Singaporean cuisine is indicative of the ethnic diversity of the culture of Singapore which originated

from Malaysia, as a product of centuries of cultural interaction owing to Singapore's strategic

location. The food is influenced by the native Malay,[1] the
predominant Chinese, Indonesian,Indian, Peranakan, and Western traditions
(particularly English and some Portuguese-influenced Eurasian, known as Kristang) since the
founding of Singapore by the British in the nineteenth century. Influences from other areas such
as Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Middle Eastexist in local food culture as well. In Singaporean hawker
stalls, for example, chefs of Chinese background influenced by Indian culture might experiment with
condiments and ingredients such as tamarind, turmeric, and ghee, while an Indian chef might serve
a fried noodle dish. With a variety of influences from different countries, it is suffice to note that the
globalization phenomenon affects the cuisine in Singapore as well.
This globalization phenomenon on the cuisine of Singapore proves to be a significant cultural
attraction. Most prepared food is eaten outside the home at hawker centres or food courts, examples
of which include Lau Pa Sat and Newton Food Centre, rather than at restaurants. This is because
such Singaporean hawker stalls include a huge variety of cuisines, ranging from Malay food, to Thai,
Indian, Western, Korean, Japanese and even Vietnamese food. These hawker centres are abundant
and cheap, hence encouraging a large consumer base.
In Singapore, food is viewed as crucial to national identity and a unifying cultural
thread; Singaporean literature declares eating as a national pastime and food, a national obsession.
Food is a frequent topic of conversation among Singaporeans. Religious dietary strictures do exist;
Muslims do not eat pork and Hindus do not eat beef, and there is also a significant group of
vegetarians. People from different communities often eat together, while being mindful of each
other's culture and choose food that is acceptable to all. There are also some halalrestaurants
catering to Muslim dietary preferences.
Singaporean cuisine has been promoted as an attraction for tourists by the Singapore Tourism
Board, as a major attraction alongside its shopping. The government organises the Singapore Food
Festival in July to celebrate Singapore's cuisine. The multiculturalism of local food, the ready
availability of international cuisine and styles, and their wide range in prices to fit all budgets at all
times of the day and year helps create a "food paradise". In addition, the Overseas Singaporean Unit
organizes Singapore Day as a platform for Singaporeans who are overseas to come together as
one.[2] During the event, local Singaporean hawker food will be prepared for the overseas
Singaporean to enjoy.
As Singapore is a small country with a high population density, land is a scarce resource devoted to
industrial and housing purposes. Most produce and food ingredients are imported, although there is
a small group of local farmers who produce some leafy vegetables, fruit, poultry, and fish.
Singapore's geographical position connects it to major air and sea transport routes and thus allows it

to import a variety of food ingredients from around the world, including costly seafood items such
as salmon from Norway.

Indian[edit]

Indian rojak

Rice served with papadum, on banana leaf

Like other divisions of Singaporean cuisine, Indian Singaporean Cuisine has influence from multiple
ethnic groups. Dishes from both the North Indian region and the South Indian region can be found in
Singapore.[6]

Achar, a condiment consisting of pickled vegetables and/or fruits; which also has found its way
into Malay and Peranakan cooking, where other unique versions exist

Appam, a fermented rice pancake

Butter chicken, a dish of chicken cooked in a gravy of spices, yogurt, butter, and tomato

Curry the basic Indian vegetable or meat gravy; Malay and Chinese versions also exist

Mamak rojak, a dish of various vegetables and fruits, beancurd, seafood deep fried in batter,
crushed peanuts, crispy dough crullers, and a spicy and sweet chilli sauce; traditional Malay,
Indonesian, and Chinese variants are common as well

Murtabak, originating from the Middle East, this Indian-Muslim dish today consists of folded roti
prata dough stuffed with spiced minced meat, onions, and egg and often is served with curry

Muruku, a type of circular crackers

Naan, a flatbread cooked in a tandoor oven

Nasi biryani, a flavoured rice dish cooked or served with mutton, chicken, vegetable, or fish
curry is served with Basmati rice; alternatively, dum biryani is a version more akin to the
traditional South Asian dish, which is a variant that bakes the spiced meat with the rice

Pappadom, also known as pappoms or papad, they are a type of southern Indian wafer

Putu mayam, a dish Sri Lankan in origin, similar to Sri Lankan hoppers with thin vermicelli-like
cakes that are eaten with coconut sugar, a typical breakfast food

Roti prata, a local evolution of the Pakistani and Indian paratha is popular for breakfast or late
night supper; this dish is enjoyed by all Singaporeans and commonly served with sugar and
curry and a plethora of modern variations are available including egg, cheese,
chocolate,masala, durian, and even ice cream; ideally it should be crispy on the outside and soft
on the inside, and the dough is flipped to attain the right texture, then cooked quickly on a
greased stove

Soup kambing, a local Mamak (Tamil Muslim) dish of spiced mutton soup

Soup tulang, a local Mamak (Tamil Muslim) dish of mutton or beef bones stewed in a spicy red
sauce with the intent of eating the marrow

Tandoori, marinated meat, usually chicken in a mixture of spices and yoghurt and cooked in a
clay oven

Dosa, rice and lentil pancake. Commonly served as a "masala" version that includes spiced
potatoes and served with different types of sambar

Vadai, spicy, deep-fried snacks that are made from dhal, lentils or potato

Singapore

Char Kway Teow

Singapore Sling
Singapore Sling is a cocktail created at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel, and is Singapores national drink.

Rojak
Rojak is a Singaporean-style salad of beansprouts, greens, tau pok, you tiao, pineapple, cucumber, and peanuts
tossed with a prawn paste.

Rendang
Rendang is a Malay dish with Indonesian origins consisting of beef or chicken stewed in coconut milk and spices.

Mooncakes
Mooncakes are made up of a thin skin covering a sweet dense filling, sometimes containing salted egg yolks.

Hokkien Prawn Mee

Hokkien Prawn Mee is made by frying yellow and white noodles with seafood and lard.

Hakka Yong Tau Foo

Yong Tau Foo is a healthy local dish consisting of tofu stuffed with fish or pork paste.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Hainanese Chicken Rice is often known a Singapores national dish and is a favourite among locals and tourists
alike.

Fried Carrot Cake

Fried Carrot Cake, or Chai Tow Kueh, is made with steamed rice flour and white radish, fried with egg and garnished
with spring onions.

Fish Head Curry

Fish Head Curry is a Singaporean dish of Ikan Merah (red snapper fish) cooked in a spicy-hot curry with vegetables.

Otak Otak
Otak Otak is a Peranakan dish of mashed fish and spices, which is steamed then grilled.

Kaya Toast
Kaya Toast is a Singaporean breakfast item of Kaya, a coconut jam made with eggs, sugar and pandan, and toast.

Fried Sesame Ball (Jian Dui)

Fried Sesame Balls are made from glutinous rice flour and contain an assortment of fillings.

Dumpling Noodles (Wanton Mee)

Dumpling Noodles is a Cantonese dish of noodles served with dumplings filled with ingredients such as prawns and
pork.

Chilli Crab
Chilli Crab is one of Singapores signature dishes and is made by frying crabs with a fragrant red sauce.

Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kut Teh,meaning meat bone tea, is a soup made with pork ribs and spices.

Satay
Satay is a Malay and Indonesian dish of grilled meat on skewers, served with a peanut dipping sauce.

Ice Kachang
Ice Kachang contains jelly, red beans, sweet corn and attap chee (palm seeds), topped with shaved ice, coloured
syrups and condensed milk.

Roti Prata
Roti Prata is a Indian dish that is similar to a pancake and eaten with curry or sugar.

Nasi Lemak
Nasi Lemak is a rice dish made from cooking rice in coconut milk and serving it with a variety of dishes.

Kazakh cuisine is the cuisine of Kazakhstan, and traditionally is focused on mutton and horse meat,
as well as various milk products. For hundreds of years, Kazakhs were herders who raised fat-tailed
sheep, Bactrian camels, and horses, relying on these animals for transportation, clothing, and
food.[1] The cooking techniques and major ingredients have been strongly influenced by the
nation's nomadic way of life. For example, most cooking techniques are aimed at longterm preservation of food. There is a large practice of salting and drying meat so that it will last, and
there is a preference for sour milk, as it is easier to save in a nomadic lifestyle.[2]
Meat in various forms has always been the primary ingredient of Kazakh cuisine, and traditional
Kazakh cooking is based on boiling. Horse and mutton are the most popular forms of meat and are
most often served in large uncut pieces, which have been boiled. Kazakhs cared especially for
horses which they intended to slaughterkeeping them separate from other animals and feeding
them so much that they often became so fat they had difficulty moving.[3]
Quwurdaq is referred to as Kazakhstan's national dish. Besbarmak, a dish consisting of boiled
horse or mutton meat, is the most popular Kazakh dish. It is also called "five fingers" because of the
way it is eaten. The chunks of boiled meat are cut and served by the host in order of the guests
importance. Besbarmak is usually eaten with a boiled pasta sheet, and a meat broth called sorpa,
and is traditionally served in Kazakh bowls calledkese.
Other popular meat dishes are kazy (which is a horse meat sausage that only the wealthy could
afford),[4] shuzhuk (horse meat sausages), kuyrdak(also spelled kuirdak, a dish made from roasted
horse, sheep, or cow offal, with the heart, liver, kidneys, and other organs, diced and served
withonions and peppers),[5] and various horse delicacies, such as zhal (smoked lard from horse's
neck) and zhaya (salted and smoked meat from horse's hip and hind leg).[6] Another popular dish
is pilaf (palaw), which is made from meat fried with carrots, onions, and/or garlic, then cooked
with rice.
[clarification needed]

, also known as crackler, is melted fat in a large bowl with sugar added, and is eaten by

dipping bread in it and is often eaten with tea.Kylmai is a sausage made during fall and winter
slaughtering and is made by stuffing intestines with pieces of ground meat, fat, blood, garlic, salt,
andpepper. Zhauburek, also known as kebab, is popular among hunters and travelers and is a dish
in which small pieces of meat are roasted over a fire.Ulpershek is a dish made from the heart, aorta,
and fat of a horse, prepared in a kettle, and is often shared between sisters-in-law as a sign of
unity.Kazy is a sausage eaten in the spring when a cow has a new calf; it is a giant sausage
sometimes served with rice or kurt. Mypalau is a dish made from sheeps brain made by putting the
brain in a wooden bowl, add marrow and some pieces of meat, add salted fat broth and garlic, and
this dish is then often served to honored guests. Akshelek is a large camel bone distributed to
children after slaughtering and cooking meat from a camel.

Kylmai is another kind of sausage eaten later in the year after it has aged - if smoked it will last a
long time, something important in Kazakh cooking.Zhal is the layer of fat under a horses mane and
is served only to special and honored guests, as it is such a rare commodity. Zhaya is the rump of a
horse, probably served boiled. Ak Sorpa is a white broth made in the fall, and is a special meal for
rich men. Kuiryk-bauyr is a meal which used to be served to kinsmen at wedding parties. It is made
with boiled meat, sliced thinly, then sour milk and salted broth are added.[4]
Traditional milk products include sut, which is boiled milk. Kaimak is sour cream made from boiled
milk, and is sometimes served with tea. Sary mai isbutter made from old milk, often in a leather
bag. Kurt is prepared by pressing thick sour cream, and is dried until white and salty. Irimzhik is
a cottage cheese processed in the spring, made from boiled, unskimmed milk and added sour
cream. Suzbe and katyk are strained and thickened sour milk.Koryktyk is a herdsmans food, which
is thickened milk made out on the steppe. Tosap is made from the scum on the sides of a metal pot
and is used as medicine. Airan is sour milk used in winter and summer. Shalgam, which is radish
salad and finally, shubat and kumys (fermented camels milk and fermented mares milk) are seen
as good for ones health and are imbibed often.[4]
The introduction of flour to Kazakh cuisine brought about dishes such as baursak, shelpek, manti,
and nan. Baursak is made by frying dough balls, and shelpek is a flat cake made in a similar
fashion.[7] Manti, a very popular Kazakh dish, is a spiced mixture of ground lamb (or beef) spiced with
black pepper, enclosed in a dough wrapper. Manti are cooked in a multi-level steamer and served
topped with butter, sour cream, or onion sauce.Tandyr nan is a type of traditional bread made in
the tandoor oven, popular in cities along the Silk Way. Kuimak, kattama, and oima are flat
puff cakesfried in oil then covered in cream.

Beverages[edit]
See also: Kazakh wine

A bottle and glass of kumys.

The traditional drinks are fermented mare's milk (kumys),[8] camel's milk (shubat),[9] cows milk (airan),
and sheep's milk, as well as its productskaymak (sour
cream), katyk or ayran (buttermilk), kurt (which is made from dried cheese and whey rolled into
balls),[7] and irimshik (dried sour milk product similar to kurt, but not rolled into balls).[10] These drinks
were traditionally consumed with the main course. However, meals often end with kumys and
then tea.[7] In the summer, chal is one of the staple drinks of the Adai Kazakhs.[11] Black tea was
introduced from China since the foundation of the Silk Way and was traditionally consumed with
sweets after the main course. Nowadays tea (with milk) has virtually replaced other traditional drinks.

Middle Eastern cuisine is the cuisine of the various countries and peoples of the Middle East. The
cuisine of the region is diverse while having a degree of homogeneity.[1] Some commonly used
ingredients include olives and olive
oil, pitas, honey, sesame seeds, dates,[1] sumac, chickpeas,mint and parsley. Some popular dishes
include kibbeh and shawarma.
The Middle East includes the region formerly known as the Fertile Crescent (the land between
the Tigris and Euphrates rivers), where wheat was first cultivated, followed
by barley, pistachios, figs, pomegranates, dates and other regional staples. Fermentation was also
discovered here to leaven bread and make beer. As a crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa,
this area has long been a hub of food and recipe exchange. During thePersian Empire (ca. 550330
BCE), the foundation was laid for modern Middle-Eastern food when rice, poultry and various fruits
were incorporated into the local diets. Figs, dates and nuts were brought by Arabian warriors to
conquered lands, and spices were brought back from the Orient.[2]
The area was also influenced by dumplings from Mongol invaders; turmeric, cumin, garlic and other
spices from India; cloves, peppercorns andallspice from the Spice Islands; okra from Africa;
and tomatoes from the New World, via the Moors of Spain. Religion has also had an impact on the
cuisine; neither Jews nor Muslims eat pork, making lamb the primary meat. Since the Qur'an forbids
alcohol consumption, the region isn't noted much for its wineexcept in religiously mixed Lebanon,
where vineyards like Chateau Ksara, Chateau Kefraya and Chateau Masaya have gained
international fame for their wines. Chateau Ksara is also very popular for its arak, the Lebanese
version of raki and ouzo. Al-Maza is Lebanon's primary brewery, which was also, at one time, the
Middle East's only beer-producing factory. Lebanon has always been well known in the region for its
wines and arak, making it an exception when it comes to lack of alcohol in the region.[1][3]
Under the Ottoman Empire, sweet pastries of paper thin phyllo dough and dense coffee were
brought to the area.

Cereals[edit]
Cereals constitute the basis of the Middle Eastern diet, both historically and
today. Wheat and rice are the major and preferred sources of staple foods.Barley is also widely used
in the region and maize has became common in some areas as well. Bread is a universal staple
eaten in one form or another by all classes and groups practically at every meal.
Aside from bread, wheat is also used in the forms of burghul and couscous. Burghul is cracked
wheat, made by partially cooking the wheat grains in water, drying it in an oven or in the sun, then
breaking it into pieces, in different grades of size. Typically, it is cooked in water, with flavorings,
much like rice. Burghul is also used in making meat pies and as an ingredient in salads, notably in
tabbouleh, with chopped parsley, tomato, lemon, and oil.Freekeh is another common grain, made
from immature green wheat.

There are many types of rice produced and consumed in the region. Plain rice is served under grilled
meats or with meat/vegetable stews. In more complex rice dishes, there are layers of meat,
vegetables, sauces, nuts, or dried fruits.

Flavorings[edit]
Butter and clarified butter (also known as samna) are, traditionally, the preferred medium of cooking.
Olive oil is prevalent in the Mediterranean coastal areas. Christians use it during Lent, when meat
and dairy products are excluded, and Jews use it in place of animal fats such as butter to avoid
mixing meat and dairy products.
Most regions in the Middle East use spices. Typically, a stew will include a small amount
of cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and coriander. Black pepper is common, and chili peppers are used
occasionally, especially as a separate sauce or as a pickle. Parsley and mint are commonly used
both in cooking and in salads. Thyme and thyme blends (za'atar) are common in Syria, Lebanon,
Jordan, Israel, and Palestine, and a mixture of dried thyme and sumac (crushed sour berries) is a
common breakfast item with oil and bread. Sumac is also sprinkled over grilled meat. Garlic is
common to many dishes and salads.

Meat[edit]
Lamb and mutton have always been the favored meats of the Middle East. Pork is prohibited in both
Islam and Judaism, and as such is rarely eaten in the region. Prominent among the meat
preparations are grilled meats, or kebabs. There are a wide variety of these grills, with many regional
specialties and styles. The most common are the cubed cuts on skewers, known as shish kebab in
most places. Chicken may also be grilled in the same fashion. Another common variety is kofta
kebab, made from ground meat, sometimes mixed with onions and spices, shaped around the
skewer like a long sausage and grilled. Kebabs are typically a street or restaurant food, served with
bread, salad, and pickles. It is not usually prepared in domestic kitchens.
Meat and vegetable stews, served with rice, bulgur, or bread, are another form of meat preparation
in the region. Kibbeh is a pie or dumpling made with meat and cereal. The most common are made
with ground meat (typically lamb) and burghul, worked together like a dough, then stuffed with
minced meat that has been fried with onion, aromatics, and, sometimes, pine nuts or almonds and
raisins. This can either be in the form of individual small dumplings (usually shaped like a torpedo),
or in slices like a cake, baked on an oven tray with the stuffing placed between two layers of the
dough. One variation is kibbeh naye, raw kibbeh, which is made by pounding raw meat and burghul
together with seasoning and served with dips of lemon juice and chili sauce.

Vegetables[edit]
Vegetables and pulses are the predominant staple of the great majority of the people in the Middle
East. They are boiled, stewed, grilled, stuffed, and cooked with meat and with rice. Among the green

leaf vegetables, many varieties of cabbage, spinach, and chard are widely used. Root and bulb
vegetables, such as onions and garlic, as well as carrots, turnips, and beets are equally common.
Squash, tomato, eggplants, and okra are distinctive elements in the cookery of the region. Eggplant
is often fried in slices and dressed in yogurt and garlic, or roasted over an open fire, then pulped and
dressed with tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, garlic, and cumin, a dish known as baba ghanoush.
Tomato is the most ubiquitous ingredient in Middle Eastern cookery. It is used fresh in a variety of
salads, cooked in almost every stew and broth, and grilled with kebab.
Beans and pulses are crucial to the diet of the region, second only to cereals. Fava beans are eaten
both green and dried. Dried, they are boiled into one of the most popular Egyptian foods-ful
medames, a domestic and street food, eaten for breakfast or any other meal, mashed and dressed
in oil, lemon, and chili. Similar dishes are found in all other parts of the region. The famous Falafel,
now popular in Europe and America, was originally made from dried fava, crushed and formed into a
rissole with herbs and spices, then fried. It is also made from chickpeasor a mixture of the two.
Green fava are cooked like other green beans, boiled and dressed in oil, or stewed with meat. The
haricot beans and black-eyed beans are also common. Lentils, split peas, and chickpeas are widely
used in soups, with rice, in salads, or with meat. Hummus, made from chickpeas and sesame paste,
originated in Syria and Lebanon.

Dishes[edit]
Stuffed vegetables are a dish most associated with the Middle East in the popular mind. They are
commonly called dolma, the Turkish word meaning "stuffed," but also the Arabic mahshi. Grape
leaves, chard, and cabbage are stuffed with rice, ground meat, pine nuts, and spices, and then
stewed in oil and tomato. Many vegetables are similarly stuffed and stewed or baked, such as
squash, onion, tomato, eggplant, peppers, and even carrots.
Mezze is common throughout the Middle East. It consists of a number of small dishes that are
picked at leisure: cheese, melon, nuts, various salads and dips, such
as tabbouleh, hummusand mutabbal, pickles, and also more substantial items, such as grilled
meat, kibbeh, and sausage.[4]
Arabs commonly consume milk, fresh or soured. Yogurt, a Turkish contribution, is commonly
consumed plain, used in cooking, used in salad dressing, or diluted as a drink. White cheeses, like
the Greek feta and haloumi, are the most common in the region.

Beverages[edit]
Turkish coffee is the most well known beverage of the region. It is thicker than regular coffee and is
made by boiling finely ground coffee in water and then letting the grounds settle. In the 1980s,
instant coffee also became popular. Aside from coffee, there is also an alcoholic drink called arak. It
is most famous for its potency and milky-white color when water is added, producing the drink

nicknamed "the milk of lions". Water and ice are almost always added because of an alcohol content
between 30% and 60%. Arak is colorless in its pure form and is aniseed-flavored. In the Middle East,
arak is served in social settings and with mezze.[5] A common drink served during Ramadan is
Qamar El Deen, a thick and sweet apricot drink. The apricots are boiled with sugar and water until
they are thick and placed on wooden planks left in the sun until dry. A fruit leather is left, which is
then melted with water and sugar and drunk.[6]Another popular drink is Jallab. It is made by diluting a
mixture grape molasses, dates, and rose water and served with crushed ice. Some also serve it with
raisins or pine nuts.[7] Ayran is a beverage made from yogurt.

Etiquette[edit]
See also: Etiquette in the Middle East
In some areas of the Middle East, especially in the Persian Gulf countries, it is common for people to
take their food from a communal plate in the center of the table. Rather than employing forks or
spoons, people traditionally dine without utensils; they scoop up food with their thumb and two
fingers or pita bread. In and around the Arab world, the left hand is considered unclean. Even lefthanded people eat only with the right hand. A common exception is that the left hand may be used
to hold a drinking glass when eating greasy food with the right.[8] It is proper etiquette to compliment
the host on the food and his hospitality. Similarly, it is important to try every plate on the table. If a
guest does not leave food on his plate, the host generally fills it immediately.[9] The Middle East
places emphasis on enjoying meals with family and friends.
During the month of Ramadan, food consumption increases dramatically throughout Muslim
communities. Breaking the fast becomes a banquet, with exchanges of invitations between kin and
friends, and public banquets held by charities and associations. Cafes and pastry shops are open at
night, and a carnival atmosphere prevails in the streets. Many Muslims, following the reported
example of the Prophet, break their fast with a date, followed by a variety of dishes. Sweet pastries
and puddings are always present on Ramadan nights everywhere. The end of Ramadan is marked
by a festival, Id 'al-Fitr, a feast that breaks the fast, during which a great quantity and variety of
sweets and pastries are consumed. The other major Muslim feast is that of 'Id al-Adha, the feast of
the sacrifice, which occurs during the pilgrimage month. At this time an animal, usually a sheep or a
goat, is slaughtered in every household that can afford it, and great banquets are prepared, with an
obligation to give food to the poor.[4]