Singapore's TidbiTs

Cheng teng is a uniquely sweet local dessert or comfort drink that has been around for generations. This icy cold dessert drinks are popular especially given our local weather that are hot and humid. You can also have your cheng teng (also spelled as cheng tng ) warm or hot. Bedok Corner cheng-teng Cheng teng can be served either hot or cold. It is a potpourri of ingredients that include longan , ginko nuts , lily bulbs , white fungus , red dates , lianzi , barley, etc. Cold cheng teng is added with shaved ice. It is a sweet ‘cooling’ tasting dessert, like most desserts here. Cheng teng is believed to be able to get rid of heatiness in the hot and humid Singapore weather due to the tonic effect of some of the ingredients, which are herbal in nature. Some ingredients are used as part of traditional Chinese medicine, which have been used for centuries. But with so many ingredients in a bowl, cheng teng tastes very refreshing and sweet instead of herbal-ish. The hot or warm version is ev...

Bedok Food Centre is a hawker centre affectionately known as Bedok Corner . Simply because it is located at the corner of Bedok Road and Upper East Coast Road. A compact place with 31 stalls where you can find and taste traditional local delicacies such as satay , ayam penyet , laksa , rojak , bubur kampong (kampong style porridge), sup kambing (mutton soup), mee soto , chicken rice, char kway teow, gado-gado, Hokkien mee, roti john and snacks such as banana or chempedak fritters, epok-epok or curry puffs. There is a popular local dessert cheng teng stall, a few seafood stalls that sell the perennial seafood dishes such as the spicy sambal stingray, cumi sotong (squid) and sambal lala. Bubur is congee or porridge and kampong means village. Chempedak is artocarpus integer , in the same family as jackfruit. Bedok Food Centre a.k.a. Bedok Corner The words food centre and hawker centres are used interchangeably, and they basically mean the same. In many countries the term hawker c...

Mee soto is a spicy chicken noodle soup commonly found in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Mee means noodles. The spiciness depends on how much black-ish color chili you put in your noodles. This hot chili topping is optional, to add zest to the taste. If you have been to Indonesia, you probably would have come across soto. Soto originates from Indonesia, which is a soupy dish of broth, meat and vegetables. Simple yet delicious. Mee soto The main ingredients of mee soto are yellow Hokkien noodles, bean sprouts and slices of chicken ( ayam ) sprinkled with fried shallots and some mint leaves. The soup or gravy contains coriander and lemongrass that gives it a unique fragrant smell and taste. The noodles may also come in thinner rice vermicelli type. Mee soto can be found in many hawker centres or food courts and sells for between $3.50 to $4.50. This noodle is usually sold by Malay stall holders. Cheap, spicy, good and tasty! The yellow noodles are similar to the ones in mee rebus ,...

The good old humble rice porridge or congee made its way into american fast food restaurants. There is chicken (what else!) porridge breakfast meal sold for $3.60 at KFC that includes a cup of coffee or tea. If you buy ala carte the porridge cost $2.60. A good hearty breakfast or meal to start your day. At some KFC outlets you can surf for free too while having your brekky. At Long John Silver you can also get porridge set complete with two half-boiled eggs for $5.20. Half-boiled eggs are usually part of kaya toast set , but still delicious to be mixed with congee as well. It is certainly a great way to start your day by having a hot comfort soft meal of porridge or congee with generous amount of nicely smelled fried shallots sprinkled on top of it. Black soya sauce and pepper are optional, but a bit of soya sauce is a must for many, to give some added taste and zest to otherwise bland-looking dish. Breakfast porridge at KFC You can get one for only $1.80 at Old Chang Kee, which is goo...

Singapore Food & Culture When the heat and humidity hit, Singaporeans reach for two timeless coolers: ice kacang and chendol. One is a technicolour mountain of shaved ice and syrup; the other, a creamy bowl of coconut milk, gula Melaka and squiggly green noodles. Both are cheap, deeply satisfying, and found at almost every hawker centre and food court on the island. Here is everything you need to know about these two classics, from what goes into the bowl to where to find door of the best ones. 📋 Quick Facts Ice Kacang Chendol Also known as Ais kacang / ABC ( air batu campur ) Cendol Base Shaved ice + coloured syrups Coconut milk + gula Melaka Signature ingredients Red beans, sweet corn, attap chee, jelly Green pandan rice-flour jelly noodles Texture Icy, crunchy, chunky Creamy, smooth, slurpy Origin Malay roadside stalls Java, via Malaysia (Melaka ...

You can find Roti John at many hawker centres and at  pasar malam (night markets). They are french bread coated with eggs and butter and and fried on hot plate and topped up with generous amount of chilli or tomato sauce and mayonaise. You can get them for around $5. The name John is English and roti is bread. So maybe during the early days this omelette sandwich is the equivalent of hamburgers or simply the french toast! You can find Roti John usually being sold at Malay stalls. At some hawker centres such as at Bedok Corner , the stall owners are getting creative. You can find Roti John Steak, Chicken or Sardine and Roti John Power! Grilling Roti John (front) and Ramly Burger Ramly Burger is that ubiquitous delicious and juicy meat local burger wrapped in egg and splashed with plenty of colourful sauces of tomato sauce, mayonnaise and mustard that you can only get at Pasar Malam. And it only cost about $4. The meat can be beef or chicken. Of course you can get value burgers at ...

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...

Tau huay or beancurd is a whitish soft tofu usually added with liquid sugar. The sugar can be normal or brown sugar. One can also request for less sugar. Tau huay is a dessert sold at many soya bean chains such as Mr Bean and Jollibean. You can also find them at many drinks stalls in housing estates or at food centres. Tau huay is usually sold and eaten while still warm. Soya bean milk drink can be either hot or cold depending on preference. Tau huay and soya bean milk are typically sold for around $1.20 to $1.50 at chain soya bean stores. But if you go to hawker centre you can get beancurd for only 60 cents a bowl and soya bean milk for only 50 cents a cup. You can also find soya milk in packet or can drinks sold in many supermarkets islandwide but it is not the same as buying the original tau huay or a cup of freshly made soya bean milk at a hawker or food centre. Tau huay is delicious, relatively cheap and it's filling too. Bean curd Tau huay and soya bean milk from chain sto...

We all love coupons and deals. And as much as we love our kaya toast , roti prata , nasi lemak, mee siam, etc., that are easily available at hawker centres or food courts , we can't be eating those day in and day out. We want some variety. American fast food restaurants have invaded our shore since decades ago and like it or not they are here to stay. Fortunately they seem to have adapted to local taste and even have porridge or congee set complete with coffee or tea and the optional half-boiled eggs. Nasi lemak and chicken rice can be found in some fast-food chain lunch and dinner menus! Porridge meal with half-boiled eggs So if we crave for some western food and pancakes there is a $5 breakfast deals that include two pieces of blueberry or chocolate pancakes with hashbrown and scrambled egg and a cup of iced milo. The good old milo. To put energy in your body. You can sprinkle the pancakes with maple syrup or spread some butter. And you can surf the internet using the free wirel...

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...