Carrot cakes and char kway teow are a dime a dozen in hawker centres. But, hidden from the spotlight are a few hawker foods that are slowly losing recognition among Singaporeans today.

Some of these hawker foods used to be thriving in our grandparents’ or parents’ generation but have gradually become endangered as more stalls give up passing on their legacies. But, we’re not going to just let them pass us by.

From rare Teochew kuehs to traditional Malay pancakes, we’ve dug up 8 vanishing hawker foods in Singapore you have to try before they’re gone forever and where to find them. Get a taste of your grandparents’ favourite dessert or your parent’s after-school snack!

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/chianghongkeat/

#1 BUBUR TERIGU

Resembling a paler-looking bubur hitam, the bubur terigu is a sweet wheat porridge. Boiled for at least an hour, the white wheat transforms into a sticky, gooey stew. It is usually sweetened with fragrant gula melaka and coconut milk to give it that extra oomph.

This traditional treat can be found stewing at a small handful of stalls such as Gong He Guan and Hua Jie Traditional Desserts.

Gong He Guan
28 Upper Cross St
Singapore 058337
Tel +65 6223 0562
Daily: 10.30am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

Hua Jie Traditional Desserts
17 Upper Boon Keng Rd, #01-70
Singapore 380017
Nearest Station: Boon Keng

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/pohcheukitchen/

#2 CHI KAK KUEH

Black sesame? Charcoal? Nope, it’s mugwort. Known as “chi kak kueh” or “shu ke kueh”, this Teochew snack features mugwort-infused skin stuffed with sweetened green bean paste. Similar to the more familiar ang ku kueh, it’s delightfully chewy on the outside.

Only a few stalls in Singapore make this rare type of kueh, such as Yan Seng Cooked Food and Poh Cheu Soon Kueh & Ang Ku Kueh.

Yan Seng Cooked Food
#01-313, Tekka Centre, 665 Buffalo Road
Singapore 210665
Tel +65 6314 0630
Daily: 6am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Little India

Poh Cheu Soon Kueh & Ang Ku Kueh
127 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-222
Singapore 150127
Tel +65 6276 2287
Mon – Sat: 8am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Queenstown

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/tonguedynasty/

#3 FUZHOU OYSTER CAKE

Resembling golden-brown UFOs, these Fuzhou oyster cakes are the perfect snack for when you’re craving a deep-fried indulgence. These flat discs are usually stuffed with oysters, minced pork, coriander and roasted peanuts. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these babies are super addictive.

You can find them at Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake and Fuzhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake.

Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake
1 Kadayanallur St, #01-05, Maxwell Food Centre
Singapore 069184
Mon – Sat: 9am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

Fuzhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake
166 Jln Besar, #02-34
Singapore 208877
Tel +65 8112 5286
Daily: 10am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Lavender

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/lee.belinda.98/

#4 NOI JI SUAN

The lotus seed version of tau suan, this traditional dessert is basically a sweet lotus seed porridge. The lotus seeds are cooked till soft and crumbly, but with slightly more bite as compared to that of mung beans. Cooking this dish involves a pretty laborious process of removing the pith of each seed, which is probably why it’s getting harder to find.

Thankfully, House of Dessert in Tampines Round Market and Food Centre are still dedicating themselves to whipping up a solid bowl of noi ji suan.

House of Dessert
137A Tampines Street 11, Tampines Round Market and Food Centre, #01-02
Singapore 522137
Tues – Wed: 7am – 3pm
Fri – Sun: 7am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Tampines West

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/chianghongkeat/

#5 PIG TROTTER JELLY

Maybe the name of this dish alone is enough to make some of you gag. We’re not gonna lie, pig trotter jelly definitely has an acquired taste. For those of you who have never tried it, expect chilled gelatinous pork trotter stew cut into bite-sized strips. It is usually dipped in vinegary chili sauce to balance out the heavy, meaty flavour.

This Teochew delicacy can be found at Lao Liang Pig Trotter Jelly & Shark Meat in Jalan Berseh Food Centre.

Lao Liang Pig Trotter Jelly & Shark Meat
166 Jalan Besar, Jalan Berseh Food Centre, #02-37
Singapore 208877
Tues – Sun: 11am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Jalan Besar

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/theburpcouple/

#6 ROTI KIRAI

Roti kirai translates into “net bread”, which is pretty self-explanatory when you look at the snack. It is traditionally served on special occasions such as birthdays and weddings.

Shaped like a tightly-woven lattice, this Malay dessert is made from flour, eggs, water and turmeric powder. It pairs wonderfully with curry but is delicious on its own too.

Get a taste of this delicacy at Roti Kirai Delights or Alimah’s Kitchen!

Roti Kirai Delights
851 Jurong West Street 81, #06-291
Singapore 640851
Tel +65 8498 5459
Mon – Fri: 12pm – 8pm
Sat – Sun: 12pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Pioneer

Alimah’s Kitchen
Block 2A Commonwealth Drive, Tanglin Halt Food Centre, #01-23
Singapore 141003
Nearest Station: Queenstown

#7 SWEET AND SALTY GLUTINOUS RICE

Most of us are probably familiar with lor mai kai and lotus leaf glutinous rice. But how about sweet and savoury glutinous rice? This type of glutinous rice was a breakfast staple in Singapore during the 1950s and 1960s, but has gradually lost its prominence in the hawker scene.

Loaded with stewed peanuts and fried shallots, the dish is irresistibly fragrant. The rice itself is chewy and sticky, with a good bite to it.

Millennium Glutinous Rice at Chinatown Complex Food Centre is the only one hawker stall which is known to be churning out this dish in Singapore.

Millennium Glutinous Rice
335 Smith St, #02-092, Chinatown Complex Food Centre
Singapore 050335
Mon – Sat: 7am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/goawaylobster/

#8 TAU KWA PAU

Char siew paus and tau sar paus have got nothing on the tau kwa pau. This rare gem sees deep fried tau kwa stuffed to the brim with a variety of ingredients — chopped fish cake, fried yam bits, hard-boiled egg and cucumber. Finished off with some thick savoury gravy, it makes for a really hearty meal.

Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau is the only stall left in Singapore that makes this delicious combo. Hurry down now to try this traditional delicacy before it goes extinct!

Say Seng Tau Kwa Pau
271 Onan Rd, Dunman Food Centre, #01-05
Singapore 424768
Tel +65 9488 7736
Tues – Sun: 8am – 5pm
Nearest Station: Eunos

Chinatown or niu che shui in Chinese, was once home to the early Chinese immigrants of Singapore. Its Chinese name comes from the bullock carts that used to supply fresh water to the immigrants that lived in the area.

Fast forward to the present day, this ethnic enclave has transformed into an eclectic amalgamation of old and new. Think boutiques housed in restored heritage shophouses and some of Singapore’s oldest temples nestled among high skyscrapers.

From places of worship and heritage murals to Singapore’s largest hawker centre, here is our Guide to Singapore’s Chinatown. With so much to see and so many things to do, you’ll definitely be captivated by the charms of this old neighbourhood.

BUDDHA TOOTH RELIC TEMPLE

Located in the heart of Chinatown is Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, one of Singapore’s most popular tourist attractions. This Tang-styled Chinese Buddhist temple features intricate architecture and it is here where visitors are able to view sacred religious artefacts. It boasts a rooftop garden that exudes tranquillity as well as a large prayer wheel and pagoda.

288 South Bridge Road
Singapore 058840
Tel: +65 6220 0220
Daily: 7am – 7pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

CHINATOWN COMPLEX FOOD CENTRE

At Singapore’s largest hawker centre with almost 300 food stalls, you are guaranteed to get an authentic experience at Chinatown Complex Food Centre. With a myriad of local cuisine to choose from and prices ranging from S$2.50 to S$3, you’ll not only be spoilt for choice but you’ll be more than glad to sweat it out too.

355 Smith Street
Chinatown Complex
Singapore 050335
Nearest Station: Chinatown

ELDERLY CORNER

Just right in front of Chinatown Complex Food Centre, you’ll find a sheltered area where many senior citizens and residents gather for a lil’ R&R. Most of the time, they can be seen playing Checkers or Chinese Chess, reading newspapers or simply chatting with each other.

MURALS

Hidden in the nooks and crannies of the concrete jungle, Singapore actually has a flourishing street art scene. And Chinatown is a good starting point to embark on a street wall crawl around the island.

The more popular ones here such as the Cantonese Opera, Detective Conan in Chinatown and Paper Mask and Puppet Seller are by prominent local street artist Yip Yew Chong who is known for his murals of Old Singapore that encompasses our heritage.

PAGODA STREET

Upon exiting Chinatown MRT station, you’ll find yourself on Pagoda Street the main shopping street of Chinatown. A famous area for opium trade back in the day, it has been transformed into a pedestrian street lined with restored shophouses and street stalls selling souvenirs.

Also located here is the Chinese Heritage Centre where you can experience how life was for the early migrants that settled in Chinatown.

SRI MARIAMMAN TEMPLE

Situated in vibrant Chinatown is Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple. Built by Indian immigrants in the 1800s, the exterior of the temple features 6 tiers of sculptures of deities and mythological figures. The fact that you can find a Hindu temple in the middle of an ethnically Chinese enclave is a clear testament of multiculturalism in Singapore.

244 South Bridge Road
Singapore 058793
Daily: 7am – 12pm, 6pm – 9pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

SINGAPOREAN ICE CREAM SANDWICH

Cool off from the sweltering heat by getting yourself a Singaporean ice cream sandwich – a dessert that is unique to our island. Nestled between a piece of rainbow-coloured bread or wafers is a huge block of ice cream with a flavour of your choice. It’s easy to spot the ice cream uncle, just look out for a big red umbrella!