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Food in Singapore

A tropical metropolis with a voracious appetite

Situated at the tip of the Asian mainland. Singapore is an island nation that appears as but a tiny speck on the world map. From humble beginnings as a small fishing settlement 200 ago, it grew into an important British colonial entrepot in the last century And since becoming independent in 1965, Singapore has become one of Asia's most dynamic and modern cities with a GNP that rivals that of many larger nations.

Skyscrapers, expressways and air-conditioned shopping centres crammed with luxury goods from around the world replace the more traditional Asian vistas of paddy fields and palm-fringed beaches. Singapore's highly regulated system of government has produced the ultimate consumer paradise—a city which might, at first, seem lacking in passion and individuality But when it comes to the subject of food. Singaporeans reveal their true identity—for food is, quite simply, the national obsession.

This is a country where food is a constant topic of conversation and no meal is complete without an extended discussion about the food being eaten or a recently enjoyed meal. Eating out is, for many, a daily routine and this habit has virtually created a national identity defined by the cuisine— especially the multi-ethnic fare served in unpretentious restaurants and hawker centres throughout the island. Here the food is prepared by self-employed chefs—often aided by family members—who once operated from temporary stalls along the roadside but have now been given permanent locations in food centres or upmarket air-conditioned food courts.

Few Singaporeans give much thought to the origins of what they are eating in this multi-racial society—what matters is the flavour. Typical Singapore food is actually a blend of many elements brought by the different immigrant groups who have settled here. Dinner could be Chinese-style soup and vegetables combined with a Malay chicken curry. Breakfast could be cereal and milk or Indian dosai with dhal. Even the methods of eating a meal are multi-cultural One person sitting at a table may eat his rice with fork and spoon, and another with chopsticks, while a third person may use his fingers.

Singapore food is always accompanied by powerful sensations: garlic and shallots sizzling in a hot wok, sticks of satay grilling over an open flame, belachan (dried prawn paste) roasted before grinding, drops of ghee dancing on a hot griddle. These are some of the smells that trigger memories of home for Singaporeans, descendants of migrants who brought with them rich food traditions from all over Asia. There is in Singaporeans a spirit of adventure when it comes to food.

Money can buy you everything

Thanks to its location—just over 1 degree or about 140 kilometres (100 miles) north of the equator—Singapore is humid and steamy all year round. Tropical rains frequently bring freshness during the afternoons, and in contrast with the usually hot days, nights are balmy and the early mornings cool.

Dense equatorial rainforests and a few low hills which once shaped the landscape have long given way to an equally dense cover of high-rise office blocks, shopping complexes, condominiums and public housing. Now the tropical humidity and heat are kept at bay by air-conditioning, and the steel and concrete high-rise jungle is softened by numerous trees and small parks, which have earned Singapore the sobriquet "Garden City" Busy highways are divided by tall trees and flowering shrubs.

Amidst all this greenery, you would be hard put to find a farm, unless it's the indoor hydroponic variety or the few boutique organic farms. Singapore has grown almost none of its food for decades, preferring^ to devote scarce land to industry and housing for its population of just over four million people.

However, money can buy you everything, and situated at the hub of a region that is still largely agricultural. Singapore imports its food and even its water from neighbours to the north and south Since Southeast Asian markets do not carry all the produce and fine foods to which affluent, globe-trotting Singaporeans have become accustomed, its excellent air and sea connections bring in the best from around the world.

With produce now air-flown from everywhere, the island also marks the passage of the seasons around the world The Thai and Indian mango season in April and May finds fruit shops here well-stocked with luscious and cheap mangoes. If it's summer and cherries abound in California, they do too in Singapore. Is it the season of the hunt already? Then premier restaurants around town will soon have game on the menu. And everyone knows when durians are in season. The pungent smell, fragrant or awful depending on how you feel about this thorny fruit, makes it hard to ignore Garbage collectors certainly cannot ignore literally tons of thorny shells discarded daily.

Although seasonal foods mark the passage of spring, summer, autumn and winter in different parts of the world, few foods are ever out of season in Singapore, since seasonal produce is flown in from countries both north and south of the equator.

Abundance does lead to a jaded palate. These days, with the average Singaporean becoming more and more well-travelled and well-versed in exotic cuisines from all over, food importers have to work extra hard looking for new and interesting products to tempt bored Singaporeans The list of countries which supply Singapore with food products is growing constantly as buyers wander farther afield.

However, not everything consumed in Singapore is imported. The country does have a tiny group of farmers, some of whom grow leafy vegetables and fruits, while a few high-tech farmers cultivate their produce in multi-storied factories, growing vegetables hydroponically—without soil, in trays of nutrient-rich water and mushrooms in sawdust.

Both marine and freshwater fish, prawns and oysters are also farmed locally. Fish farmers have to work hard to keep up with the voracious demand for live seafood in restaurants. Being an island once inhabited by fishermen, it is no surprise that seafood is a popular and much loved item in the Singaporean diet. Seafood also escapes most religious strictures—Muslims do not eat pork; Hindus and strict Buddhists avoid beef and many Chinese find the taste of lamb and mutton a trifle strong.

While much of the daily demand for seafood is met by fishermen of the region, whose fishing boats unload their chilled catches in Singapore, the more expensive seafood such as sashimi-quality fish, huge meaty crabs, lobsters and other shellfish come in by air from as far away as Japan, Sri Lanka, France and Australia.

The abundance of quality produce gives creative cooks plenty to work with. The multi-ethnic population in Singapore are not only sources of culinary inspiration but also avid supporters of the country's food industry.

Creative restaurant chefs on the look-out for something new to excite the palates of Singaporeans are increasingly experimenting with new ingredients and new styles Starting with a culinary heritage based on some of Asia's greatest cuisines—Chinese, Indian, Malay and Indonesian—they borrow from other Asian neighbours, experiment with Western ingredients and styles, mix something from here with something from there. Like everything else in Singapore, food is definitely on the move.

These stalls, known locally as "zhu-chao" stalls, oiler a basic range of dishes which can be cooked with the customers' ingredient of choice One hot favourite is crab, ether cooked with a sweet and spicy chilli gravy, served with bread, or with black pepper.

A typical scene at a wet market in Singapore selling a wide variety of vegetables, meat, seafood, herbs, spices and cooked food from Indian, Chinese and Malay stall holders These markets usually operate from the early hours in the morning to the early afternoon.