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Snacking in Singapore — A Japanese visitor’s list of some favorite Singaporean snacks

Kay Oct 1, 2013
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snack kaya top

In a previous article, I wrote about the amazing quantity and variety of mooncakes I encountered during my recent visit to Singapore. But of course, there are a host of other tasty treats to try in this island city-state. Now, although I’ve never lived in Singapore, I’ve made several trips to the country, and it probably doesn’t take very long for any visitor there to figure out that Singaporeans take their food very seriously.

Befitting a nation of people who are extremely passionate about food, there is no end to the number of high-end restaurants in Singapore serving cuisine of every kind, from gourmet Chinese food to fresh Japanese sushi and sashimi so mouth-watering that the quality is on par with or even surpasses anything you can find in Tokyo. But as you may expect, such fine dining is bound to be quite pricey.

Well, since there is already a multitude of information out there on well-known, smart restaurants, I thought I would share with you some treats I’ve tasted in Singapore that I thought were particularly delightful and at the same time won’t leave a huge dent in your wallet. Tasty and affordable, what more could you ask for, right?

Kueh Tutu — A steamed delicacy to satisfy your sweet-tooth

snack tutu lineup

A traditional Singaporean snack that I’ve found to be very much to my liking is the Kueh Tutu. These are small round creations of steamed rice flour, usually filled with ground peanut sweetened with sugar or shredded coconut, although there seem to be other flavors available as well. I adore anything containing coconut, so it’s always the coconut-filled ones for me. I just happened to try these the very first time I went to Singapore without really knowing what they were, and I’ve been in love with them ever since.

▼The shop in the Ion Orchard Mall where I’ve bought Kueh Tutu on multiple occasions

▼The set-up for steaming the Kueh Tutu

▼The actual finished Kueh Tutu

▼See the coconut filling inside — Yum!

While doing a little reading on Kueh Tutu online, I was surprised to find out that the snack is considered by some to be a disappearing food culture. (Read more about this here.) I certainly hope these uniquely Singaporean treats don’t disappear, as that would be a true pity.

What’s better than toast with butter? Toast with kaya and butter!

snack kaya top photo: Ya Kun Kaya Toast

Kaya toast is another blissfully sweet dish I discovered in Singapore. The kaya toast I’ve seen involves generous amounts of butter and kaya — a paste made from coconut milk, eggs and sugar and flavored with pandan — spread on toast. It’s considered Singapore’s national breakfast dish, and many shops and cafes around the country offer unique recipes of their kaya jam.

If, like me, you try kaya jam and love it (again, that coconut!), you can easily buy the paste at supermarkets, cafes and gift shops and take some home with you. Just be sure to pack it in with your check-in luggage on your return flight; otherwise, the jam may be confiscated as a gel/paste-type material if you try to take it in your carry-on bag.

▼ The kaya from Raffles Hotel priced at about S$10 (approx. US$8)

▼Even more affordable is my family’s favorite, the Glory Hainanese Kaya selling for just under S$3

Take a break with a refreshing tropical fruit smoothie — from McDonald’s!

snack smoothie stand

Being in a tropical climate, it can get quite hot walking around (and doing all that shopping) in Singapore. When you need to take a break from the heat, I’ve found the mango smoothie from a McDonald’s stand can be heavenly. Mango smoothies may seem quite ordinary to local residents, but for someone from a country where mango-based drinks are not standard fare, the cold and not-too-sweet beverage is insanely refreshing (and relatively healthy, I hope)!

▼At S$3.45 for a regular size, the mango smoothie certainly seems like a good deal to me.

▼Ahh… cool and fruity bliss!

A signature Singaporean dish — The Hainanese Chicken Rice

snack chicken rice 2

Now, this dish may be more of a meal than a snack, but it’s very popular local fare served in all kinds of establishments from hawker stalls to famous restaurants, and I felt it just had to be included in this story. The dish consists of chicken cooked in a chicken and pork stock with rice also cooked in a separate, special chicken stock, usually served in Singapore with a hot chili sauce, a slightly sweet dark soy sauce and ginger paste. You could call it Singapore’s comfort food, and there’s nothing quite like the taste of that slightly oily rice flavored with chicken broth. (Interestingly, we also have something called “chicken rice” in Japan, but it’s a completely different dish all together, as it is a kind of fried rice containing chicken and vegetables such as onion, mushrooms and peas and flavored with ketchup.)

▼Beautifully presented Hainanese Chicken Rice with all the sauce and condiments and a bowl of chicken broth

▼The chili, soy sauce and ginger taste delectable together, but the rice is actually good enough to eat alone without any chicken or sauce.

So, I hope I’ve tantalized you a bit with some flavors of Singapore. I know there are countless other delicious foods in Singapore, but the above treats are items I would definitely want to have every time I’m there. Of course, I’m sure there are many more amazing local snacks and dishes I’m not aware of, so please feel free to let us know some of your favorites!

Top and inset image of Kaya toast: Ya Kun Kaya Toast
All other photos: RocketNews24