Living in a country which is home to different cultures comes with its fair share of pros and cons. While it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, having a diverse culture is the very reason why Singaporeans have access to various cuisines. Head to a food court and you’ll find food from countries like Korea (e.g. bibimbap), China (e.g. mala), Indonesia (e.g. ayam penyat), India (e.g. roti prata) and the Western parts of the world (e.g. fish and chips). These are the dishes we’re accustomed to eating but are you aware of the “dark side”? If you love a good challenge, I dare you to try these exotic dishes. Ready or not? You’ve been warned…
1) Fish Sauce Ice Cream
If you’ve had food from China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand, chances are you’ve tasted fish sauce. Commonly used in East and Southeast Asian cuisines, fish sauce is a condiment made from salted fish or krill which has been fermented for 2 years. The strong fishy taste and smell makes it a hit or miss (similar to durian).
Image: Flickr
Over the years, ice cream flavors have evolved from your usual vanilla and chocolate to novel ones such as Chilli crab and Salted Egg Yolk. Taking it up a notch is Red Sparrow with their version of salted caramel ice cream – fish sauce ice cream! If you’re game, Sả Flan is a dessert consisting of lemongrass flan and the restaurant’s house special fish sauce ice cream. With such an interesting mix of flavors, this dessert has every right to be on your bucket list!
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2) Crocodile Penis Soup
Eateries selling frog legs and pig insides are aplenty but have you tried something as wild as the privates of an animal? If adventure is what you seek, The Dragon Chamber is worth a peek. They are the masterminds behind this one-of-a-kind dish in Singapore.
Image: The Dragon Chamber
Put your bravery to the test with this double boiled chicken and pork based herbal soup featuring its star – crocodile penis. Like many exotic dishes out there, this soup is bound to divide many. Health benefits (if any) aside, ‘crocodile hunter’ Steve Irwin would definitely not be pleased when he hears of this.
If this soup is too much of a stretch for you, you’re in luck because The Dragon Chamber do offer plenty of familiar chinese dishes as well. P.S. they serve Crocodile feet too if that’s up your alley.
3) Durian Charcoal Pizza
What’s an exotic dish without the incorporation of an exotic fruit right? If you’re a durian fanatic, Mao Shan Wang Cafe is THE place to be. True to its name, Mao Shan Wang Cafe serves a variety of unique dishes infused with the king of fruits. From pizza to ice cream and kaya, durian lovers are bound to be spoiled for choice!
Image: HungryGoWhere
Speaking of pizzas, their signature durian charcoal pizza is a must-try if you’re in the vicinity. The sinfully addictive pizza is topped with pure durian puree and mozzarella cheese. Sounds good aye? Just make sure to rinse your mouth when you’re done or risk offending others. Fret not if you’re part of the minority or as durian fans put it “Singaporean but don’t like durian” category because the Cafe offers non-durian desserts as well.
Satisfied with your durian fix? It’s now time to rehydrate. Consuming watermelon, strawberries and cucumbers are some ways to replenish your water content but they aren’t always readily available. Wish you had something more portable and affordable? A great alternative is Three Legs’ Cooling Water which comes in 3 refreshing flavors – Lychee, Lime and Guava.
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4) Goose Webs
Not going to lie but the sight of frog legs and chicken feet gives me the chills. Here’s another to add to the list while I’m at it – goose webs. Whaaat? That’s right, goose webs are a popular dish in Hong Kong and China. Taste aside, the Chinese believe that eating this makes one a better swimmer. Does it really though? That’s for you to find out.
Image: Flickr
According to SETHLUI, you know you’ve got the real deal when the web is tender and falls off the bone easily as you chew on it. If you’re interested to try it for yourself, your best bet is either Tonny Restaurant or Imperial Restaurant (Imperial Herbal).
5) Pufferfish
Japan is not only known as the Land of the Rising Sun, but the Land of Fresh Seafood as well. To me at least. If you love your fish raw, Japan is definitely worth a visit. Unfortunately, travelling to Japan is not always within our means. If you can relate to that, I bring good news. You can now have a taste of pufferfish (fugu) in different cooking styles (raw, deep fried etc.) at Guenpin, a Japanese restaurant which entered our shores in 2017.
Image: Guenpin
Unlike other seafood, the preparation of pufferfish requires extra care and effort due to its poisonous nature. To give you a better idea of how dangerous this fish is, only certified chefs are allowed to serve this exquisite dish. Keeping that in mind, there have been reports of some who didn’t react well to the fish and had to receive medical treatment.
Fun fact: Dolphins are immune to the poison contained within a pufferfish. In fact, the toxin is equivalent to drugs and is the very method used by dolphins to get “high”.
Whether you’re Team Yay or Team Nay, did you know that these dishes are available on our sunny island? If you’re not severely creeped out yet, there are a ton of other exotic dishes waiting to be discovered, island wide. Until then, I’ll be trying to get the image of the goose webs out of my head.
