Singapore's TidbiTs

Lontong is a popular traditional malay dish, which can be eaten anytime, during breakfast, lunch, even dinner. The dish comprised of compressed rice cakes with curry-ish gravy (sayur lemak or lodeh) whose ingredients include vegetables such cabbage (lots of it), long beans, fried tofu, carrots, and egg. The rice cakes or boiled compressed rice are similar to soto ayam or ketupat found in satay dish, except lontong is roundish due to the shape of the banana-leaf wrapped rice inside the metal mould, though these one can find the pre-cooked version in supermarkets and sundry stores. Sambal chilli or chilli paste is optional too for those who wants the added zest. But what is lontong without the sambal right? The sambal tend to be of the sweeter type, not the spicy sambal belacan type. Do you notice the serunding? Lontong would not be complete without the serunding! Serunding is the golden brown fried coconut flakes. You can get lontong like the one shown here for about $4.50. Egg is opt...

One of Singapore's favourite breakfast that you can find all over Singapore. Many have it for late supper too as many roti prata shops open 24 hours. We are a nation that cannot stop eating. The good old roti prata or Indian pancakes. Roti means bread. And prata means flat. Literally it means flat bread. Our Malaysian neighbours call it Roti Canai. The origin could be from Chennai, India. Prata can be plain or may come with fillings, depending on customers preference, eggs being the most common. You can also have a combo of egg and onion. Crispy roti prata with curry There are also cheese, banana and chocolate pratas. And prata topped with ice-cream! Similar to the French crepes. Prata is a bit greasy, though the crispier ones taste better and probably less greasy too. You dip the prata into the vegetable, fish or meat curry sauce. Prata typically cost between 80 cents to $2 each depending on whether it's plain or with eggs and other fillings. Price also varies depending on i...

If you crave for that yummy Indian dishes there are many tasty yet affordable dishes that you can get for between $3 to $5. The good old roti prata or Indian pancake with vegetable, fish or meat curry gravy, which you can find practically everywhere in Singapore, at hawker centres , food-courts or coffee-shops. Or stand-alone stalls that just sells roti-prata and other Indian foods. Though just like many local snacks, roti-prata can be quite greasy as well. Chappati set with four different dips. Other common tasty and affordable Indian food is potato filled masala thosai with curry and sourish sauces, dipping or gravies that you can get for $3 or a chappati set that includes two pieces of chapatis and three side dishes plus poppadom, or Indian cracker. If you are looking for a healthier option, chapati will probably be it. Just like roti-prata, you can find those or chapati at many Indian stalls at hawker centres or food-courts. A plain thosai without fillings cost only between $1.50...