A Guide to Street Food Paradise in Singapore

As a microcosm of Asia, Singapore has something for everyone, whether it's an elegant colonial-era restaurant or a cheap and tasty plate of noodles at the local hawker centre. Coming from Thailand and Indochina, Singapore was very expensive for us. In fact we had no choice but to eat almost all our meals from the worlds cleanest and most diverse selection of affordable food. And with some 16,000 food stalls, Singapore is nothing short of a street-food lover’s paradise.

It used to be that a whole day in Singapore was too long for anyone. Today, it's not enough. This is a food mecca! Entire quarters are dedicated to flavours, such as Katong ( for Peranakan classics), Little India (fish-head curries), and the East Coast (seafood and pepper crabs).

We were lucky enough to stumble upon a fantastic exhibit at the National Museum to guide us through the meaning and methodology behind this whirlwind of food on our plates.

The history of street food goes all the way back to the 19th century Singapore. It was particularly important for bachelors in the 1860s when Singaporean men outnumbered women 10 to 1. It was only in the 1940s that the ratio went back into balance and food could be prepared in the home and food transformed from just a source of a sustenance in the daily routine to a national passion. It thrived in a port city that access to trade, spices and above all, a flow of culinary histories with variety and thick textures that produced beautiful hybrids.

Street carts were originally scattered across Singapore in convenient locations. Some vendors would use sling carrier baskets made from woven bamboo or rattan on a carrier pole. Others would have three-wheeled wooden pushcarts, complete with charcoal stove, pots, bowls and utensils. The cook would usually have an assistant (usually a young boy) who would help serve and take orders The vendors would even move the cart from street to street in search of hungry customers. Sometimes the assistant would even take money lowered from apartments by string and bucket, in exchange for raising their lunch or dinner. On dish, known as Tok Tok Mee, was named after the ‘tik tok’ sound vendors made by striking bamboo to let people know they were in the area. Bak Chor Mee noodle vendors would use a high pitch and faster beet.

The Modern Hawker Centre

In the late 20th century, the government imposed laws that forced all street food vendors into organized hawker centers where they had to abide by strict health department codes under one roof, and where residents can sit together in communal seating. Historically the clientele would changes as the evening would go on. Families an workers would arrive in the early evening. Later on English soldiers would arrive with call girls and hawker centers would take on a more rowdy shade of nightlife.

The chicken rice hawker wields a razor sharp cleaver to chop chicken on a natural hardwood chopping board, made from a full tree trunk so as to absorb intense chopping.

Food also evolved during this transformation indoors. Take the Chicken rice that originated from the Chinese island of Hainan, for example. It was originally molded by hand into rice balls representing harmony, since the circle was a symbol of family cohesiveness. The Hainanese immigrants would wrap balls in a banana leaf and sell them on the street for 1 cent. These were nicknamed ‘communist chicken’ after one stall, whose name paid due to the promise of a better life for the people of China. The chicken ball practice faded however, mostly because of the strict hawker center laws imposed by the government on food preparation.

Etiquette and How to Eat

• In addition to a huge variety of food, much emphasis is placed on eating. Do not be surprised if conversation grinds to a halt once the meal is served. People are passionate and many will prefer to enjoy their meal in silence punctuated by food-related comments.
• Many Singaporeans are willing to commit half their lunch hour to wait in line for the best Hainanese chicken rice or 'bak chor mee' (minced pork noodles). See below.
• At Indian restaurants, be sure to fold your leaf towards you if you are satisfied with your meal - folding the other way is a sign the food was disappointing.
• Chilli or pepper? Take the latter for local street cred when you go for your crab feast.
• Chicken Rice - When asked if you want it with the skin, say yes.
• Arm yourself with a copy of Makansutra - the street-food guide to the best hawker stalls.

The Foods of Singapore Streets

Hainanese Chicken Rice
This quintessential Singaporean dish can be found at any hawker centre. Boiled chicken and rice may not look like much, but the subtle flavours from garlic, ginger and chicken broth, makes for some delicious comfort food that even the least adventurous tourist can appreciate. Locals also add flavour with chili sauce and ginger slices on the side. Available at your local hawker centre, but for a fancier version try the Lau Pa Sat Hawker center in the financial district. It’s in an old Victorian building that hosts live music in the evenings.

Bak Chor Mee
Bak chor mee consists of egg noodles tossed in black vinegar and topped with ground pork, marinated mushrooms, plump wontons, dumplings stuffed with fried flatfish. For a good Bak Chor Mee, look up ‘Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee’ in Chinatown. The family recipe dates back to 1945, when the owner's father sold noodles out of a pushcart on Wayang Street. Hong Lim Complex Food Centre, #02-43; 531A Upper Cross Street;no phone

Hum Jin Pang
This doughnut-like desert is served in a brown bag by the half dozen. The fried pastry is dusted in Chinese five spice, salt and confectionary sugar. It can sometimes be stuffed with sweet red bean paste or kaya. Maxwell Hawker centre has a very good Hum Jin Pang stall at number 23. This is a rare stall where you fry your own hum jin pangs (six for less than a dollar). The owner goes through 55 pounds of flour until he runs out each day, well before the stall's 8:00 p.m. closing time.

Banana Leaf Rice
Indian food is one of the most dominant cuisines along with Chinese and Malaysian. A large, simple meal of banana leaf rice is one of the best values for your money. The waiter will first put a large banana leaf on the table in front of you. He will then dish up as much rice as you would like, followed by vegetables like eggplants, chutneys and relishes. For Indian food head to little India or for excellent Muslim fare, explore the café eateries near the mosque in the Arab quarter.

Roti Prata
Roti Prata is a unique Singaporean term: Roti (in Urdu) and Paratha (in hindi) both loosely mean bread that’s made without yeast. The dish is a great example of a hybrid of north and south Indian cuisine. The southern Indian version is traditionally made with pea curry (roti cannai). However in Singapore the roti is made with either chicken, mutton or fish curry that is thickened with potato.