MTA Singapore: Cuisines of Singapore

The MTA2013 exhibition will be heldfrom 9 – 12 April (Tuesday to Friday) at Singapore Expo.  International participants, while attendingthe MTA2013 exhibition, must sample the rich cuisines that Singapore has tooffer.

With its rich multicultural heritage, Singapore serves up atrue melting pot of flavours and foods. You can see a reflection of Singapore’scultural diversity in the array of local cuisines on the menu – Chinese, Malay,Indian and Peranakan among others.

Take a stroll around the diverse neighbourhoods and you’llcome across halal Malay food, South Indian vegetarian thali, North Indian naansand briyani, Cantonese dim sum, Hainanese chicken rice, Peking duck, Hokkienmee (fried noodles from the China’s Fujian Province) and popiah (spring rolls),available in food centres and restaurants across Singapore.

Chinese cuisine represents one of the main players in thecountry’s gastronomic arena. The Chinese believe in combining ingredients toenhance the harmony between the yin and yang qualities of the food. Food isalso used for its symbolic properties, such as noodles for longevity, oystersfor good fortune and fish for prosperity.

A visit to Singapore offers you an opportunity to sampledishes from the different parts of China. You can enjoy the delicious dim sum,roasted meats and double-boiled soups brought by the Cantonese immigrants, thespicy dishes from Szechuan and the flavourful chicken rice with its roots fromthe Hainan province. The famous yong tau fu, or beancurd stuffed with fishpaste, was a contribution by the Hakkas.

Hearty meat dishes and appetising noodles are a part ofHokkien meals while Teochew dishes include lighter items such as steamedseafood, comforting porridge and clear soups. On your trip here, don’t forgetalso to try local Chinese favourites such as chilli crab, bak kut teh, fishhead curry or rojak.

If you’re a fan of Indian food, you’ll be spoilt for choicebetween dishes from the southern and northern part of the sub-continent. Thefirst features vegetarian thosai, seafood dishes and fiery curries enrichedwith coconut milk. The second includes milder curries, creamy yogurt baseddishes, tandoori offerings and fluffy naan breads.

Most Indian dishes are infused with flavoured spices such ascardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander and chillies, and only in Singapore will youalso find spicy fish head curry in various Indian restaurants.

You can also get a taste of popular local Indian-Muslimdishes such as roti pratas, murtabak - (prata stuffed with minced meat, eggsand onions) and nasi briyani, a saffron rice dish with spicy chicken or mutton.All these dishes go well with teh tarik (or “pulled tea”), an absolutelysatisfying creamy and frothy milk tea.

The Malay cuisine in Singapore will give you a chance tosavour an array of spices and herbs including ginger, turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, curry leaves, pungent belachan (shrimp paste) and chillies. You’ll findthe cuisine spicy without being unbearably hot, thanks to its generous use ofcoconut milk and local spices.

Peanut sauce occupies a pride of place in dishes like gadogado, an Indonesian salad of lettuce, bean sprouts and fried bean curd. It isalso a staple accompaniment with satay – skewers of meat grilled over charcoalserved with raw onions and cucumber. Try the nasi lemak for its flavourfulcoconut steamed rice, or nasi padang, where you can select from a wide range ofdishes on display.

The unique Peranakan or Nonya food offers a blend ofChinese, Malay and Indonesian flavours, combining aromatic heNIKE HYPERLIVE EP