Singapore Food History
Singapore was largely unexplored until Sir Stamford Raffles and his group landed on the island in 1819. What they found was a small group of about 1000 people. The people there grew fruits. There was little else and no rice. When people from other countries began to visit Singapore for work and trade, the influences of Indians, Jews, Chinese, Armenians, Eurasians, and Arabs began to change the way the native people ate. In the time since then, the people of Singapore have created a unique food culture.
Food from Singapore - Cuisine in Singapore
Food by Country » Food of South East Asia » Singapore Foods - Singaporean Cuisine, Foods in Singapore
Cuisine of Singapore
History of Singapore
About Singapore Food
Traditional Food in Singapore
The native food of Singapore is heavy in Chinese, British, and Indian influences. Singapore has a long history of immigration, so the many different people that have come to the country have contributed heavily to the native foods. Much of the food and produce that people eat are imported, but there are some local farmers who grow fruit, fish, poultry and leafy vegetables.
People from Singapore eat many different kinds of seafood including crabs, squid, clams, lobsters, stingray, and oysters. There are many different types of tropical fruits that can be found all around the year such as mangosteen, longan, jackfruit, rambutan, pineapple and lychee. Some fruits are used in dishes such as sweet and sour pork, salads and iced desserts.
Singapore Dishes
Singapore Dish
- Tutu Kueh - This is a dish of flour pastries with steamed rice that are filled with a sweet peanut and coconut mixture.
- Bak kut teh - This is a soup of pork rib that contains many different Chinese spices and herbs.
- Char siew rice - This is a dish made of noodles or rice that is served with barbecued pork and covered in a sauce.
- Fish head bee hoon - This kind of noodle soup uses rice vermicelli and fried fish head as the main ingredients.
- Hainanese chicken rice - This dish is made of steamed chicken that is served with rice in chicken stock. It is often consumed with dark soy sauce, ginger paste and chili sauce.
- Nasi Goreng - This is a sweet and spicy dish of fried rice that came from Indonesia.
- Nasi padang - This meal, that came from Indonesia, is made of steamed rice and a choice of meat and vegetable dishes that can be anything from curried vegetables to fried chicken.
- Acar - This is a dish of pickled fruit or vegetables with peanuts, spices and dried chili.
- Nasi Biryani - This is a rice dish that has been cooked and served with chicken, mutton, fish or vegetable curry.
- Butter Chicken - This local favorite is chicken that has been cooked in gravy made of yogurt, butter, spices and tomatoes.
Singapore Drink
Drinks in Singapore
- Teh Tarik - This is a drink of hot tea that is often found in restaurants and outdoor stands. It is made of condensed milk and black tea.
- Bandung - This drink is milk that has been flavored with rose cordial syrup, making it pink.
- Singapore Sling - This cocktail is made of gin and Benedictine as well as fresh pineapple juice.
About Singapore
Discover more Singapore Food and Drinks Resources
- Singapore Background Information - provided by U.S. Department of State
- Traditional Food in Singapore - popular dishes and favorite foods.
- Vacation in Singapore - travel guides.
- Typical Drinks in Singapore: tea, cocktail.
- Singaporean Dessert - a typical Singaporean dessert which is served at various restaurants.