From Singapore Hotels & Singapore Lifestyle
Indian Cuisine can essentially be classified into two broad categories: South Indian and North Indian. Most Indian food in Singapore have their origins in South India, where the bulk of immigrants came from. This means the Food is heavy with chilli, tamarind and piquant spices, instead of the creamy, less fiery North Indian cuisine variety. Following the precepts of Hinduism, they will not serve meat from the sacred cow. The Indian dishes in Singapore are also largely influenced by regional elements. Some of the Indian Cuisine dishes are unrecognisable to the native Indian, yet considered signature Indian food in Singapore. These include the Prata, Fish Head Curry, and crispy Thosai, all dishes that have a wide following among other ethnic groups here.
South Indian cuisine tends to be hot, with the emphasis on vegetarian dishes. The typical South Indian dish is a Thali (rice plate), often served on a large banana leaf. On this leaf is placed a large mound of rice, then scoops of various vegetable curries and a couple of Papadams for good measure. South Indian vegetarian food is traditionally eaten with your right hand, not utensils. Using the tips of your fingers, knead the curries into the rice and eat away.
Other vegetarian dishes include Masala Dosa, a thin pancake which, when rolled around spiced vegetables with some Rasam (spicy soup) on the side, is about the cheapest light meal you could ask for. An equivalent snack meal in Indian halal (Muslim) restaurants is Murtabak, made from paper-thin dough filled with egg and minced mutton/chicken and lightly grilled with oil. A Roi Canai - made from Murtabak dough, which you dip into a bowl of Dhal or curry - is a very popular and filling breakfast.
Another favourite Indian halal dish is biryani. Served with a chicken or mutton curry, the dish takes its name from the saffron-coloured rich it is served with.
North Indian cuisine is most commonly associated with tandoori food, which takes its name from the clay tandoor oven in which meat is cooked. The meat is marinated overnight in a yogurt-and-spice mixture.
Although rice is also eaten in North India, it is not the ubiquitous staple it is in the south. More common are delicious Indian breads such as Naan (leavened bread baked inside a clay oven), Chapati (griddle-fried whole-wheat bread), Paratha (bread made with ghee and cooked on a hotplate) and roti.
Indian Muslim Food
There is also a sub-category of Indian Cuisine, known as "Indian Muslim Food". This is almost wholly a local creation, with dishes such as Nasi Goreng, Mee Goreng and Sup Kambing. Sometimes, this incorporates the use of local Chinese-style noodles, sometimes the Food has a sweet tinge like Malay Cuisine, but usually the spices are combined to suit local palates. Food sold at these stalls are usually Halal, but out of consideration for the Hindu counterparts who may patronise them, these Indian Muslim vendors do not usually serve beef. When in doubt, it is best to ask.
There are significant pockets of North Indian cuisine and South Indian food in the Serangoon Road area.
Articles in category "Indian Cuisine"There are 15 articles in this category.