Asian Food Primer: Singapore Food

by David Johnson

A cosmopolitan city-state at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore has a mixed population of Chinese, Indians, Malays, and some Europeans. Each ethnic group has its own food traditions. Muslim food comes in both Malay and Indian styles, while vegetarian food is cooked according to both Chinese and Hindu recipes. Nasi padang, a cooking style from the Indonesian island of Sumatra is also popular. A national cuisine, Peranaken, is developing. A blend of Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, and Malay cooking, it commonly uses coconut milk.

Common ingredients:

seafood, beef, chicken, pork, tropical fruits, vegetables

Popular dishes:

barbecued sting ray on banana leaves; chili crabs; deep fried baby squid; mutton soup; lemon rice; banana porridge

More Information:

• Infoplease Atlas: Singapore
• Country Profile: Singapore