Rice and Noodles
Rice and noodles dishes are the most common dishes sold at hawker centres across Southeast Asia. They are served as complete meals, with vegetables, protein and carbohydrates, all on one plate. Besides fried rice or fried noodles, the region offers a lot more.
Served in a light gravy, soup, fried or braised, these dishes are always come highly requested. Often enjoyed any time of the day, from breakfast to supper, these dishes are perfected based on recipes passed down from one generation to another.
Most of the dishes are assembled using several recipes to prepare each individual component. On Nyonya Cooking, we demystify these perfected recipes and break them down in easy to understand steps with the aim to recreate the dishes at home.
Noodles
In the Southeast Asian region, noodles come in a variety. They could be made out of wheat flour, rice flour, tapioca flour or even mung bean starch. While they may be sold fresh in local markets, they are also sold in Asian grocers in their hydrated form. A big favourite among the community is Laksa Noodles. Make it with egg noodles and/or rice vermicelli (thin rice noodles). The combination with its curry based soup is the main reason why many rave about it. Every spoonful is meant to be filled with the flavours of the slow-cooked broth, coconut milk and a touch of spiciness. It’s heavenly!
Rice
Rice dishes are very popular among adults and kids alike. They can be made with few simple ingredients as a one-pan dish. Such dishes are great as weeknight recipes for it is quick to prepare. Meanwhile, Hainanese Chicken Rice is on the other spectrum of complexity. Each entity such as rice, chicken and sauces, is prepared on its own before composing the dish. No wonder it is known as the national dish of Singapore and managed to win the hearts of many in the neighbouring countries.