Malay Singaporean
Nasi lemak: coconut rice plate.
Nasi Lemak Singapura
Singapore-style Malay coconut rice
View page →Singapore's Malay community, concentrated in Geylang Serai, maintains the kampung (village) food traditions of their ancestral peninsular-Malay roots. Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak in the morning serves coconut-rice plates with fried chicken wings, ikan bilis (deep-fried anchovies), sambal, peanuts, egg, and cucumber. At a Geylang Serai night market, mee rebus (yellow noodles in sweet-potato-based curry gravy) is being ladled into bowls. Malay cuisine in Singapore is distinguished from Malaysian by: lighter sambal (less palm sugar), more emphasis on chicken than fish or beef, and adapted to the multicultural Singapore palate. Friday-prayer afternoons, Eid al-Fitr feasts, and Sunday family gatherings center on these dishes.
The Palate
Start Here
Singapore-style Malay coconut rice — fragrant pandan-coconut rice with fried chicken wing, ikan bilis, peanuts, egg, cucumber, and sambal.
Why start here · Nasi Lemak Singapura is the most-loved Malay-Singaporean breakfast — once you understand the seven-component plate, you understand the Geylang Serai morning.
The Pantry
See all 28 ingredients›
Vegetables
Grains & Staples
Dairy & Fats
Sauces & Condiments
How They Cook
Techniques that define this cuisine
Signature Dishes (3)
Other regions
Siblings within Singaporean — each its own tradition.