What do Singaporeans eat for lunch?
Not sure what to have for a midday meal today? This post on what Singaporeans eat for lunch might be of help.
We’ll take a look at some of the most popular meal choices that can also be eaten at other times of the day.
What do Singaporeans eat daily?
A lot of Singaporeans use slow cookers to cook meals for lunch or dinner, especially when meat needs to be tender. But for convenience, many get takeaway or have food delivery these days.
In the following sections, we’ll see some popular lunchtime dishes that Singaporeans often eat. Some are from hawker centres and others from speciality eateries.
1. Popiah
Popiah is a street food that originated in China and is considered a healthy food in Singapore. It comes in a thin pancake-like wrapper and is filled with different savoury ingredients.
Though the popiah’s most common fillings include shrimp, minced pork, and shredded crab meat, it can also have a vegetarian version. It can be filled with tofu, shredded jicama, crushed peanuts, and other vegetables instead.
Popiah is best smeared or dipped in a sweet bean sauce before taking a bite. It can also be served as an appetizer during parties or feasts.
2. Satay
You can get satay from hawker centres or Thai restaurants in Singapore. Though some people consider these skewered meats an appetizer, they’re filling and tasty enough to become a main luncheon dish along with rice or a salad.
Satay meat can be pork, chicken, beef, or mutton. It’s typically served skewered on bamboo sticks after being grilled over fire (or an electric grille for convenience).
In Singapore cuisine, the most common dipping sauce for satay is peanut sauce. Others offer a soy sauce mix or a sweet and sour one depending on the customer’s preference.
3. Fish Head Curry
Fish head curry is another Singaporean lunchtime go-to. It’s a fusion between Indian and Chinese cuisines and is typically eaten with a steaming mound of rice.
The curry is mixed with different spices and lots of vegetables, including okra and eggplant. The gravy itself has a sweet and sour tang, which is great to mop up with naan if it’s extra thick.
Some seafood restaurants in Singapore may also accommodate orders for fish head curry so customers can choose the kind of fish they want. However, red snapper is the de facto main ingredient for this dish.
4. Char Kway Teow
The frying pan or wok is arguably the best tool in a typical Singaporean kitchen. It should be wide and deep enough to accommodate different kinds of stir-fries, including noodles, vegetables, and rice dishes.
It can also help prepare a simple yet filling and tasty luncheon noodle dish called char kway teow. These are flat rice noodles mixed with prawns, shrimp paste, bean sprouts, and other ingredients.
It can be prepared at home, in a hawker stall, or even in Chinese restaurants. It’s a versatile and comforting dish that can be had any time of the day.