Hawker Food Recipes
Dining out has always been a favourite pastime for many Singaporeans, but there are times when we just want to enjoy the comforts of home. Recreating hawker food in your own kitchen can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience, especially if you are a food lover who appreciates the diverse culinary heritage here. So here are 10 delicious hawker food recipes that you can try at home!
1. Moonlight Hor Fun
Moonlight Hor Fun may not be the most common zi char dish, but it’s definitely one we always order when we see it on the menu! This dish features your regular hor fun topped with a raw egg. The reason for its name is that when the golden yolk is stirred into the charred brown noodles, it looks like moonlight shining through a river.
Adding the fresh, raw egg elevates the already umami-rich seafood broth and flavourful rice noodles, making the entire dish extra buttery and creamy.
Protip: For the perfect Moonlight Hor Fun, stir fry the rice noodles over high heat for wok hei!
Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/moonlight-hor-fun/
Preparation Time: 1 hour. Serves 4-6.
2. Jia Xiang Old School Mee Siam
If youre looking for a new take on a classic dish, we recreated Jia Xiangs Old School Mee Siam and it contains fried croutons!
Jia Xiang Old School Mee Siam has over 50 years of history at Redhill Market. This Mee Siam is on the sweeter side and packs a punch of flavours, topped off by the usual hearty ingredients such as tau kwa, tau pok, and boiled egg. And a handful of crispy fried croutons that add another layer of textures to the slurping good rice vermicelli noodles soaked in tamarind and spice infused broth.
Worth every ounce of effort, we’re sure that this version of Jia Xiang Old School Mee Siam will be the star at any gathering with nostalgic flavours and surprise crunches from the fried croutons.
Craving the dish but lazy to cook? Visit Jia Xiang at Redhill Market, Block 85 Redhill Lane, #01-35, Singapore 150085 for a bowl of their delicious fare!
Protip: If youre making your own croutons, store the extras in an airtight container with a paper towel to maintain their crispiness!
Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/jia-xiang-old-school-mee-siam/
Preparation Time: 1 hour 30 minutes. Serves 3-4.
3. Ipoh Hor Fun
Love Malaysian cuisine? Recreate the flavours of Ipoh Hor Fun right in your kitchen! A simple-looking soupy dish with a big punch of flavour, the broth is slow-cooked with a blend of chicken and prawn flavours, while the silky smooth flat rice noodles are topped with succulent prawns and mildly sweet shredded chicken.
Did you know that most of the Ipoh Hor Fun you see in Singapore are actually quite different from the ones found in Ipoh? Singapores Ipoh Hor Fun usually comes with a thicker gravy, while the “authentic” ones in Ipoh are served with a soupy base.
Which version do you prefer? Shoot us a DM!
Protip: If you prepare the noodles first, blanch them briefly in boiling water before adding soup to prevent them from clumping together. Alternatively, cook the noodles after the soup is done.
Recipe: https://youtube.com/shorts/1PfA6x9X27g?feature=share
Preparation Time: 2 hours. Serves 3-4.
4. Butter Chicken
Get ready to dig in with some rice and naans! This Butter Chicken is seriously delicious and one of our all-time faves. The marinated chunks of chicken are perfectly cooked in a silky-smooth curry that’s full of flavors, making it the ultimate comfort food for any occasion.
With every bite, you can taste the perfect balance of spices and cream, leaving a warm sensation in your stomach that will leave you craving for more.
Protip: Marinating the chicken well gives flavourful and succulent chicken bites, so overnight marination is best.
Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/easy-butter-chicken/
Preparation Time: 45 minutes. Serves 3-4.
5. Sliced Fish Soup
Sliced Fish Soup is a beloved dish that can be found in many hawker centres in Singapore. With simple steps, its also a great dish for cooking beginners to add to their repertoire. The recipe comes in two easy parts, namely marinating the fish and making the fish stock.
That said, while the recipe is generally simple and straightforward to make, the flavours from this recipe are absolutely phenomenal. There are so many flavours in a single spoonful the richness of the deep fried fish bones, the savoury flavour of dried sole fish, all balanced with refreshing sweetness from sliced ginger. Chefs kiss, indeed.
Protip: Not sure where to get Red Snapper fish slices? Fresh from the wet market is best, and most fishmongers will be more than happy to help you slice the fish upon request. If not, frozen slices are also available at supermarkets.
Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/fish-soup/
Preparation Time: 1 hour. Serves 4-6.
6. Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Dont worry, your kitchen wont be left smokey or oily after using this recipe. Instead of a charcoal open-flame, this Chicken Satay Recipe is oven-grilled.
The satay paste itself contains 10 shallots, 6 cloves of garlic, lemongrass and cumin powder on top of 8 other seasonings. This delicious marinade, lathered all over tender pieces of chicken thigh, is a real treat for your tastebuds.
Protip: Of course, you cant have satay without peanut sauce, so a tantalising recipe for that is included as well. For the sauce, some lesser-known ingredients such as galangal might warrant a quick trip to the market or grocery store beforehand.
Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/chicken-satay-with-peanut-sauce/
Preparation Time: 1 hour. Serves 20-24 pieces.
7. Eggplant with Minced Meat & Salted Fish
This ones for all the cai fan lovers. Braised Eggplant is an economic rice staple, and here we have a recipe that not just recreates, but elevates the classic dish with flavours of minced meat and salted fish. Its also topped off with chopped spring onion for added lightness.
Many of us choose cai fan because its fast and convenient and this dish is no different. This recipe can be completed in under 30 minutes, perfect for a quick meal prep for the next days work lunch.
Protip: This dish goes well with a bowl of fragrant white rice. Start cooking the rice shortly before making this recipe, and both elements should be ready to serve together for a complete meal.
Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/eggplant-with-minced-pork/
Preparation Time: 25 minutes. Serves 4.
8. Homemade Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
Be warned, this recipe for Char Siu is addictive! Traditionally, you would have to use a sizzling hot charcoal oven to achieve the desired texture and taste. However, weve found an easier way to do it at home, all without losing any of the umami flavour or tenderness of the meat.
Through this method of simmering on the wok first before grilling in the oven, youll find that the char siu remains juicy on the inside while the outside is coated with a power-packed glaze. Its almost hard to believe that so many layers of flavour can be achieved with less than 10 ingredients.
Protip: As a rule of thumb, you should use cuts of meat that have some fat around it to retain the juiciness after roasting. Pork collar is the default cut of meat for this recipe, but feel free to use other cuts like pork jowl and pork belly to your liking!
Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/wok-braised-char-siew/
Preparation Time: 1 hour 15 minutes. Serves 4.
9. Chilli Ban Mee
While this dish originates from KL, its no secret that Singaporeans will gladly queue up for a good bowl of Chilli Ban Mee, or Pan Mee as it is known in Malaysia. There are many different variations, but in this homemade Chili Ban Mee recipe, youll have all the essentials an explosive chilli paste, crispy anchovies and tasty minced pork, all topped with a perfect poached egg.
Simple steps can add so much to the taste of your dish. For instance, instead of cooking the minced meat in fresh oil, using reserved oil from frying the anchovies will boost the flavour. You should also let the pork soak up the marinade for 30 minutes or more for an added kick.
Protip: Theres some prep work to do before putting this dish together. First, the belacan needs to be toasted, which is easily done in an oven or on a pan with low heat. Secondly, you have to hydrate the dried prawns and dried chilli by soaking them in hot water for about 15 minutes.
Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/chilli-ban-mee/
Preparation Time: 1 hour. Serves 2.
10. Salted Egg Yolk Chicken
This Salted Egg Yolk Chicken recipe is a classic zi char favourite for both kids and adults alike. Making it home also means you can tailor the spice level to exactly how you like it add fewer curry leaves for the kids, or more chilli padi for a spicier sensation.
Salted egg sauce looks complex to make, but its actually very simple with just 4 ingredients which are salted egg yolk, oil, ginger and garlic. Give it a go, and you can use this same technique to make salted egg yolk sauce for other recipes too.
Protip: One more ingredient we should have added to the recipe is an ice-cold beer. Chill the beer in the fridge when you start prepping, and itll be perfect to pair with the savoury flavours of this dish by the time youre done cooking.
Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/salted-egg-yolk-chicken/
Preparation Time: 30 minutes. Serves 4.
Homemade Hawker Food Recipes
We love our hawker food! So why not try your hand at recreating these dishes yourself, and invite your loved ones to join in as well. Youll have lots of fun, and maybe even find a newfound appreciation for the uncles and aunties who whip up delicious hawker fare for you everyday.
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Some other recipes you might like:
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P.P.S. Cant find a recipe you like? Drop us a comment or ping us on our socials.
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