Makan!

"Makan"is the Malay word for "eat." When you are Singapore, you want to makan at the hawker centers. You have to sample as many of the local fare as you can. Skip the high-end restaurants operated by celebrity chefs. You haven't really been to Singapore until you've eaten some of these ...

raw fish porridge, a favorite of my dad's

char kway teow. a true hawker center classic. this dish has the reputation of being artery-clogging, but it's perfect for that occasional indulgence. 

Singapore-style beef noodles. it's nothing like Vietnamese pho; it's better :)

glutinous rice with peanuts and anchovies. great breakfast.

Laksa. I love this. We even shared a recipe for it on our blog; you can find it here.

chwee kueh -- rice cakes topped with pickled radish and chili sauce. typically eaten for breakfast. 

mee hoon kueh, also known as handmade noodles. served in a delicious anchovy-based broth.

crab. steamed and eaten cold. this is as simple as crab gets. yums.

lor mee. egg noodles smothered in a yummy sauce that's topped off with vinegar and minced raw garlic.

And if you're wondering what to drink while you're chowing away at the hawker centers, I recommend teh-C, which is a local version of tea sweetened with sugar and jazzed up with evaporated milk. Delicious!

People say eating is the national obsession in Singapore. It's hard not to agree. If you're interested in what else you should try when you visit Singapore, here's another list of must-eats that Zach and I compiled when we got back from visiting my family last year!