Aug 9, 2022

Weird “Singaporean” Dishes That Are Not Singaporean

‘Singaporean Rice’ took the internet by storm when locals slammed the dish after discovering it on Reddit. We searched for other ‘Singaporean’ dishes that have nothing to do with Singapore. These dishes were created according to the tastebuds of those who probably haven’t stepped foot in Singapore and had a taste of the local food.

Here are 3 dishes that are named after sunny Singapore but are not from the island.

Singapore Fried Rice

Source: Indian healthy recipes

Here is another stir fried dish coming from the Indian subcontinent. It is made with leftover rice, curry powder, vegetables and paneer (indian cottage cheese) or tofu. The ingredients may seem typical of a fried rice one makes at home with leftovers or what is available on hand but it won’t be found in hawker centers.

According to Indianhealthyrecipes website, the origin of the dish is unknown and even the author mentioned that it is not a dish made or evolved in Singapore.

Source: Indian healthy recipes

The fusion style of the dish might have inspired people to name it after a country famous for being so cosmopolitan.

Here is the recipe for those who want to try and make it.

Source: Indian healthy recipes

2. Singapore Noodles.

Source: SCMP

According to SCMP, Singapore Noodles is a dish that was born in Hong Kong. It is a stir fried bee hoon dish with vegetables, meat of choice, eggs and yes, curry powder. Funny how dishes that are apparently Singaporean need a dash of curry powder.

Speaking to SCMP, Singaporean chef Damian D’Silva said that the dish was created either in the 50’s or 60’s by Hong Kong chefs who wanted to add an exotic twist to regular fried bee hoon.

“Created in either the 50s or 60s by chefs in Hong Kong, they wanted to make something exotic, hence the addition of curry powder. I believe the name is a coincidence, as the chefs felt it would add to the ‘exotic’ nature of the dish, due to the fact that Singapore wasn’t as well-known during that time. The dish then spread overseas and to Europe during the travels of the Hong Kong chefs while they were under British rule,” – Chef D’Silva for SCMP

Feeling adventurous or want to relive the times you had the dish in Hong Kong? Fret not, here’s a simple one to follow.

3. Singapore Chicken Stew

Source:Sunset.com

There is no story as to how this dish came about but it resembles ‘ayam lemak’ if a nutritionist got hold of the recipe and decided to make it healthier. This recipe ended up on an American lifestyle website under the food and drinks category.

The coconut milk based stew is filled with chicken pieces, baby spinach, corn and water chestnuts. Luckily this time there is no curry powder involved but replaced with Chinese 5 spice powder. The original poster of this recipe is from Albany, California.

Here is the recipe for the curious epicurean.