(EXPIRED) Singapore Food Festival: 50 Cents for Over 15 Dishes at Chinatown Food Street from 29 – 30 Jul 2017 UPDATED 21 Jul 2017

Rickshaw Noodles

Named after the rickshaw pullers who plied the streets of old Singapore, this humble creation is made of yellow Hokkien noodles stewed in a thick pork broth and topped with fried garlic and shallots – a dish the rickshaw pullers relied on as a source of energy.

Dried Cuttlefish Peanut Congee

In the olden days, this dish was found along the streets and makes for a filling breakfast. This porridge is traditionally cooked under the heat from charcoal and is more watery than other Cantonese porridge.

For this dish, fragrant peanuts and cuttlefish are added to enhance the flavour of the usually bland porridge.

UFO (Fried Oyster Cake)

First introduced to Singapore’s hawker scene by our forefathers who were China Fuzhou immigrants.

This savoury snack is fried using a ladle, giving the dish its unique rounded base and charming name “UFO” for its resemblance to UFO spaceships.

Yam Paste (Orh Nee):

Early Teochew immigrants brought with them this hot dessert that has been well-loved by many locals.

Traditional Yam Paste, otherwise known as Orh Nee, was topped with pumpkin, shallots and water chestnut syrup instead of coconut milk and gingko nuts. Lard was added into yam paste for a silky texture and a touch of glisten.

Paper Wrapped Chicken:

Invented and made famous by a chicken farm named Union Farm in Singapore in 1953 when a famous actor from Hong Kong suggested that the owner should create an iconic chicken dish.

The technique of paper wrapping prevents the aroma and flavourful chicken essence from escaping.

Ah Balling:

Ah Balling is a Teochew dessert that is popular in Singapore and is also widely known as Tang yuan.

Its name is a homophone in the Teochew dialect describing how a mother duck bobs up and down the water, just like the cooked glutinous rice ball that floats to the water surface. Traditionally, the tang yuan is served in sweet peanut soup.

Tutu Kueh:

In the past, Tutu Kueh was larger and did not contain any fillings and over the years, grated coconut and peanut fillings were introduced.

In the 80s a man named Tay Low Long singlehandedly popularised Tutu Kueh with the inventions of steam carts and stainless steel moulds, bringing back this nostalgic snack to the locals.

Abacus Seed:

Historically, Hakkas grew yam and sweet potato in the mountains, hence the bulk of their diet came from these crops.

Abacus Seed consists of round pieces of yam balls that are dimpled in the centre. Hakkas were believed to be good with money, so they made the yam balls in such a way that they look like abacus, a tool used to calculate money.

Red Glutinous Wine Chicken:

Red Vinasse, made from fermented glutinous rice, is a classic ingredient of the Hakka cuisine. It is used in a dish specially cooked for women under confinement to nourish and promote blood flow.

In the past, mothers prepare this dish for their daughters who had just given birth. Hence, this dish is also commonly known as “Mother’s Wine”.

Kong Bak Pau:

A dish originating from the Fuijian province that favours food cooked slowly, fried with lard, or seasoned more liberally than in neighbouring provinces.

The Kong Bak Pau is a glistening dish of dark-sauced slices of pork belly that is eaten with fluffy ‘Man Tou’ bun.

Satay Bee Hoon:

Inspired by Satay, Satay Bee Hoon was invented by Teochew immigrants in Singapore, whereby bee hoon is tossed together with other ingredients such as tau pok, beansprout and cuttlefish and topped with a generous amount of chilli-based peanut gravy.

Due to the tedious preparation required, there are not many stalls selling Satay Bee Hoon in Singapore today.

Pork Leg Bee Hoon:

Pork Leg Bee Hoon is part of the local food fare and well- known as an economical but satisfying dish.

In the Chinese tradition, pork trotters are often prepared during auspicious occasions. It is therefore unsurprising that this dish is often homecooked using only a can of pork trotter and vermicelli.