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Street food

The recently concluded World Street Food Congress threw up many questions, and while the answers are still tentative, the concern about a fading heritage is apparent across the nations. Fan Zhen reports from Singapore. more

Street food

Street food

Street food

Street food

Sweet bean curd: Just like the Chinese in the southern part of the country, Singaporeans like their bean curld silky smooth, and sweet, and eaten for breakfast, with lunch or dinner. In fact, any time of the day.

Mee Rebus: A Malay noodle dish that is smothered in sweet potato thickened gravy made from beef stock. Always served with sliced green chilies, diced bean curd and a hard-boiled egg.

Kaya toast:Toasted bread spread with butter, and kaya, a thick jam made with coconut milk and eggs.

Street food

Street food

Street food

Soft-boiled eggs with a cup of coffee: This is classic Singapore breakfast fare guaranteed to put bounce in your steps and hair on your chest. Best taken with a slice of kaya toast.

Nasi Lemak: "Rich" rice steamed with coconut milk and scented with pandan leaves.Served with fried anchovies, peanuts, a chicken wing and lots of spicy hot sambal chili. 

Laksa: A curry noodle of Straits Chinese origins. The coconut broth is enriched with pounded dried prawns and garnished with Vietnamese mint, which the Singaporeans call laksa leaves.

Street food

Street food

Street food

Satay: Delicate little skewers of spicy marinated meat such as lamb, chicken and mutton. The main flavor here is toasted coriander seeds, which gives satay its unique sweetness.

Bak Chang: Zongzi may be eaten in China mostly during the Dragon Boat Festival around the fifth lunar month, but Singaporeans love the savory dumplings all year round, especially the Straits Chinese version that uses minced meat as filling seasoned with lots of fragrant spices. 

Bak Kwa: Sweet meat jerky that is barbecued over hot coals. A signature export of the island republic. 

Street food

Street food

Street food

Otah-otah: A spicy fish paste made with lots of ground spices and local herbs is wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. Often eaten with nasi lemak, the rich coconut rice very popular as a breakfast dish.

Durian mochi: Mad about durian? In Singapore, the king of fruits is given designer labels like D24 and Cat Mountain King, and the pulp is frozen and made into luscious desserts even when the fruit is not in season. 

BAK CHOR MEE: A heritage dish brought over by the fi rst immigrants from Fujian, this is a bowl of soup noodles topped with minced pork(bak chor),and bouncy fish and pork meatballs.There are also the “konlo”or dried versions.

Street food

Street food

Street food

Kopi: Thick, sweet milky coffee that makes designer brews look like drinks for wimps. They come black — Kopi O, industrial strength — Kopi Gao, with evaporated milk — Kopi Si, and with lots of ice —Kopi Peng.

Goreng Pisang: Banana fritters are only one of a range of deepfried snacks that Singaporeans love to chew on. They are often sold with jackfruit fritters, sweet potato and yam fritters and battered cakes made with bean paste, red bean paste and grated tapioca. 

Chicken rice: Created and mastered by immigrants from Hainan Island, this is one of Singapore's perennial classics, and a complete meal by itself. Tender poached chicken is served with rice cooked in chicken broth. 

Street food

Street food

Street food

PoPiah: Spring rolls filled with yam bean, bamboo shoots, shredded pork, prawns and ground peanuts. Rolled up and cut up for a meal, or a snack.

Indian tandoori chicken: This is just one of the lunchtime options in multicultural Singapore. Often served with lentil stew, served with roti and naan and garnished with a mint chutney and yoghurt sauce.

Lor Mee: Thick-cut Fujianese noodles in an equally thick braised broth enriched by stewed pork, crispy deep-fried wontons, thinly sliced fish cake, and garnished with bird’s-eye chili and a dollop of minced garlic. 

Street food

Street food

Street food

Coffee ribs

Little pot noodles: A simmering pot of soup accompanies a bowl of dry-tossed noodles. The soup will have meat slices, fish bowls , and often, an egg. 

Steamed razor clam

Street food

Street food

Street food

Pepper crab

Sugar cane juice: Freshly squeezed and served over ice. Sometimes, the refreshing drink is lit up by a squeeze of lemon. 

Singapore Sling

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Biangbiang Shaanxi street food

Web editor: Fan Zhen

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