Singapore Food Recipes You Can Try at Home

Singapore’s culinary scene is a vibrant fusion of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Peranakan influences. Below are some classic recipes you can recreate at home with easily accessible ingredients.

1. Hainanese Chicken Rice

What it is:

Poached chicken served with fragrant rice, garlic-chili sauce, and dark soy sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (around 3–4 lbs)

• 5 slices of ginger

• 5 cloves garlic

• 2 stalks scallions

• 1 cucumber (sliced)

• Salt

For the rice:

• 2 cups jasmine rice

• 1 tablespoon chicken fat or oil

• 3 cloves garlic (minced)

• 3 slices ginger

• 2.5 cups chicken stock

Chili Sauce:

• 5 red chilies

• 3 cloves garlic

• 2 inches ginger

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• Salt and sugar to taste

Steps:

1. Rub chicken with salt, rinse, and boil with ginger and scallions until cooked.

2. Soak in ice water for a smooth texture.

3. Sauté garlic and ginger in oil, add rice, and stir for 2 minutes. Add stock and cook rice.

4. Blend chili sauce ingredients together.

5. Serve sliced chicken on rice with cucumber and sauces on the side.

2. Char Kway Teow

What it is:

Wok-fried flat rice noodles with dark soy sauce, egg, cockles, Chinese sausage, and bean sprouts.

Ingredients:

• 300g flat rice noodles

• 2 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1 Chinese sausage (sliced)

• 1 egg

• 50g bean sprouts

• 8–10 cockles (optional)

• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• Chives or spring onions

Steps:

1. Heat oil in a wok, fry garlic and sausage until fragrant.

2. Add noodles and sauces; toss well.

3. Push aside, crack an egg, scramble and mix.

4. Add bean sprouts and cockles, fry quickly.

5. Garnish with chives and serve hot.

3. Laksa

What it is:

Spicy coconut noodle soup with prawns, tofu puffs, and fish cake.

Ingredients:

• Laksa paste (store-bought or homemade)

• 400ml coconut milk

• 500ml chicken or seafood stock

• 200g rice vermicelli

• 200g prawns (peeled)

• 1 fish cake (sliced)

• Tofu puffs

• Bean sprouts

• Hard-boiled eggs

• Laksa leaves (optional)

Steps:

1. Fry laksa paste in oil until fragrant.

2. Add coconut milk and stock, bring to a boil.

3. Blanch noodles, tofu, and bean sprouts.

4. Boil prawns until cooked.

5. Assemble noodles in a bowl, pour soup over, top with egg, fish cake, tofu, and prawns.

4. Satay with Peanut Sauce

What it is:

Grilled skewers of marinated meat served with peanut sauce, rice cakes, and cucumber.

Ingredients:

• 500g chicken or beef (cubed)

• 2 tablespoons turmeric powder

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 shallots

• 1 tablespoon coriander powder

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• Salt

Peanut Sauce:

• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts (blended)

• 1 tablespoon chili paste

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 tablespoon tamarind juice

• Sugar and salt to taste

Steps:

1. Blend marinade ingredients, marinate meat for 2 to 4 hours.

2. Skewer meat and grill or broil until charred.

3. Fry peanut sauce ingredients until thick.

4. Serve with sauce, rice cakes, and cucumber slices.

5. Kaya Toast with Soft-Boiled Eggs

What it is:

Toasted bread with kaya (coconut jam) and butter, served with runny eggs and dark soy sauce.

Ingredients:

• White bread slices

• Kaya spread (available at Asian markets)

• Salted butter

• 2 eggs

• Soy sauce and white pepper

Steps:

1. Toast bread, spread kaya and butter generously.

2. For eggs, place in boiling water for 7 minutes, then crack into a bowl.

3. Add soy sauce and white pepper to taste.

4. Enjoy together for a classic Singapore breakfast.

Bonus: Where to Find Ingredients

• Asian grocery stores often carry essentials like laksa paste, kaya, tofu puffs, and rice noodles.

• Online stores like RedMart (Singapore), H Mart, or Amazon (international) offer most items.

• You can also make your own pastes from scratch using basic ingredients like chilies, garlic, ginger, and spices.