Indian Singaporean cuisine

Last updated May 26, 2023

Indian Singaporean cuisine refers to food and beverages produced and consumed in Singapore that are derived, wholly or in part, from South Asian culinary traditions. The great variety of Singapore food includes Indian food, which tends to be Tamil cuisine and especially local Tamil Muslim cuisine, although North Indian food has become more visible recently. Indian dishes have become modified to different degrees, after years of contact with other Singapore cultures, and in response to locally available ingredients as well as changing local tastes. The local forms of Indian food may be seen as localised or even regional variations of Indian food, or in some cases, a form of hybrid Indian-Singaporean cuisine. Popular 'Indian' dishes and elements of Indian cuisine (although sometimes prepared and sold by non-Indians) include:

Pickle - Indian pickle of mixed vegetables. Now also served by Chinese and Malays with their traditional food.
Nasi biryani - Popular Indian Muslim dish of saffron rice and meat. It is sold by both Indians and Malays, and is essential at Malay weddings.^[1]
Curry - The basic Indian vegetable or meat gravy. It is now ubiquitous in local Chinese and Malay 'traditional' cuisine. A Peranakan example is Laksa, whose name derives from the Sanskrit for 'hundred thousand'.^[2] A Eurasian example is Devil curry, while a Chinese example is Chilli crab.^[3]
Fish head curry - Iconic Singapore dish, invented by Indians (specifically one Mr. Marian Jacob Gomez, from Kerala) for the Chinese palate which values textures. In India, it is popular in toddy shops in Kerala.^[4]
Indian Rojak - Salad of deep fried battered potatoes, eggs, seafood, tofu and other items. Served with a hot and sweet chilli sauce. The dish does not exist in India and is unique to Singapore and its region.^[5]

Roti Prata with chicken curry.
Indian Mee goreng - Chinese yellow noodles, prepared 'Indian style' and fried with spices, minced meat, green peas and potatoes.^[6]
Murtabak - Roti Prata stuffed with minced chicken, mutton, beef or sardines.
Roti john - A split, panfried baguette topped with egg, minced mutton and onions, and served with ketchup.^[7]
Roti Prata - 'Singapore's answer to the croissant'. A popular supper after leaving nightclubs. Variations include durian and cheese prata.
Teh tarik - Literally 'pulled tea', named after its preparation technique. Compared to the cappuccino because of its frothy top.

Other dishes were popular during the colonial period, when Indian ingredients and other culinary influences spread with the Empire to places like Singapore. Many of them endure in some homes and restaurants. Some of these dishes include:

Mince with potatoes and peas - a pork mince cooked with cloves and soya sauce. Similar to Goan quema and Indian kheema.^[8]
Chicken Wrap - An Anglo-Indian chicken wrap, derived from the wraps, prepared by pepperbox.sg.^[9]
Panneer Wrap - A North-Indian Panneer wrap, derived from the wraps, prepared by pepperbox.sg.^[9]
Mulligatawny - An Anglo-Indian peppery curried soup, derived from the Tamil rasam.^[9]
Fish moolie - a spicy fish and coconut dish of possible Portuguese or Indian origin.^[9]
Curry tiffin - Another Anglo-Indian tradition, with the name derived from an Indian term for lunch. Features a curry as a main dish with various side dishes.^[10]
Pork vindaloo - Derived from a Goan vinegared curry, which likely came to Malacca with the Portuguese in the 16th century. Now considered a Eurasian dish.^[11]
Spiced mutton chops - Deep fried spicy mutton chops historically prepared by one Ujagar Singh at St Gregory Lane in Singapore.^[12]

There are also many other Indian foods that are less widely available foods, but which can still be found in several areas serving a more specifically Indian clientele, especially in and around Little India, Singapore. These include appam, bhatura, chutney, sambar, idli, muruku, putu mayam, samosa, tandoori, thosai, upma and various sweets, including jalebi, halva, laddu, paayasam and gulab jamun.

Notes

↑ Tan, p.93.
↑ Tan, p.108.
↑ Tan, p.113.
↑ Tan, p.109.
↑ Tan, p.86.
↑ Tan, p.112.
↑ Tan, p.99.
↑ Tan, p.16.
1 2 3 4 Tan, p.20.
↑ Tan, p.21.
↑ Tan, p.101.
↑ Tan, p.115.

Related Research Articles

Indian cuisine consists of a variety of regional and traditional cuisines native to India. Given the diversity in soil, climate, culture, ethnic groups, and occupations, these cuisines vary substantially and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruits.

Malaysian cuisine consists of cooking traditions and practices found in Malaysia, and reflects the multi-ethnic makeup of its population. The vast majority of Malaysia's population can roughly be divided among three major ethnic groups: Malays, Chinese and Indians. The remainder consists of the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia, the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia, the Peranakan and Eurasian creole communities, as well as a significant number of foreign workers and expatriates.

Nasi lemak is a dish originating in Malay cuisine that consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It is commonly found in Malaysia, where it is considered the national dish. It is also the native dish in neighbouring areas with significant Malay populations such as Singapore, Brunei, and Southern Thailand. In Indonesia it can be found in several parts of Sumatra, especially the Malay regions of Riau, Riau Islands and Medan. Nasi lemak can also be found in the Bangsamoro region of Mindanao, prepared by Filipino Moros, as well as Australia's external territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. It is considered an essential dish for a typical Malay-style breakfast. Nasi lemak is featured as a national dish in most of the country's tourism brochures and promotional materials.

Roti is a round flatbread native to the Indian subcontinent. It is commonly consumed in many Southeast Asian countries.

Pakistani cuisine can be characterized by a blend of various regional cooking traditions from South, Central and Western Asia, as well as elements from its Mughal legacy. The country's various cuisines are derived from its ethnic and cultural diversity.

Malay cuisine is the traditional food of the ethnic Malays of Southeast Asia, residing in modern-day Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Southern Thailand and the Philippines as well as Cocos Islands, Christmas Island, Sri Lanka and South Africa.

Singaporean cuisine is derived from several ethnic groups in Singapore and has developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes in the cosmopolitan city-state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murtabak</span> Stuffed pancake with various fillings

Motabbaq is a stuffed pancake or pan-fried bread which is commonly found in the Arabian Peninsula and Southeast Asia, notably in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Southern Thailand and Bangladesh. Depending on the location, the name and ingredients can significantly vary. The name mutabbaq in Arabic means "folded". It is a popular street food in Yemen, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.

Goat curry, Curried Goat, or Curry Goat is a curry dish prepared with goat meat, originating from the Indian subcontinent. The dish is a staple in Southeast Asian cuisine, Caribbean cuisine, and the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent. In the Caribbean and Southeast Asia, the dish was brought to the region by the South Asian diaspora, and has subsequently influenced the respective local cuisines. This dish has also spread throughout the Indo-Caribbean diaspora in North America and Europe.

Roti john is an omelette sandwich first believed to be made in Singapore during the 1960s or 1970s. It later became widely popular, spreading throughout the Malay Peninsula in present-day Malaysia and in modern-day Indonesia as street food.

Javanese cuisine is the cuisine of Javanese people, a major ethnic group in Indonesia, more precisely the province of Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java.

Padang food or Minang food is the cuisine of the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is among the most popular cuisines in Maritime Southeast Asia. It is known across Indonesia as Masakan Padang after Padang, the capital city of Western Sumatra province. It is served in restaurants mostly owned by perantauan (migrating) Minangkabau people in Indonesian cities. Padang food is ubiquitous in Indonesian cities and is popular in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.

Malaysian Indian cuisine, or the cooking of the ethnic Indian communities in Malaysia, consists of adaptations of authentic dishes from India, as well as original creations inspired by the diverse food culture of Malaysia. Because the vast majority of Malaysia's Indian community are of South Indian descent, and are mostly ethnic Tamils who are descendants of immigrants from a historical region which consists of the modern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka's Northern Province, much of Malaysian Indian cuisine is predominantly South Indian inspired in character and taste. A typical Malaysian Indian dish is likely to be redolent with curry leaves, whole and powdered spice, and contains fresh coconut in various forms. Ghee is still widely used for cooking, although vegetable oils and refined palm oils are now commonplace in home kitchens. Before a meal it is customary to wash hands as cutlery is often not used while eating, with the exception of a serving spoon for each respective dish.

Telangana cuisine refers to the Telugu cuisine native to the Indian state of Telangana. The Telangana state lies on the Deccan plateau and its topography dictates more millets and roti based dishes. Jowar and Bajra features more prominently in their cuisine.

The Eurasian cuisine is a 'fusion' cuisine, mainly existing and found in the countries of Singapore and Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roti canai</span> Southeast Asian Indian-influenced flatbread dish

Roti canai or roti prata, also known as roti chanai and roti cane, is a flatbread dish found in several countries in Southeast Asia, especially in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. It is usually served with dal or other types of curry, but can also be cooked in a range of sweet or savoury variations made with a variety of ingredients such as meat, eggs, or cheese.

Acehnese cuisine is the cuisine of the Acehnese people of Aceh in Sumatra, Indonesia. This cuisine is popular and widely known in Indonesia. Arab, Persian, and Indian traders influenced food in Aceh although flavours have substantially changed their original forms. The spices combined in Acehnese cuisine are commonly found in Indian and Arab cuisine, such as ginger, pepper, coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and fennel. A variety of Acehnese food is cooked with curry or coconut milk, which is generally combined with meat such as buffalo, beef, goat meat, lamb, mutton, fish, or chicken.

Arab Indonesian cuisine is characterized by the mixture of Middle Eastern cuisine with local Indonesian-style. Arab Indonesians brought their legacy of Arab cuisine—originally from Hadhramaut, Hejaz and Egypt—and modified some of the dishes with the addition of Indonesian ingredients. The Arabs arrived in the Nusantara archipelago to trade and spread Islam. In Java, since the 18th century AD, most of Arab traders settled on the north coast and diffuse with indigenous, thus affecting the local cuisine culture, especially in the use of mutton meat and ghee in cooking.

Indian Indonesian cuisine is characterized by the mixture of Indian cuisine with local Indonesian-style. This cuisine consists of adaptations of authentic dishes from India, as well as original creations inspired by the diverse food culture of Indonesia. Indian influence can be observed in Indonesia as early as the 4th century. Following the spread of Islam to Indonesia and trading, Muslim Indian as well as Arab influences made their way into Indonesian cuisine. Examples include Indian biryani, murtabak, curry and paratha that influenced Acehnese, Minangkabau, Malay, Palembangese, Betawi and Javanese cuisine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indo cuisine</span> Fusion of Indonesian and European cuisine

Indo cuisine is a fusion cooking and cuisine tradition, mainly existing in Indonesia and the Netherlands, as well as Belgium, South Africa and Suriname. This cuisine characterized of fusion cuisine that consists of original Indonesian cuisine with Eurasian-influences—mainly Dutch, also Portuguese, Spanish, French and British—and vice versa. Nowaday, not only Indo people consume Indo cuisine, but also Indonesians and Dutch people.

References

Tan, Sylvia (2004). Singapore Heritage Food: Yesterday's recipes for today's cook. Singapore: Landmark Books.

Indian Singaporean cuisine

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[1] Tan, p.93.

[2] Tan, p.108.

[3] Tan, p.113.

[4] Tan, p.109.

[5] Tan, p.86.

[6] Tan, p.112.

[7] Tan, p.99.

[8] Tan, p.16.

[Tan,_p.20-9] 1 2 3 4 Tan, p.20.

[10] Tan, p.21.

[11] Tan, p.101.

[12] Tan, p.115.

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Indian Singaporean cuisine

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See also

Notes

Related Research Articles

References