Makan Spotlight: Vadai

Rojak, the dish that best represents Singapore's mishmash of cultures. In a single plate, you get crispy fried fritters and a medley of fresh fruits and vegetables like pineapple, turnips, cucumbers and beansprouts. The star is the thick, black sauce – an addictive mix of tamarind, sugar, chilli paste, shrimp paste and crushed peanuts.

This is just one version of the rojak. Said to be a Javanese dish, there are multiple variations of rojak across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore too. On the little red dot alone, there's the ubiquitous rojak buah (fruits), rojak bandung (cuttlefish) and rojak mamak (typically prepared by Indian Muslims). And fun fact: the sweet-sour salad used to be served in a folded leaf with toothpicks as forks. 

With iconic powerhouse dishes like chilli crab and chicken rice, the humble curry puff is hardly the first thing you think of when it comes to local fare. Nonetheless, the golden-brown Southeast Asian snack has become a part of Singapore’s food identity, with roots that can be traced to the region’s colonial past.

Although the origin of the curry puff is a bit hazy, it’s believed to be introduced in Maritime Southeast Asia where the various influences of the British Cornish pasty, the Portuguese empanada, and the Indian samosa came into play. But despite their likeness, the curry puff differs from its predecessors in terms of spices and pastry.

Baked or deep-fried, it is usually generously stuffed with curried chicken, potatoes and hard-boiled egg – all encased in a pastry shell that’s thick enough to keep them from oozing out. To jazz it up, some stalls have added variations to their menu with savoury fillings that include sardine, tuna, and beef rendang, and even sweeter ones like durian, custard and yam. 

There’s something so satisfying about sinking your teeth into popiah (Teochew for ‘thin pancake’). The spring roll-like snack is a soft, thin paper-like crepe made from wheat flour wrapped tightly with all the trimmings like cooked turnip, jicama (known locally as bengkuang), bean sprouts, and lettuce leaves, topped with sweet bean sauce. Sometimes it comes with peanuts, shredded omelette, and prawns too. A good popiah skin should never be soggy or crispy (a deep-fried version is the spring roll).

Although the comfort food is easily found islandwide and loved by locals, it’s not exactly Singaporean. The popiah's origin dates back to the 17th century, with roots in the Fujian province of China. Legend has it that it actually started in the Ming Dynasty when an imperial officer was too busy writing his official documents to have a proper meal. And so his wife put together some ingredients and wrapped it all up with a paper-thin wheat skin for him. 

While roti john is not as widely known as its iconic counterparts like chicken rice, laksa and prata, it can be found on plenty of menus in Singapore. At first glance, roti john looks like a regular sub sandwich – drenched in chilli and cheese sauce. A french loaf is sliced into half and then loaded with a topping of eggs, sliced onions and minced meat, and then fried on a hot, flat pan. 

Whether it's a cold, rainy day or a post-party supper night, bak kut teh (or pork rib soup) is the dish to reach for. Believed to have been brought over from Fujian, China, this rich and peppery soup offers just the right kick. 

At its most basic, bak kut teh is made from stewing pork ribs in a broth laced with fragrant herbs and spices. Think peppercorns, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and more. A good bowl is characterised by superbly tender pork ribs and a deep, flavourful broth. At most establishments, you would complete your meal of bak kut teh with white rice, fried dough fritters and more sides – such as braised peanuts, salted vegetables and tofu.