One of the great joys of travel in South-East Asia is street food, whether from mobile street carts, kindergarten tables on the pavement, open air barbecues, or hawker courts and malls.

Here’s a couple of dishes not to miss from three iconic South-East Asian street food destinations: Penang, Bangkok and Singapore.

Penang – Multicultural Delights

Penang has a diverse heritage, with its population split between people of Malay, Chinese and Indian descent, and its cuisine is equally diverse. While traditional mobile hawker stalls can still be found around the city, much of what used to be pure street food has now been corralled into hawker centres – think open air street food malls, and you won’t be far wrong.

Hokkien Mee

“Mee” means, simply, noodles, and “Hokkien” refers to a Chinese minority language. The Hoklo people originated around Fujian and emigrated to what was then called the Straits Settlement under British colonial rule, and variations on the theme of Hokkien Mee can be found pretty much wherever the Hoklo laid their hats.

In Penang, Hokkien Mee is a fragrant noodle soup based on a broth of pork and prawns, with yellow chewy egg noodles and often also fine rice vermicelli. Typical toppings include fish balls, crispy fried shallots, hard-boiled egg and spicy sambal, although in food courts and hawker centres it’s often possible to build your own soup with your choice of meat, fish, vegetables and noodles.

Roti

The ultimate Penang breakfast? Roti, a delicious flatbread that’s found all over the Indian subcontinent, served with saucers of dhal and rich curry gravy. For a taste of Penang’s Indian heritage, choose between plain roti, butter roti, sweet roti – and more.

Bangkok – Street Food Heaven

You can buy almost anything on the sidewalks of Bangkok, from simple grilled meat skewers through to brightly coloured rice-based sweetmeats and puddings, or noodle dishes like Prik Pad Pai

Som Tam

Som Tam is one food that’s almost worth the price of a flight to Thailand on its own. And, if you thought papaya was just a basis for scented bodywashes, think again. Som Tam uses green (unripe) papaya as a deliciously tangy vegetable, and the basis for a salty, sweet, spicy, sour salad – topped with fresh crab, it’s to die for.

Nam Kaeng Sai

Thought beans were savoury? Think again. The Thai variation of a sweet bean delight that’s found in its various forms all over South-East Asia is a colourful blend of jelly, beans, water chestnuts and coconut ice cream. Seriously – it’s to die for.

Singapore – Street Food Reinvented

In highly regulated Singapore, street food proper is a thing of the past, although food courts recreate the dishes that street vendors (hawkers) used to sell, and the city-state’s many malls are home to a welter of snacks from all around the world.

Chilli Crab

Singaporeans are addicted to crab, and this is one of the classic serves. Think mud crabs cooked with stacks of chilli, and a sour-sweet tomato sauce – for an additional hit of Chinese style, mop up the gravy with toasted mantou (Chinese buns).

Chicken Rice

For many Chinese Singaporeans, Chicken Rice is the national dish – glorious slices of juicy roast chicken, served with a rice infused with delicious buttery chicken juices. Not for the dieter, the fat and crispy skin are a key part of the appeal of chicken rice.

Tempted? Book a flight to South East Asia now to explore the beautiful region and delicious food. You might want to check out flight prices on Cheapflights.co.uk.

Words: Suraj Ghosht
Images: McKay Savage, Oleg Sidorenko and Daran Kandasamy.