Another 3 local dishes that you need to know their Chinese name

August 3, 2020

“Singapore is a tiny country with a voracious appetite” this phrase accurately describes us Singaporeans. It is not surprising that we are obsessed with food – not only our conversation revolves around food, from taking pictures of our food to critiquing it to posting it online. In our previous series of 3 Singaporean dishes, and their names in Chinese, we talked about Chwee Kueh, Roti Prata and Popiah! In today’s post we would be exploring more uniquely Singaporean dishes.

1. Bak Kut Teh (肉骨茶, Ròu Gŭ Chá)

Bak Kut Teh is one of our most iconic comfort food that we Singaporeans would not be able to resist on a chilly day. This dish as the name suggest, a pork rib dish simmered in Chinese herbs for long hours that produces a clear broth that is moderately peppery. It is typically eaten with dough fritters (油条, Yóu Tiáo), braised beancurd skin or preserved vegetables. Dark soya sauce with sliced chilli is often used as a dip. Now that you know more about Bak Kut Teh and its name in Chinese, why not introduce it to your non-local friends the next time y’all head out for a meal!

2. Char Kway Teow (炒粿條, Chǎo Guǒ Tiáo)

How many of you remember that in our previous post, we talked about the difference between the character “粿”, versus the “guo” in fruits which is “果”? “粿” instead of “果” is also used in this situation. Char Kway Teow is a wok fried noodle that has roots in Teochew culture. It consists of flat rice noodle stir-fried with cockles, beansprouts, chinese sausage and egg in dark soya sauce. What makes this dish interesting is due to its big flavours, contrasting texture and the hint of charred smokiness!

3. Kaya Butter Toast (加椰吐司, Jiā Yē Tǔ Sī)

Kaya toast is akin to “scones with clotted cream”. It is our typical Singaporean breakfast which can be found at almost all coffeeshops – often paired with soft boiled eggs and our local kopi (coffee) or teh (tea). Kaya butter toast is a unique creation with the pairing of salty butter slathered with a generous spread of kaya jam. It is a breakfast set that is uniquely Singaporean. You should bring your non-local friends here for a breakfast treat someday!

With this in mind and National Day coming up, LingoAce would like to take the opportunity to commemorate Singapore’s 55th Birthday with our National Day Contest 2020 – “National dish of Singapore”. Share with us which food you think best represents Singapore! If you have not participated, head over to our Facebook page now to find out how you can participate and stand a chance to win some exclusive prizes! We look forward to seeing your entries soon. Share this with your family and friends. Till next time!

At LingoAce, we believe in providing every child a meaningful and memorable experience as they learn because learning Chinese is more than just learning the language. Find out more about how we can be fun and effective in learning the Mandarin Chinese language.

References:
https://www.seriouseats.com/2012/07/an-introduction-to-singaporean-food-cuisine.html
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/singapore/a/nar/707b3c88-02c5-4f00-96b5-54057b53a580/357350

Another 3 local dishes that you need to know their Chinese name

1. Bak Kut Teh (肉骨茶, Ròu Gŭ Chá)

2. Char Kway Teow (炒粿條, Chǎo Guǒ Tiáo)

3. Kaya Butter Toast (加椰吐司, Jiā Yē Tǔ Sī)

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