Singapore Noodles, known for their savoury and slightly sweet taste, are a stir-fried dish popular in Chinese food and restaurants. Made with curry-flavoured rice vermicelli, scrambled egg and a combination of proteins and vegetables, this is a dish with a little something for everyone. The name suggests the history of the dish, with many presuming it's a direct result of its origins, but that is a common misconception.
Are Singapore Noodles Really from Singapore?
Answer: no. This dish did not originate in Singapore. In fact, it's not even a well-known meal in Singapore. So where did it come from? Let's take a look at the history of Singapore noodles.
The History of Singapore Noodles
During World War II, curry powder was introduced to China through the British trade routes. Following the war, Cantonese chefs developed a new recipe as a way of using this new ingredient, and the dish they created was Singapore Noodles. It is believed that Singapore Noodles originated in Cantonese restaurants in Hong Kong.
So why are Singapore Noodles named after a country they didn't originate from? We don't know for sure, but there are two common theories. The first is that Singapore Noodles sounded more exciting and intriguing than Hong Kong Noodles, making them more appealing to Western palates. The second is that the name is a nod to Singapore's reputation for serving spicy dishes and its fusion of Indian and Chinese flavours.
What Are Singapore Noodles?
The main ingredient in Singapore Noodles is vermicelli, a traditional type of pasta. While Italian vermicelli is thicker and made from durum wheat semolina and eggs, Asian and US vermicelli is thin and made from rice flour or mung bean starch. Rather than boiling the noodles, vermicelli (also known as rice sticks) is cooked by soaking in hot water. The soft vermicelli is coated in curry powder and turmeric, giving it a rich and somewhat spicy, yet sweet, flavour.
Scrambled egg (cooked separately) is commonly added to the vermicelli, along with a selection of proteins and vegetables. One of the most common ingredients is shrimp, marinated in oil and fish sauce, alongside char siu, a Cantonese-style barbecued pork known for its sweet and savoury flavour. Prawns are another commonly used seafood, as are chicken, beef and a variety of other meats. Beansprouts are a favourite vegetable, along with onions, red bell peppers, snow peas and carrots.
Cooking Singapore Noodles
A variety of herbs and spices flavour the dish, including garlic, white pepper, sugar, soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. When cooking at home, you can add whichever vegetables, meat or seafood you prefer; this is a dish you can tailor to your tastebuds.
All protein and vegetable ingredients are fried in a wok with oil and coated in curry powder, then removed once cooked. The cooked vermicelli is added to the wok and fried for a few seconds before fish sauce and curry powder go in. The cooked ingredients are returned to the wok and mixed with the vermicelli, and the dish is ready to serve.
