vermicelli dish, served in a sweet and sour gravy. The gravy is made from tamarind, dried shrimp, sugar, shrimp paste and soya bean paste.
Common Ingredients in Malay Dishes
Malay dishes often contain generous amounts of herbs, spices and coconut milk. Most of the herbs are commonly grown in South East Asia.
Fresh ingredients commonly used in Malay dishes: curry leaves, garlic, onion, chillies, ginger, galangal, coconut milk, tamarind
Dry ingredients commonly used in Malay dishes: star anise, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, cloves
Methods of cooking
Common methods of cooking for Malay dishes include:
Festive dishes
Hari Raya Puasa is celebrated by Muslims. This festival marks the end of the Ramadan, the month where Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset.
During this festive period, relatives and friends visit each other and share special dishes and snacks, such as beef rendang, ayam masak merah, lontong and vegetable dishes such as sambal goreng and sayur lodeh.
Indian Cuisine
Indian cuisine in Singapore is influenced by different culinary traditions from India. It includes South Indian and North Indian cuisines, as well as vegetarian cuisine.
Chicken tikka is marinated chicken pieces, cooked in the tandoor.
2. Nasi biryani:
Nasi biryani is cooked with lots of spices. Mustard seeds, onions, ginger, curry leaves, turmeric, coriander powder, chillies and chilli powder are some of the ingredients found in the curry.
3. Butter chicken:
Butter chicken may be served with naan, a type of flatbread.
4. Thosai
A vegetarian dish. The sough is made from rice and dhal. Cooked on a flat pan greased with a little oil. It is usually served with dhal curry coconut chutney and sambar.
4. Vegetarian thali meal:
Consists of a few vegetarian dishes served with steamed rice and chapati, a type of flatbread.
Common Ingredients in Indian Dishes
Indian dishes often contain lots of spices and pulses. Ghee is also used to cook some savoury dishes and sweets.
Pulses commonly used in Indian cooking: green and black gram beans, lentils, adzuki beans, black-eyed beans, chickpeas
Spices commonly used in Indian dishes: coriander seeds, cardamom, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, star anis, dried chilli, cloves
Methods of cooking
Common methods of cooking for Indian dishes include:
Festive dishes
Deepavali is also known as the Festival of Lights, and is celebrated by people in the Hindu Jain and Sikh communities. Families decorate their homes with clay oil lamps and design patterns called rangoli. They also say prayers and visit families and friends.
Festive dishes during Deepavali include chicken vindaloo, mutton korma, murukku, jangiri and laddu.
Eurasian Cuisine
Eurasians in Singapore are mainly descendants of Portuguese, Dutch or British people who married Asians. Eurasian cuisine shows this rich cultural diversity, and is influenced by both West and East. Typical dishes include stews and curries, noted for their strong and rich flavours.
Thick curry made with coconut and eggplant . Fish is simmered in the curry.
2. Devil’s curry:
Curry dish made with chilli, onion, ginger, turmeric and mustard seeds. Chicken, potatoes and cabbage are other ingredients used in this dish. This can also be made with oxtail.
3. Prawn bostador:
Coconut-based curry dish, made with sliced green chillies and a blend of herbs.
4. Kueh kochi
A dessert/snack made with glutinous rice flour, coconut fillings and palm sugar.
Common Ingredients in Eurasian Dishes
Eurasian food uses a mix of European and Asian ingredients, such as garlic, lemongrass, galangal, chillies, tamarind and buah keras (candlenuts).
Other ingredients include tamarind, rempah, chilli, belacan, coconut, brown and white vinegar, mustard powder, Worchestershire sauce and spices such as fennel and nutmeg
Methods of cooking
Common methods of cooking for Eurasian dishes include:
Festive dishes
Many Eurasians in Singapore are of Christian faith, and religious celebrations play a huge role in their lifestyle.
Easter and Christmas are celebrated by most Eurasians in Singapore.
Traditional festive food includes roast turkey, ham and mince pies at Christmas. Eurasian cuisine has its own share of snacks and sweets, often seved during festive periods.
POPULAR LOCAL DISHES IN SINGAPORE
Local Delights
Local Delights
Local Delights
Local Snack Dishes
Local Snack Dishes
INTERNATIONAL CUISINES �IN SINGAPORE
INTERNATIONAL CUISINES
North American
North American
Middle Eastern
Middle Eastern
German
German
Italian
Italian
Korean
Korean
Japanese
Japanese
Mexican
Mexican
Thai
Thai