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C O N T E N T S
6 Forward 8
Jamie Oliver
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Hawker Center
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Top hawker
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Hawker survival guide
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Variety of hawker food
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Recipes
E AT
LO C A L
Have you ever experienced that awkward silence when you are asked about Singapore’s culture, and you fumble, hem and haw as you try to find some costume, dance or tradition that is unique to Singapore? I have. Well, at least until I start talking about food. Now that’s where stopping me would be a problem. It is amazing how much our nation loves food. Our day-to-day conversation inevitably revolves around food. And the best part is for a fraction of the price, you get something no less satisfying than a meal in a high-end restaurant. Eating in Hawker Centres can be quite a daunting experience for visitors. It is easy for us as we are familiar with the Hawker Food. But overseas visitors usually do not know what to eat, and which stalls to order from. For the first-timer in a Singapore hawker center, the sheer size and outward disarray can be downright disconcerting, if not a little intimidating. Eat Local is a guidebook cum cookbook that helps to decode the basics of hawker center etiquette to help demystify this unique eating experience for future greenhorn foodies. In case you want to learn how to cook these delicious dishes, this book teaches it all.
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g e v a g n i e b p o t S “ y o j n e t r a t s and � t a e u o y t a h w
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MEET JAMIE OLIVER Jamie Oliver is a famous British chef, restaurateur, author of cookery books, and media personality. The appeal of Jamie Oliver’s dishes lies in the simplicity of his recipes and the short preparation time for each of his dishes. His speciality is Italian cuisine. Fans throughout the world have re-discovered the joy of cooking through his many delicious dishes and his countless books. An outspoken campaigner for a healthy system of cooking foods and maintaining a balanced diet, he has had a lovehate relationship with his viewers and critics and has become a popular media magnate. He has also appeared on a number of food and cookingrelated reality shows, where he was called for his expertise and guidance or as a judge. He ardently rages an unrelenting crusade against unhealthy eating through his television shows, and cookbooks. He now owns and co-owns several leading restaurants, related enterprises and non-profit organizations throughout the world.
H AW K E R
C E N T R E
Street food is easily one of the best things a country can offer. Unlike other countries where you eat by the road side, Singapore’s version of street food is what we call hawker food, and they are found in food/ hawker centres – which are usually located in the heartlands. For what is lacking in the electrifying atmosphere of eating by the street, the hawker centres in singapore make up for it by serving clean and tasty food, in a comfortable environment. In Singapore, eating, or as the locals say, makan, is more than just sustenance or even a hobby, it is a national obsession. Friends don’t greet each other with a “hello” or “how do you do?” Instead, they’ll say in Singlish slang, sudah makan or, “have you eaten?” And the quickest, cheapest way to get your makan on is at the humble hawker center. Hawker centers are semi-enclosed buildings housing rows and rows of small food stalls that serve a variety of food and desserts, almost always prepared to order. At first glance, these stalls resemble walk-in closets, cluttered with cooking equipment and ingredients, but don’t let their size fool you— these cramped little kitchens punch far above their weight.
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Chinatown Food Street 12
Chinatown Food Street (CFS) is one of the places where you can bring your foreign friend to introduce all kinds of hawker food. Designed and managed by Select Group Limited, Chinatown Food Street assembles some specialty dishes from main Chinese dialects and the different races in Singapore, all under one roof. Located on Smith Street in the heart of Chinatown, the revitalised CFS seeks to create the most authentic Singapore dining experience for locals and tourists alike. From a tantalising plate of Char Kway Teow, to sticks of mouthwatering Satays, CFS offers a diverse spread of local delights, with iconic food from local cultures all represented on one street.
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Singapore Food Trail One of Singapore’s latest dining concepts, Singapore Food Trail is a 1960s-themed food heaven in the heart of the city. In a nostalgic setting set against the backdrop of the iconic Singapore Flyer, you’ll find a mix of Singapore’s original and most famous hawker foods. Snack on old-time favourites such as ice balls and kachang puteh. Tuck into famous local fare at the Singapore Food Trail. With its décor and a strong mix of heritage hawkers, this dining heaven promises a taste of the good old days.
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r e e B c i l b u p Food Re Garden
The Food Republic Beer Garden exudes a 60’s vibe that brings nostalgic memories to those who’s experienced the lifestyle in the olden days, and for the younger generation to gain a deeper insight. However, what you won’t experience from the olden days is the chaotic scene. It is so clean, hygienic and organised. With 18 rustic style pushcarts, truck stalls and kiosks selling all kinds of Singaporean-style hawker fare, diners can look forward to almost 100 different dishes to whet their appetite.
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Makansutra Gluttons Bay Makansutra Gluttons Bay is a cool, open air hawker centre with huge umbrella seating, right by the picturesque Marina Bay. Surrounded by retro-inspired pushcarts, the variety of famous hawker delights have been handpicked by local food guru KF Seetoh from Makansutra. Situated next to the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, the collection of stalls at Makansutra Gluttons Bay offers a wide selection of local favourites. A popular hangout for dinner and late night suppers, Makansutra Gluttons Bay opens from 5pm till late daily.
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H AW K E R
S U R V I VA L
G U I D E
Seating Hawker center seating is first come, first serve, no reservations and no pretension. Before you place your order, find an open seat. Don’t worry if that seat happens to be next to or across from a stranger. Just ask for permission to sit, and plunk down a packet of tissues to hold your spot, noting the table number choose your seats first and that you’ve staked out. then choose your meal. You will need to have cash ready for your meal when it arrives. It’s also worth noting that no matter where you sit you’ll be able to order food from any of the stalls in the centre and they’ll bring it to your table. To “Chop” a seat To “chop” a seat means to reserve a seat, so the first thing that you have to do when you are at a busy hawker centre (betweenan umbrella 12pm to 1.30pm) is to chop a seat. The way to do this in hawkercan also centre is to place a packet of tissue paper on the table that yoube used to wish to reserve. Other diners will respect your “chop” and will reserve a seat not remove the tissue paper or take the seat. So take note, if you see a packet of tissue on the table, it means that the seat is taken so please do not sit on it. Queueing Singaporeans love to queue! And in hawker centres people bizarrely remain calm and don’t push throughout the waiting process. It is fair to say that where there is a queue you can be reasonably sure there is good food. Another point to mention about queueing is that in Singapore most people eat lunch between 12pm and 1.30pm, if you arrive at a hawker centre during this time you’ll need to compete for a seat and undoubtedly line up for your food.
d pm and 1.30pm, an come between 12 pete for a seat you’ll need to com tedly line up for and undob undoub your food.
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Seats number Most of the tables at the hawker centre will have a number written somewhere on the table. When you order your food, tell the hawker your table number and they will serve the food to your table, unless the stall puts up a sign saying “self service”, in which case you will have to take your food back to your seat by yourself after you have paid. When to pay? remember to If the stall is not a self service stall, most of the time you will have cash ready pay after they serve the food to your table. However, there arefor your meal some stalls which will require you to pay first before they servewhen it arrives the food to you, so pay first only when they ask for it as it is a common practice. Da Pao (take away) “Da Pao” is a common phrase that you will hear when you queue to order your food at the stall, it is a Singapore slang word meaning “take away”. They will ask you whether you are going to have your food “here” or “Da Pao”. If you can’t pronounce the word properly even after some practice, just tell them “take away”. Most of the hawker understand simple English and they will know that you mean “Da Pao”. After meals You don’t have to clean your table or throw your remaining food away or bring the plate back to the stall after you have finished your meal. You just need to leave it on the table and the cleaner will clean the table later. this is a common practice in Singapore. Label A, B and C If you are observant enough, when you eat at any of the Singaporean hawker centres, you will notice that there are big labels placed in front of each stall stating A, B or C. That label is the hygiene rating given by the government so if you are particular about food hygiene, eat with stall that score A or B.
orders, Almost all stalls do take-away utensils, complete with packaging, plastic . sauces, with an additional $0.20 23
VA R I E T Y
O F
H AW K E R
F O O D
Hokkien Mee
This lip-smacking noodle dish – comprising yellow noodles and thick ‘bee hoon’ (vermicelli) – has juicy prawns, squid, pork belly strips, egg and crunchy fried pork lard (optional) that makes everything taste extra good. It is served with sambal chilli and a squeeze of lime juice for that added zing.
Chicken Rice
When you see succulent cooked chicken hanging neatly in a row at a food stall, you are looking at one of Singapore’s national dishes - Hainanese Chicken Rice. This delectable dish can be found at almost every dining spot, from humble hawker centres to high-end restaurants.
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Laksa
The laksa broth offers the right balance of spice and coconut milk, a distinctive noodle soup that will tickle the tastebuds. It has a spicy soup stock the colour of a flaming sunset, flavoured with coconut milk and dried shrimp, and topped with ingredients such as cockles, prawns and also fishcake. Its defining characteristic is the noodles: vermicelli cut into shorter pieces that can be easily slurped up with a spoon. At some stalls, you only get a spoon to eat the laksa – no chopsticks needed.
Bak Chor Mee
Colloquially known as ‘Bak Chor Mee’, this is a noodle dish with minced pork, liver, meat balls/ fish balls, fish cake slices and a signature vinegar braised sauce that adds some wetness. Typically, the dish is ordered ‘dry’ to savour full flavours of the sauce and you can choose between chilli or ketchup, and the type of noodle to use.
Bak Kut Teh
One of the many stories of Bak Kut Teh’s invention was that during the olden days of Singapore, a poor, starving beggar came by a road side pork noodle store to beg for food. The stall owner was in poverty, but wanted to help him. He boiled some of his left over pork bones and added whatever cheap spices he had to flavour the soup, including star anise and pepper which created a soup resembling tea in colour. Thus pork bone tea was born.
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Wanton Mee
The Singapore Wanton noodles was probably influenced by Hong Kong cuisine, but has become entrenched in our culture over the years. The Singapore version is typically eaten ‘dry’, drenched with some light sweet sauce, slices of pork char siew and wanton dumplings filled with pork, with a small bowl of soup on the side. Wanton dumplings may be either deep fried or come in soup dumplings.
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Nasi Lemak
Translate ‘nasi lemak’ from Malay to English, and you will get ‘rich rice’. The ‘rich’ refers not to wealth, but the coconut cream that makes it oh-so sinfully scrumptious. This dish is a perfect mix of flavours: aromatic rice infused with coconut milk and pandan leaves, eaten with deep-fried fish or chicken wings, ‘otah’ (grilled fish paste), fried ‘ikan bilis’ (local anchovies) and peanuts, eggs, cucumber slices, and ‘sambal’ (spicy chilli paste).
Kaya Toast
It is the perfect snack that goes very well with a cup of local ‘kopi’ (coffee) or ‘teh’ (tea); toasted bread with cold butter and a generous spread of kaya, a traditional jam made from coconut and eggs. More often than not, it is accompanied by two soft-boiled eggs with runny yolks and translucent whites that are heavenly with a dash of dark soya and white pepper.
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Fried Carrot Cake
Do not confuse this with the dessert carrot cake, a moist cake made with carrot and spices; covered with cream cheese frosting. This savoury carrot cake has no carrot. Instead, the core ingredients of the cake are rice flour and white radish which some call white carrot. The mixture is steamed, then cut into cubes and fried with garlic, eggs and preserved radish called ‘chai poh’. Commonly referred to as ‘chai tow kway’ in the Teochew dialect, these soft fried rice cakes can be found in almost every hawker centre.
Rojak
Rojak means an “eclectic mix” in colloquial Malay, and the dish sure lives up to its name. Its ingredients reflect the cultural diversity of Singapore, bringing together disparate items with strong flavours into a harmoniously tasty blend. It is a local salad of mixed vegetables, fruits, and dough fritters that is covered in a sticky black sauce and garnished with chopped peanuts and finely-cut fragrant ginger flowers for a piquant taste. The salad may not look very appealing at first but you’ll be amazed by the delicious mix of sweet and savoury.
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Oyster Omelette
A dish popular in Singapore Hawkers as well as Taiwan Night markets, this is a dish many foreigners and locals love. Stalls that sell carrot cake typically also sell Oyster omelettes as it’s a similar cooking process as well as using a common ingredient: Eggs.
Satay
Satay is a dish of skewered, Turmeric marinated meat that is grilled on an open fire. It originates from Indonesia but has become a common hawker fare in Singapore. Typical meats include chicken, beef, mutton and even pork which is sold by the Chinese stall owners.
Roti Prata
Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, roti prata hits the spot every time. A South-Indian flat bread made by frying stretched dough, it is usually served with fish or mutton curry. No matter where it comes from, roti prata is a satisfying meal for any hour of the day. While the classic versions are plain or with egg, local menus now feature a variety of eccentric variations such as cheese, chocolate, ice-cream, and even durians – turning it from a main course to a dessert.
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Curry fish head
The squeamish will squirm at the sight of puffy cheeks and bulging fish eyes surrounded in a sea of red gravy. Yet, for many, it is a visually appetising feast - usually eaten with rice to soak up the fragrant curry. Fish head curry is unique to Singapore, the epitome of a cultural melting pot. It mixes the spices of a typical South Indian curry with the fish head, a delicacy among the Chinese.
Chilli crab
The crab is divine but the sauce is the star – sweet yet savoury, slightly spicy and supremely satisfying. You will get it all over your fingers as you crack open the crab shells, and it is simply impossible not to lick it all up. And you will go back for more, dipping fried or steamed buns, called mantou, to soak up the sauce – a delightful blend of tomatoes and chilli paste, thickened with ribbons of beaten eggs.
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Tau Huay
Tau Huay is a Chinese dessert made with beancurd tofu that is sweetened with sugar syrup. The traditional type is very soft, slightly grainy and soaks in syrup to be eaten together. This Tau Huay can be eaten hot or cold, sometimes with Tang Yuan, grass jelly or Soya bean milk added as well.
Ice Kacang
It’s a blistering 32 degrees outside, a typical sunny day in Singapore. You’re in desperate need of some cooling down. So you head to the nearest coffee shop or hawker centre and seek respite with a towering bowl of cool, colourful ice kacang. This popular dessert is a humble concoction of shaved ice, red beans, sweet corn, grass jelly and cubes of agar-agar, coloured with syrup and topped with a final squirt of evaporated milk. The shaved ice is typically hand-cranked with a traditional ice machine and is one of our most-loved desserts for its sweet simplicity. Some of our most lasting and iconic dishes were borne out of necessity and ingenuity and the ice kacang is definitely one of them!
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R E C I P E S
Hanainese chicken rice Ingredients 1.6 kg (3 lb 9 oz) chicken 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine 2 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 6 slices root ginger, plus 2 tbsp grated root ginger 4–5 garlic cloves 400 g (14 oz/2 cups) long-grain white rice Salt 4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced Chilli sauce
Directions Place the chicken in a large saucepan and cover with water, then add the rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, sliced ginger and one of the garlic cloves, lightly bruised. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and allow to stand for 1 hour. After 1 hour, strain and reserve the stock. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat away from the bones. Discard the bones and most of the skin (reserve some for later). Cut the chicken meat into small pieces. Heat a large saucepan over medium–high heat. Fry the reserved chicken skin until the oil is released. Chop the remaining garlic cloves and add to the pan with the grated root ginger. Cook for 1–2 minutes, or until just fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic. Remove the chicken skin from the pan, then add the rice and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until all the flavours are well combined. Add 500 ml of the reserved stock. Season with salt, cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rice is cooked and the stock has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and keep warm until ready to serve. Heat the remaining stock to use as a broth. Check the seasoning, adding more soy sauce if needed. To serve, Drizzle the sprinkling sauce over the chicken and garnish with coriander. Serve with fragrant rice, hot chicken soup and chilli sauce.
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Laksa Ingredients 20 raw prawns with heads on 3 tbsp vegetable oil 3 tbsp laksa paste (see below) 400ml can coconut milk Juice of 2 limes 1 tsp sugar 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla) 200g Chinese medium egg noodles Âź cucumber, cut into thin strips Small bunch of fresh coriander
Laksa paste: 2 red chillies, deseeded if you like 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 2.5cm piece ginger or galangal, roughly chopped 4 small shallots, roughly chopped 1 stick lemongrass, outer layer discarded, roughly chopped 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla) 50g ground almonds
Directions Make the laksa paste by blitzing all the ingredients in a processor to a rough-textured paste. Set aside 3 tablespoons and keep the rest in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Remove the heads and shells from the prawns – leave the tail-shells on. Pop the heads and shells into a pan with 750ml cold water and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the stock into a jug, discarding the solids. .Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over a medium heat. Add the prawns and fry for 2 minutes. Add the 3 tablespoons laksa paste and fry for 2 minutes more. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, sugar, fish sauce and shellfish stock and gently simmer. Blanch the noodles in boiling water for a few minutes, drain and divide between bowls. Top with the prawns and their soup, then garnish with the cucumber and coriander to serve.
Tips: If you don’t want to make your own laksa paste, you can buy it from supermarkets.
Char Kway Teow Ingredients 1 tbsp lard oil (or olive/vegetable oil) 1 tsp minced garlic 1 tsp crispy fried lard cubes optional 200 grams kway teow (rice flat noodles) 30 grams yellow mee (yellow egg noodles) optional 1/2 tbsp sambal chilli (either this or this) to taste 1/2 lup cheong (Chinese preserved sausage) sliced thinly and diagonally 40 grams fish cake sliced thinly 80 grams bean sprouts 3 stalks Chinese chives (koo chye) cut to 5 cm (2 inch) length 2 heaped tbsp fresh cockle meat 2 tbsp cockle juice 1 egg lightly beaten Sauce: 1 tbsp dark soy sauce to taste 1 1/2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) to taste 1/2 tsp fish sauce to taste
Directions Heat oil in wok. Stir fry garlic and crispy lard for a few seconds. Add kway teow, yellow mee, sambal chilli, lup cheong and fish cake. Pour sauce over the noodles and stir fry over high heat until the colour is even. Add bean sprouts and Chinese chives, stir fry briefly to mix everything, then pour beaten egg over the noodles. Stir fry until the egg is dry and evenly distributed. Add cockles and cockles juice, stir fry for a further 10 seconds and then serve immediately.
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Satay Ingredients Chicken: 1/2 cup coconut milk 1 tablespoon fish sauce 2 teaspoons curry powder 1 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 16 thin strips
Sauce: 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Directions Whisk coconut milk, fish sauce, curry, sugar, cilantro, salt and pepper. Put chicken in a large ziplock bag; pour in marinade. Seal bag; rub marinade into chicken. Chill for 3 hours, turning bag occasionally. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper, sugar, ginger, sesame oil, peanut butter and broth in a pan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Thin with more chicken broth, if desired. Remove from heat, let cool, cover and chill. Preheat grill to medium. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Thread each piece of chicken onto a metal or bamboo skewer. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Serve with sauce.
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Bak Kut Teh Ingredients 600g free range pork ribs 1.2 litres water 1 bulb garlic, cloves separated but not peeled Half a big red onion 3-5g crushed white peppercorns 2-3 slices of dang gui 2 sticks of codonopsis 4g goji berries Red chillies Dark soya sauce Long grain jasmine rice Optional: 2-3 pieces liquorice root Few slices of ligusticum 1 small star anise
Tips: For a more flavoursome stock, turn off the heat and let the soup cool down for a few hours to half a day. Bring it back to a boil when you want to serve.
Directions Blanch the pork ribs in a pot of boiling water to remove the scum. Drain, cut into rib pieces. Leave aside in a bowl of cool water. Add garlic, onion, crushed white peppercorns, dang gui, codonopsis (and the 3 optional ingredients) into a stock pot with 1.2L of water, bring to a boil. Lower the rib pieces into the stock and then cover it and simmer for around 1 hour. About 30 minutes before serving, add the goji berries. Before serving, season it with salt, light soya sauce and sugar. Serve with Chinese tea, blanched veggies, steamed jasmine rice and chopped red chillies in dark soya sauce.
Ice Kacang Ingredients 2 cups ice cubes or crushed ice Syrup: 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1/3 cup water 3 drops red coloring, optional Toppings: 2 tablespoons condensed milk or evaporated milk 2 tablespoons canned red beans, in kernels 2 tablespoons canned sweet corn, cream-style 2 tablespoons grass jelly pieces Attap chee (palm nuts), optional
Directions Add all the ingredients in the Syrup in a small sauce pan. Heat it up over medium heat. As soon as the sugar melts and the syrup starts to bubble, turn off the heat. Set aside and let cool. Prepare the shaved ice by using a blender. Make sure that the ice is completely shaved. Transfer the shaved ice to a bowl and add 2 tablespoons syrup, follow by all the ingredients in the toppings. Serve immediately.
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Jamie’s new cookbook brings you Singapore comfort food recipes. It’s all about the dishes that are close to your heart. Inspired by Singapore’s hawker food, and taking into account the guilty pleasures and sweet indulgences that Singaporeans enjoy, it’s brimming with exciting recipes you’ll fall in love with. Jamie’s Eat Local introduces cherished dishes from Singapore, and also features ultimate versions of Singaporean’s all-time favourites with a little bit of twist. Written in Jamie’s usual easy-to-understand style, the methods are precise and have been tested to the hilt. This time Jamie has turned the edit filter off, and shares extra hints, tips and ideas throughout to ensure you achieve the best possible results.