WHAT TO EAT:

Kaya Toast

Lets’ take a ‘kopi’ break and have a little Kaya toast. This pastry is delicious when eaten with coffee or tea. What makes this grill sandwich so tasty? It’s the kaya jam that is slathered in between. It’s a traditional jam made from coconut and eggs. You have two slices of grilled bread with traces of butter and kaya toast slathered on, served with perfection.

Chili Crab

Another treat that one can find at hawker centers is succulent chili crab. A meal that should be shared by a family of foodies, it has two components fried crab and a sweet yet savory sauce. The sauce is what makes this dish drool-worthy. The base is created by infusing chili and tomato sauces which pack a punch and will tingle your taste buds. Other elements of the sauce are garlic vinegar, flour and egg ribbons which give the sauce its thick and fluffy texture.

Fried Sesame Ball (Jian Dui)

This golden nugget originates from China, and can be bought at local Chinese bakeries. That’s the magnificent thing about Singapore, you don’t just have the standard bakery but pastries from all cultures. If you love sesame seeds and crispy confectionaries this is the perfecr for you, but it’s the filling that gets the attention! The sweet and chewy texture of the filling compliments the crispiness of the outer sesame coating. Popular fillings would be red bean paste, lotus seed paste, or various nutty versions.

Hakka Yong Tau Foo

Tau Foo, tofu? It’s one in the same! This is not just one dish but a combination of delicacies such as chili, lady’s finger, bean curd, bitter gourd, mushroom, tofu skin and eggplant bathed in a steamy broth or can be served dry. The added broth allows vegetables to cook further and soak up the flavour of the broth. This healthy meal can be found at stalls in Goldhill Hakka Restaurant along Changi Road and Rong Xin Cooked Food at Tanjong Pagar Market and Food Centre.

Laksa

Based on Perankan cusine which is a combination of Indonesian, Malay, and Chinese falvours Laksa is one of the popular dishes in Asia. Laksa Lemak is a spicy-coconut gravy based dish that consists of noodles, fishcake, prawns, and chopped bean sprouts. In Singapore, Katong is the infamous neighborhood in which Laksa can be found in many hawker centers and food courts that dish out this delicacy.