Fast food is an American term referring to “foods [that] are kept hot and ready to serve, or [are] partially prepared so that they can be served quickly.” 19th century pushcart vendors developed into urban diners, which then developed into the modern fast-food ...

Food courts in Singapore are air-conditioned food centres that serve inexpensive cooked food, drinks and desserts. Each food court houses an array of stand-alone food stalls that are managed and rented out by a food court operator. Food courts serve predominantly ...

The Grow More Food Campaign was started during the Japanese Occupation to place a check on inflation and to prepare for an eventual blockade from enemy forces. People were encouraged to strive for self-sufficiency by growing their own food. Vegetables, tapioca ...

The Parsis (or Parsees) are descendants of Zoroastrian Persians who settled in India in the 10th century. They first arrived in Singapore in the 19th century. As of 2017, an estimated 350 Parsis live in Singapore. Parsi Road and Parsi Cemetery are named after ...

The Armenians are a small ethnic community who established themselves in Singapore, with no more than 100 Armenians ever living here at any given time. Vestiges of the importance of this community can be seen in the presence of place-names such as Armenian Street ...

Ice kachang and ice ball are desserts made from shaved ice and have existed as street food in Singapore from as early as the 20th century. Ice kachang (Malay for “nut” or “bean”) contains jellies, red beans and attap chee (seeds of the nipah palm), covered with ...

McDonald’s, the fast-food chain, launched a 40-day Wedding Design Hello Kitty toy promotion with its Extra Value Meals on 1 January 2000. This promotion was based on the popular Japanese feline icon Hello Kitty and its companion, Dear Daniel. The promotion is remembered ...

Char kway teow (炒粿条; chao guo tiao in Mandarin) is a dish of flat rice noodles and tubular yellow wheat noodles fried in garlic, sweet soya sauce and lard, with ingredients such as egg, Chinese waxed sausage, fishcake, beansprouts and cockles. The dish, of Teochew ...

Ketupat is a diamond-shaped rice cake. This Malay food staple is made of cooked rice compressed and wrapped in woven coconut leaves. Originating from Indonesia and Malaysia, ketupat is often consumed as an accompaniment to meat dishes such as satay (skewered barbecued ...

The Butterfly Pea is a climbing plant whose blue flowers are commonly used as a food dye, particularly among the Peranakans (Straits Chinese).

Bubble tea is a beverage originating from Taiwan comprising tea with fruit syrup or milk added, and then shaken. Tapioca balls or “pearls” are often added to the concoction as well. This beverage has undergone a few waves of popularity in Singapore.

Margaret Chan (Dr) (b. 1949, Singapore–) is an actress and writer. As a stage, television and film actress, she has played iconic roles such as the titular figure in the local play Emily of Emerald Hill. Chan has also worked as a journalist, food critic and restaurant ...

Hawker centres are open-air complexes that house many stalls selling a wide variety of affordably priced food. They are mostly conveniently located at the heart of housing estates, usually with adjourning wet markets. Hawker centres are a unique aspect of Singapore ...

Belacan is a condiment made of geragau (krill) that has been salted, dried and fermented, and is an essential ingredient in Peranakan and Malay cuisine. It is usually mixed with chili, lime, salt and sugar to create sambal belacan, a must-have chili condiment accompanying ...

Fried carrot cake, or chai tow kway in the Teochew dialect, consists of cubes of radish cake stir-fried with garlic, eggs and preserved radish. The dish has two common versions: the white version, which is seasoned with light soya sauce, and the black version, ...

Ayam buah keluak is a mainstay of Peranakan cuisine. Made with chicken (ayam) braised in a thick, spicy tamarind gravy with buah keluak nuts, it is usually served with rice.

Nasi ulam is a traditional Malay dish of rice (nasi) served with steamed or raw vegetables (ulam) that is accompanied by sambal (chilli paste).

Putu mayam is a south Indian snack of rice flour noodles, steamed and eaten with sweetened toppings such as grated coconut and gula melaka (palm sugar), or with savoury dishes such as curry, stew or chutney. Known in English as string hoppers, the snack is usually ...

Kueh tutu is a small steamed cake made of finely pounded rice flour with a ground peanuts or grated coconut filling. Thought to be Chinese in origin, kueh tutu is believed to be unique to Singapore.

A curry puff is a deep-fried or baked, semi-circular pastry filled with curried fillings. The origins of this snack are uncertain and attributed variously to the influences of the British Cornish pasty, the Portuguese empanada and the Indian samosa.