From Kitchen

to Table
Looking closely at Hawker Centres

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Contents
Singapores Hawker Centres
Jobs
Spaces
Malay Culture
Malay Cuisine
Nasi Lemak
How to cook
Tools
Indian Culture
Indian Cuisine
Roti Prata
How to cook
Tools

2
3
4
5
7
8
9
10
12
13
14

Western Culture
Western Cusine
Fish and Chips
How to cook
Tools
Chinese Culture
Chinese Cuisine
Fish Balls
How to cook
Tools
You Can Be a Chef
Glossary
For More Information
Index

15
17
18
19
20
22
23
24
25
26
28
29

Hawker Centres
There are many types of food that can be found in a Hawker Centre*. The types of
food can be divided into the 4 main cultures of Singapore - Chinese, Malay, Indian
and Western.
There are many different hawker centres in Singapore. For example:

Chomp Chomp Food

Centre

Lau Pa Sat

Newton Food Centre

* Explanation for words in green can be found in the glossary.

Hawker Centre - Jobs

There are different jobs found in the hawker
centre. What jobs do you see here?
Tray
Collector

Cook
3

Server

Cleaner

Hawker Centres - Spaces

There are different spaces in the hawker centre.
Can you name them?

Malay Cuisine

There are many different dishes that

originate from the Malay culture.
Some of them are:
Nasi Padang

Mee Soto (Soup)

Satay

Mee siam

Ayam Penyet

Malay Cuisine
Some other Malay cuisines are:

Nasi Goreng

Rendang

Ikan Bakar

Roti Jala

Lontong

Malay Cuisine
One of the dishes from the Malay culture is Nasi Lemak.
Nasi Lemak is a fragrant rice dish that includes various
garnishes, and is sometimes served in banana leaves.

Food items of Nasi Lemak

Coconut rice
Fried fish
Fried chicken
Fried egg
Ikan bilis
Peanuts
Sambal chili

Nasi means rice in Malay.

Lemak means rich or creamy in this
context.

Ingredients to make coconut rice

Rice
Salt
Coconut milk
Pandan leaves

Malay Cuisine
How to make the nasi in Nasi Lemak?
The rice in Nasi Lemak is coconut-flavoured. The cooks flavour
white rice with some interesting ingredients. Lets find out what
the ingredients are and how the cooks do it!

Step 1: Rinse the rice and drain

the water.

In the olden days, farmers would have

Nasi Lemak for breakfast every morning
as it comprises food from the various
food groups and keeps them full.

Step 2: Add salt, coconut milk,

pandan leaves and water, and mix.

Step 3: Place the pot into the rice

cooker and cook.

Malay Cuisine
Tools
The cooks in the Hawker Centre use many different tools such as
tongs, spatulas and ladles. These tools are mostly made from
stainless steel because it does not rust easily and it is easy to
clean.

Nasi Lemak is the national dish of

Malaysia

Tools used for making Nasi Lemak

Rice cooker

Frying pan

Turner

Indian Cuisine
There are many different dishes
that originate from the Indian
culture.
Some of them are:

Murtabak

Thosai

Naan and Butter Chicken

Roti Prata and Curry

Putu Mayam

10

Indian Cuisine

Some other Indian cuisines are:

11

Roti John

Briyani

Chapati

Indian Rojak

Chicken Tikka Masala

Indian Cuisine
One of the dishes from the Indian culture is Roti Prata.
Roti Prata is a fried flour-based pancake that is cooked
over a flat grill. It is usually served with a vegetable- or
meat-based curry.

Roti means bread, and prata means flat

in Hindi language.

Ingredients to make Roti Prata

Flour
Egg
Oil/Butter
Water
Salt
Sugar

12

Indian Cuisine
How to make Roti Prata?
It is important to knead the dough before cooking as it makes the dough
soft and springy. It also airs the dough and this makes it light.
Lets find out how the cooks do it!

13

There are many different types of prata!

There are tissue prata, paper prata and
even prata bomb!

Step 1: Press and stretch the

ready-made dough.

Step 2: Flip and toss the

dough repeatedly.

dough onto the hot griddle.

Step 4: When one side turns

Step 5: Remove the prata

from the griddle when both
sides turn golden brown.

Step 6: Serve the prata with

curry and/or sugar.

golden brown, flip it to the other

side.

Step 3: Place the stretched

Indian Cuisine
Tools
The cooks usually use their hands to knead the dough, flipping
and tossing the dough into the air. To cook the Roti Prata, the
dough would be flattened and placed onto the hot griddle. The
cook will then use a spatula to flip the roti prata until it is cooked.

In 2011, Cable News Network listed Roti

Prata as the worlds 50 most delicious
food items that should be tried at least
once in a lifetime.

Tools used for making Roti Prata

Griddle

Spatula

Hands

14

Western Cuisine
There are many different dishes that originate from the Western culture. Some of them are:

Fish and Chips

15

Spaghetti bolognaise

Chicken Chop

Black Pepper Steak

Chicken Cutlet

Western Cuisine
Some other Western cuisines are:

Hamburger

Lamb Chops

Pancakes

Pork Ribs

Bangers and Mash

16

Western Cuisine

Britain is a collective term for 2 nations.

One of the dishes from the Western culture that can be

found in Hawker Centres is Fish and Chips.
This dish is believed to have originated from Britain.
There are two components in this dish - fried battered
pieces of fish and deep fried chips.

17

Ingredients to make fried fish

Fish fillets
Bread crumbs/ flour
Oil
Batter
Flour
Baking powder
Salt

Namely, England and Wales.

Ingredients to make chips

Potato
Salt
Oil

Western Cuisine
How to make the chips in Fish and Chips?
Fish and Chips is a dish that is usually deep fried. Most
western dishes are usually served with chips. Lets find
out how the cooks make the chips!

Step 1: Peel and rinse the

potatoes.

Step 2: Cut each potato into

rectangular pieces that
resemble sticks.

The chips component in Fish and Chips

do not refer to potato crisps. They
actually represent french fries!

Step 3: Deep fry the potato

sticks in hot oil until they turn
golden brown and crispy.

18

Western Cuisine
Tools
The cooks in the Western stall make use of many tools and
equipment that are different from other stalls because they
deep fry both food components that make up Fish and Chips.

The FIRST Fish and Chips shop was

opened in London in 1860!
It was opened by a man called Joseph
Malin.

Tools used for making Fish and Chips

Tongs

19

Deep Fryer

Frying Basket

Cooling Rack

Chinese Cuisine
There are many different dishes that originate from the Chinese culture. Some of them are:

Carrot Cake

Dim Sum

Chicken Rice

Fishball Noodles

Hokkien Mee

Porridge

20

Chinese Cuisine
Some other Chinese cuisines are:

21

Claypot Rice

Ban Mian

Wanton Noodle

Char Siew Roast Pork

Rice

Char Kway Teow

Kuay Chap

Chinese Cuisine
One of the dishes from the Chinese culture is Fish Ball
Noodles.
Fish Balls, known as (y yun) or (y wn), is made
from fish paste and can be served in many ways. They can
be served with soup and noodles, or served dry with sauce
and noodles.

(y) translates to fish

(yun) translates to round
(wn) translates to ball

Ingredients to make Fish Ball

Deboned and skinned fish meat
Salt
White pepper
Corn starch or tapioca flour
Icy cold water
Egg whites

22

Chinese Cuisine
How to make Fish Balls?
There are many different methods to cook Fish Balls - boiling,
steaming or deep-frying. Lets find out how the cooks do it!

23

Some Chinese dishes have 15 different

cooking methods and techniques!

Step 1: Scrape the meat off

the skin.

Step 2: Chop and knead the

meat till it becomes paste.

Step 3: With wet hands, squeeze

the paste into the shape of a ball.

Step 4: Slowly drop the fish

balls into hot boiling water.

Step 5: The fish balls are

cooked when they float up.

Step 6: Using a ladle, scoop up

the fish balls carefully.

Chinese Cuisine
Tools
The cooks in the Chinese stalls uses tools like strainers to keep the
Fish Balls contained in one portion of the pot to prevent them from
floating around while being cooked. The strainers also can be
used to scoop up the Fish Balls when they are cooked.

In Chinese culture, knives and forks are

regarded as unsuitable at the table as
they are considered weapons?

Tools used for making Fish Balls

Strainer

Ladle

Chinese Cleaver

Knives

Bowls

Pot

Chopping Board

Spoon

24

You Can Be a Chef

Make your own prata!
There are many different
prata flavours you can make.
Here are some ingredients
you can add to your prata.
Choose
your
favourite
ingredients,
combine
the
different ingredients, or come
up with your own flavours!

Remember to wash your

hands before and after
cooking!

25

Glossary
Batter - Semiliquid or liquid mixture of flour, and other liquid or dry ingredients.
Communal eating area - Shared area for eating
Cooling racks - A metal rack that allows the food to cool down evenly and quickly.
It also allows for excess oil to drip off
Cuisine - Method of preparing a dish based on a specific culture or race.
Debone - To remove the bones from meat or fish.
Fillet - A boneless slice of meat
Garnishes - Items/ substances used as decorations on a food dish or drink

26

Glossary
Griddle - A flat iron plate that can be heated to cook food
Hawker centre - Place where people sell a variety of ready to eat food
Knead - Massage or squeeze with hands
Originate - To be produced or created in a particular place or time
Scrape - The act of dragging a hard or sharp object across a surface to remove matter
Skin - To remove the skin from an animal, fruit or vegetable.
Stainless steel - A form of steel that is resistant to tarnishing and rust
Tray-return point - An area where the public can return their dishes and trays

27

For More Information

Books:
A Chefs Tools by Holden Strauss

Chef by Helen Mason

Eating Out: A Guide to Food Choice
at Hawker Centres by Singapore
Ministry of Health and Nutrition
Department
Singapore Hawker Centres:
People, Places, Food by Lily Kong

Websites:
Annabel Karmel
http://www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes
Recipes for children who are particular and selective eaters,
vegans/ vegetarians, unwell or have difficulties sleeping.

Fit For a Feast

http://fitforafeast.com/kids_cooking.htm
Learn safety precautions when cooking, as well as hygienic
preparation and storage of food.
Hey Kids, Let's Cook
http://heykidsletscook.com
Prepare multicultural cuisines recipes with step-by-step
instructional videos.
Spatulatta.com
http://www.spatulatta.com
Discover basic skills and techniques of cooking.

28

Index
B
Banana Leaves
Batter
Bowls
Britain

8
17
24
17

C
Chinese Cleaver
Chips
how to make
Ingredients
Tools
Chopping Board
Cook
Cooking Methods
Cooling Rack

24
18
17
19
24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14,
18, 19, 23
23
19

Cuisine
chinese
indian
malay
western
Culture
Curry

20, 21, 22, 23, 24

10, 11, 12, 13, 14
5, 6, 7, 8, 9
15, 16, 17, 18, 19
2, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15,
17, 20, 22
12, 13

D
Deboned
Deep Fryer
Dishes
chinese
indian
malay
western

22
19
20, 21
10, 11
5, 6
15, 16

29

Equipment

19

Fillets
Fishball
how to make
ingredients
tools
Flavour
Flat grill
Frying pan
French Fries
Frying basket

17
23
22
24
8, 25
12
9
18
19

G
Garnishes
Griddle

7
13,14

H
Hawker Centre
examples
jobs
spaces

2
3
4

Index
I
Ingredients

P
8, 25

K
Knead
Knives

13, 14
24

L
Ladle

9, 24

23

M
Methods

N
Nasi Lemak
how to make
Ingredients
Tools
Noodles

8
7
9
21, 22

O
Originate

Pot
Prata
How to make
Ingredients
Tools

5,10, 15, 17, 20

Rice Cooker
Scoop
Scrape
Serve
Singapore
Skinned
Spaces
Spatula
Spoon
Stainless steel
Strainer

T
24
13
12
14
9
24
23
12, 18, 22
2
22
4
9,14
24
9
24

Tools
chinese
Indian
malay
western
Tongs
Turner

24
14
9
19
9, 19
9

30