Singapore has to be one of the world’s best countries for food. With the multi-racial nature of the country, we are privy to so many different types of delicacies and cuisines. Seafood in particular, is enjoyed by many and Singapore is one of the best countries for enjoying them. Singaporeans are huge seafood fans. Singapore is an island surrounded by water, so it stands to reason that both domestic and imported seafood play a significant role in our cuisine. There are several reasons why seafood restaurants are popular in Singapore.
Oysters, clams, crabs and lobsters are examples of common seafood restaurant staples that come from the sea or ocean. As it provides vital vitamins and minerals that our bodies require for optimum health, seafood is healthy and nutrient-rich. Seafood may be prepared in a variety of ways, hence there are many different seafood restaurants in Singapore that offer a variety of seafood meals at various pricing points.
Today, we will share with you our ultimate picks for the best seafood delicacies to enjoy in Singapore.
- Chilli Crab
In Singapore, mud crabs are deep-fried in a sweet, savory, and spicy gravy as part of the renowned seafood dish known as chilli crab. It has been referred to as Singapore’s national seafood dish or even Singapore’s national cuisine in a number of food sources.
It is difficult to look past chilli crab if you’re searching for the most popular and pleasurable food to have when visiting Singapore. Chilli crab is a seafood meal that consists of stir-fried crab that is covered with a sweet, savory, and hot tomato-based sauce. Buns that are steamed or fried are frequently served with this dish.
Dig in up to your elbows, use the “finger bowl,” and when you’re done, apologize to the waiter for the mess. You won’t mind getting messy for this dish since it is extremely enjoyable. It’s not known as Singapore’s national dish for no reason!
- Sambal Stingray
This traditional meal from Singapore and Malaysia combines grilled stingray with hot sambal paste, a chili pepper-based sauce that may also contain lime juice, shrimp paste, ginger, vinegar, or sugar. Typically, the sambal-coated, thin stingray fillets are grilled before being served on a banana leaf.
The unsung hero of the sambal stingray seems to be the banana leaf in our opinion. The sambal gets all the attention, but even an excellent one would taste even better with the light smokiness of the banana leaf.
The wings of the stingray are broad and thick. Rows of ray meat will emerge in meaty slices when it is pulled apart. The meat of stingrays is often thick, incredibly juicy, and soft. However, we must caution you that the sambal may be too spicy for some.
- Cereal Prawns
Cereal prawns, a mainstay on every zi char menu, are sweet, savory, and incredibly crunchy because of the crisp prawn shell and cereal crumbs. Trimmed and covered in a batter of egg yolk, curry leaves, chilli padi, and cereal are fresh, meaty prawns. The prawns are deep-fried, drained, and then finished in a wok with a cereal-based sauce that includes milk powder, sugar, salt, and chicken powder in addition to the cereal.
The main (and unique) component is instant cereal, which is stir-fried with battered prawns, lots of butter, curry leaves, and other spices. A plate of crispy, buttery prawns is the end result. One of the most popular items to order at a zi char or tze char restaurant has to be cereal prawns.
- Fish Head Curry
This fiery dish is a ravishing curry stew made with vegetables and, of course, the entire fish head. To give this delicious dish a deep, complex flavor, it is typically prepared with both tamarind and coconut milk.
Fish heads, coconut cream, tomatoes, and a variety of seasonings, including curry leaves, garlic, chile, coriander, cumin, turmeric, pepper, and tamarind, are the main ingredients in the traditional Singaporean meal known as fish head curry. In order to utilize leftover fish heads, the dish was created in the 1970s.
One boiling pot of fish head curry can easily feed a few people. It is typically served with rice or bread on the side.
- Sambal Sotong
All Singaporeans adore sambal, a mixture of chillies, shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, shallots, scallions, palm sugar, and lime juice. At nasi padang stands and hawker centers, sambal sotong is a perennial favorite. We adore this meal for its luscious texture and spiciness, which comes from the grilling and liberal use of sambal chillies. Squid in a spicy, rich sambal gravy… this is especially good with some cooked rice.
Squid is cooked with chili paste in this traditional Malay Peranakan meal. This simple and delightful meal is also highly popular in Malaysian cooking. To enhance the sambal’s flavor and scent, a blend of chilli peppers, belacan, and various spices, herbs, and aromatics is used to make the sambal.
If these dishes gets your mouth watering and you’d like to whip up some of these dishes, we highly recommend you do so! If you’re the type who prefers to order in, you can also check out Kai Xin Crabs for their wide array of seafood dishes delivered right to your doorstep!