Q&A with Chef K.F. Seetoh

In the Q&A below, Seetoh discusses the uniqueness and appeal of hawker centers. Then check out his recipes for Nasi Lemak, Fried Hokkien Mee and Chai Tow Kway. 

Singapore has been referred to as the gastronomic melting pot of Southeast Asia. Why?

Singapore has a confluence of flavors. This convergence is a result of its geographic location—ships from around the world had to stop in Singapore to make a U-turn to get to other parts of the world such as Europe or Australia. And the sailors and traders brought their food cultures along with them. The confluence of food cultures happened from what the sailors/traders learned from each other. For example, people can go to a Chinese restaurant and ask for iconic Indian-style noodles

What exactly is hawker food and from where does the name hawker come?

Up until about 50 years ago Singapore was infested with itinerant street food vendors who were “hawking” their food in carts in the streets. They were eye sores, smelly and caused a lot of congestion, but very popular with people. At one time, Singapore had about 30,000 street vendors. Now, the itinerant food hawkers have been relocated into huge centers—the size of football fields—that house up to 200 hawker stations and are complete with kitchens and areas to sit and eat. There are about 109 hawker centers throughout Singapore. People can walk around the centers and choose the various stations where they want to eat.

The hawker centers are bare bones, no frills, but people can have a meal, beverage, even dessert, for less than cooking at home, which is why street food is so appealing in Singapore. They are open seven days a week— some are open 24 hours per day—and offer breakfast, lunch and dinner.

What types of food do you find in the hawker centers?

Singapore’s original inhabitants were Southeast Chinese, Indian and Asian. In a typical hawker center there are flavors from these original places, and now nontraditional places—Japan (sushi), Italy (pasta), Korea and Taiwan. There are even three-course French food offerings for about $13. The food at hawker centers is changing and becoming very diverse.

What are some of Singapore’s signature hawker food dishes?

Chicken and rice—it’s the number-one street food dish. It’s a comfort food; chicken and rice may look bland, but with the rich broth and spices, it’s tastes heavenly. Laksa, curried rice noodle, is an iconic Singapore hawker dish. It has myriad spices—ginger, lemongrass, shallots—that are stir-fried to create a paste. Stock is added to the paste and then thickened with coconut milk—delicious! Deep-fried baby mackerel and seafood fried pasta are also popular hawker foods.

What would surprise Americans to learn about the food in Singapore?

That it is so diverse. It’s something people have to come to Singapore to experience themselves. They can’t read about it. They have to go into hawker center for the “true blue” food culture experience.

You have organized culinary events in the U.S. and around the world. One such event is a “food safari.” What is a food safari?

We bundle 20 to 30 people in a bus and take them all over Singapore to cook with hawker center masters to learn about food culture. It’s a four-hour whirlwind feeding frenzy to see just what makes the Singapore food palate tick.

What are you favorite foods to prepare?

I eat out a lot, but when I’m home I like comfort foods, such as a bowl of rice porridge or laksa. I also like to prepare simple, quick Cantonese-style stir-fry with chicken or tofu and vegetables.

What is the one food everyone should try in their lifetime?

Chicken and rice and laksa.

* All photos courtesy of Makansutra Singapore

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