Singapore Food Festival 2010 – Clarke Quay Food Street

One of the major events of Singapore Food Festival is started on the last Friday (16 July). Since the theme of the year is Chinese Dialect food. Over 30 famous food stalls, eateries and caterers are banding together to create a long feast bursting with local flavours, and serving from their snacks to dishes served on festival.

I can’t post for all the stalls, but I would like to share some of the snacks and food, which I find is unique and special.

Can’t escape from the Hainanese Chicken rice’s temptation (eventhough it looks common), but it tastes really yummy. The rice is served in an early version style, rice had compacted into balls, and they are called rice treasure (饭珍). In the past, the rice is painstakingly shaped into balls with the bare hands before it grows cold because it needed to be kept warm from the time it was cooked until mealtime for labourers. Today, rice balls are appreciated more as a novelty than anything else.

Hainanese snacks - San jiao Guo (三角粿)，Xi Guo（喜粿）Ya guo （椰粿）(from left to right)

They looked familiar, but they are different in taste with normal snacks you found in the market. The main ingredient is coconut flakes; you can find coconut flakes and peanut inside in the san jiao guo and xi guo, mixed with a bit of ginger flavour. I have been told that these kind of guos only been served as gift to relatives when baby in the full month celebration or in festival occasions like Chinese New Year. So, try it if you been there.

Hokkien cuisine- Popiah

You will find more than 1 hokkien cuisine in the event, but, I highly recommend the popiah. I am touched when I saw they prepare the popiah skin by hand in front of the stall. I am attracted by her fluid, skilful movements, the popiah skin is strong enough to be cooked without breaking up. You will know how good it tastes once you savour it.

Another Hokkien dish I would recommend is - Traditional Hokkien Tapioca Roll (粉粿) from Gim Tim. Don’t be misleading by it’s looked as it is really worth to try; it has a great texture and kept bouncing when you chewed. Thumb up when you taste the tapioca roll with chilli and dried shrimp.

Boiled Sour Pig Trotter in Cantonese style by Gim Tim (left), Hakka Braised Vinegar Pork by Linda’s Kitchen (right)

It’s interesting to see that the same dish has been presented by different dialects. As a well known Cantonese cuisine, the boiled sour pig trotter using the trotter, black vinegar, ginger and rock sugar as main ingredient. It originally made for post-pregnancy woman to work back their health.

At the same time, you will find that Hakka Braised Vinegar Pork (Hakka cuisine) also using the trotter, pork belly, sugar as main ingredients but white vinegar and garlic (instead of black vinegar and ginger) as main flavour and add on dried chilli, radish to enhance. Similar ingredients but different style, it is worth to try both and compare. (After tasting, I find out that the radish is the most delightful)

I have missed the cold crab from Tian Jin Hai, maybe would visit the restaurant after this event.

Chi Kak Kueh (鼠壳粿)

Kuehs and snacks has showed their sincere by presenting Chi Kak Kueh for the event. What is Chi Kak kueh? Chi Kak Kueh also known as black kueh, the skin is made up of rice flour and the juice from a kind of special Chinese herbs called ‘Chi Kak leave’, which is known to avoid digestion and help to break down fats. The filling is made of red bean paste, peanut and sesame. Besides that, I have been told that they only bought this Chinese herb from China once a year and Chi Kak kueh only offer during Chinese New Year. Just for this reason, is worth to try.

zhu du tang (猪肚汤), Suan pan zi（算盘子）and Red-wine chicken（红糟鸡）(from left to right)

Kew Garden Restaurant is known for being one of the few Hakka restaurants remaining in Singapore. This time, besides serving Hakka specialty like Zhu du tang, suan pan zi and Red-wine chicken; they also presented a rarely snack – hei dou gao. It’s pity that I have missed it due to budget concern; leave me a comment if you have tried.

Besides Chinese dialects food, you also can find satay, rojak and Indian food in the event. And, I choose durian pancake from four seasons to complete my meal. Overall, I am satisfied with the new dishes I have tried.