Treats from Singapore's streets

The country's hawker culture recently bagged the UNESCO tag of intangible heritage. Mumbai chefs and restaurateurs who've tasted its street fare, take us on a culinary trail

As Indians who are thronged by bustling khau gallis of all kinds at every other corner, we know that food is more than just a means of sustenance; it’s a key ingredient in building a community. It is this sense of community that UNESCO recognised at Singapore’s hawking centres, when it recently bestowed the ‘intangible heritage’ tag on the country’s vibrant street food culture. Culinary experts from Mumbai, who have hung out at these hawking centres and offer a slice of that culture here, share which flavours stood out for them.

Singapore vermicelli noodles at Yauatcha

Organised food heaven
Karyna Bajaj, executive director at KA Hospitality, remembers digging into her first bowl of Cheung fun noodle at Singapore, when she was about eight. It’s a dish that she serves now at Yauatcha, BKC, with a twist. “What’s amazing about the street food culture there is that it is so well organised — from the hawkers to the atriums below the corporate complexes. Also, there is a strong influence of the Indian cuisine, especially South Indian.

Karyna Bajaj

The roti canai, which is my favourite till date, is literally paratha and curry. Their curries are similar to ours,” she shares. “Another dish that stood out was ngoh hiang or pork rolls that are named after the famous Chinese five-spice powder, which lends the dish its unique flavour. The origins lie with the Hokkiens in China,” Bajaj reveals. The kaya toast, a breakfast staple, is quite similar to French toast but has a filling of creamy jam made with coconut milk, gula melaka or palm sugar, eggs and butter. “Vermicelli noodle in curry is also a staple there,” she tells us, adding that an inspired version of it is now a part of the restaurant’s menu.

Changing flavours

Crab omelette

Executive chef of The St Regis Mumbai Dane Fernandes fondly recollects his 2017 trip with friends to the country where he found a lot of focus on local produce and flavours. “They celebrate cross-cultural specialties. Their flavours change every 100 to 150 km; so you’ll taste a whole new curry with every new place you try in a different neighbourhood,” he informs us, adding that the cuisine bears Singaporean, Balinese, Malay, Thai, Indonesian, Chinese and European influences.

Chef Dane Fernandes

The dishes that stood out for him include crab omelette, Hainanese chicken rice, char kway teow-wok fried noodles, mie goreng, and krapao rice, which is “a spicy combination of pork mince topped with a fried egg, served on a bed of steamed jasmine rice”.

Laksa fun

Chef Punit Kewalramani

“I have loved eating the frog legs porridge. The Maxwell Road Hawker Centre is where one must go for the chilli crabs Singapore style,” shares head chef of Esora, Punit Kewalramani. He recommends trying the prawn curry laksa at Newton Food Centre which has a range of laksas on offer, adding that the fourth generation chefs who have settled there from neighbouring countries bring their own flavours to the preparation.

Pocket-friendly and fresh

Asian hawker noodles at Townhall

Chef Augusto Cabrera, managing partner and corporate chef, Townhall, tells us that since Singapore is close to his homeland, The Philippines, his first experience was a long time ago. “You will fall in love with the food; they use fresh ingredients and have affordable meals. I enjoyed chilli crabs, Hainanese chicken and steamed tapioca cake,” he says, suggesting we visit Chomp Food Centre, Hawker Chan and The Banana Leaf Apolo.

Chef Augusto Cabrera

He adds that he now whips up a version of noodles inspired by his visits, called Asian hawker noodles. “It is slightly hot, smoky egg noodles with lots of fresh mixed vegetables and a twist of star anise.”

Veg krapao rice

Ingredients
>> 80g jasmin rice >> 5g carrots (diced) >> 5g corn kernel
>> 5g french beans >> 5g each basil, garlic, ginger and chillies (all chopped) >> 3g onions (chopped) >> 2g thai chillies >> 10g chilli paste >> 10g veg oyster sauce >> 2g salt >> 5g sugar >> 3g aromatic powder >> 10g oil >> 5g dark soy sauce

Method
Add oil, and saute chopped ginger, garlic, chillies and onion in a wok. Tip in chilli paste, veg oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and sauté. Add carrots, beans, corn, basil, Thai chillies and stir. Throw in the jasmine rice. Add salt, sugar, aromatic powder and toss the wok. For the chilli oyster sauce, add oil in a wok; throw in chopped ginger, garlic and chillies. Sauté this with chilli paste, veg oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and add one cup water with seasoning. Give this a quick boil; adjust the consistency. Add this sauce to the fried jasmine rice.

- Chef Dane Fernandes

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