Thai dishes are predominantly a balance between salty, sour and spicy whereas Singapore dishes are generally sweeter and mildly spicy and salty. A same dish has 2 different versions and I would elaborate on the differences between the two styles, and my personal preference as a Singaporean. Do not get the misconception that Thai dishes are only spicy and sour. It is a harmonious balance of flavours.
This list is never ending, and I would update as and when I recall. Feel free to suggest dishes!
Chicken Rice (Khao Man Gai)
The Hainanese Chicken Rice can be considered as one of Singapore’s iconic dish. There are many versions of the dish in Singapore but across the board, there is fragrant fluffy rice, juicy tender chicken, and a chilli sauce that is dominantly ginger, chillies, lime and garlic.
The main difference between the two versions would be the sauce. It is a complex sauce has has tau jio (fermented soy beans), dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce together with chillies, garlic and white vinegar. The soy sauce and tau jio adds a depth to the Thai version.
Rice wise, they are similar. Thai chickens are mostly overcooked whereas Singapore’s chickens are just cooked with a shade of pink at the bones. Flavour wise, both are considerably similar.
My verdict: Because Singapore has access to better grade Jasmine Rice, I would prefer Singapore’s rice, Singapore’s juicier chicken, and the Thai sauce.
Thai Sauce
Singapore Sauce
Char Siew (Moo Daeng)
The best part of a pig to use to make this dish would be the prized pork jowl; the strip of meat near the neck. Due to it’s higher cost, and that this dish is usually found at street food stalls, Thais use a cheaper cut such as the loin. The resulting product is not as well marbled. Of course, there are stalls in Singapore that uses the pork loin due to a healthier eating lifestyle Singaporeans are starting to embrace. The marinade is also less sweet in Thailand, which less sugars are added, resulting in lesser caramelization.
My verdict: I prefer the Singapore version that is sweeter, and more charred, with better marbling. My Thai friends agree that we do a better version that them. Some stalls version might be too rich for them though. For instance, I personally love Kay Lee’s but they felt that it is overly sweet.
Moo Daeng
Char Siew
Char Kway Teow (Pad See Ewe)
The basic ingredients for both versions are similar, ie, kway teow, garlic, sweet dark soy sauce and fish sauce.
Singapore has Chinese sausage, beansprouts, chives and blood cockles whereas Thai has sliced meat and kale. Singapore’s version is slightly sweeter as well.
I find that these ingredients do not make a difference except for the blood cockles. I am not a fan of cockles but my dish has to be tossed with cockles. The juice from the cockles makes a difference in the overall taste.
My verdict: The Singapore version. My Thai friends are half and half. They like the additional of our cockles, but the sweetness is slightly too much for them.
Pad See Ewe
Char Kway Teow
Hor Fun (Rad Na)
Exactly the same ingredients. The Thai version adds fermented soy bean paste to the sauce, and the Singapore version fries the kway teow until their is wok hei (wok’s breath) before pouring the sauce over.
The Singapore version is served with pickled green chillies. The Thai version is served with fish sauce, white vinegar, pickled green chillies, and dried chilli flakes.
My verdict: I love wok hei in my dishes. The sauce with added fermented beans does not change much. However, the eventual taste is dependent on how much condiments you add. I prefer the Singapore version.
Hor Fun
Rad Na
Otak (Hormok)
Both are made from a red curry paste, blended with fresh fish paste and coconut milk. Singapore uses a Malay red curry paste base, with flavours from salt and sugar whereas Thai uses a red curry paste with flavours from palm sugar and fish sauce. The Singapore version has finely shredded Kaffir Lime leaves mixed in before cooking whereas the Thai version mixed Thai sweet basil before cooking and garnished with finely shredded Kaffir Lime leaves and coconut cream before serving.
The Singapore version is usually wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. The Thai version is poured into small cups made by folding banana leaves and steamed.
Singapore uses Mackerel. Thai uses a fish called Pla Krai, which is the Knife Fish, not available in Singapore. It is supposed to give a better bounce.
My verdict: From the ingredients, we can see that the Thai version, with sweet basil, fish sauce, and palm sugar added a lot of flavours and depth to the dish. However, steaming makes the custard much softer, and without the charred fragrance we get from the Singapore version. Both versions are largely different in the product. I have tried making the Thai version by grilling and I absolutely love the end product. It is a combination of the best points from both versions. I aim to put it on Rochor Thai’s menu soon.
Otak
Hor Mok
Kway Chap (Same name in Thai, Kway Chap)
Singapore version has kway teow noodles in a herbal broth, and a platter of mixed pig organs, hard boil egg, and pork belly in a braising sauce served with a spicy sour chilli sauce, similar to that of the Chicken Rice chilli.
Thai’s has thick rice noodle tubes with mixed organs, hard boiled egg, and pork slices served in a peppery herbal broth, served with the standard Thai condiments: chilli flakes, vinegar, fish sauce.
My verdict: None. It’s a preference thing. If you like a version with soup, the Thai one would suit you more. However if you are eating it because of the braised platter, the Singapore version would be preferred.
Kway Chap Thai
Kway Chap Singapore
Sambal Kang Kong (Pad Pak Boong Fai Daeng)
Loosely translated, the Thai names means to stir fry kangkong with fire.
Thai version has kang kong, garlic, chillies, oyster sauce, sugar, and fermented soy bean paste all placed on a plate. The oil is heated up until smoking, and everything gets into the wok at the same time with a little water. This caused the wok to catch fire momentarily. Although personally, I feel that if you are using a high powered pressure burner, you do not need the wok to catch fire to achieve the wok hei flavour.
Singapore version has blanched kang kong stir fried with a sambal paste. The sambal makes or breaks this dish.
Some might argue for the Thai version, you do not sauteed your garlic and chillies until fragrant before adding in the vegetables and herbs. There is no need to. The dominant flavours are from the oyster sauce and fermented soy bean paste. It covers the fragrance of the garlic. The Thai version is topped with deep fried garlic at the end for additional flavour as well.
My verdict: I like both. Both styles are quite different in tastes. Of course the Singapore version has to have a good sambal.
Pad Pak Boong Fai Daeng
Sambal Kang Kong
Omelette (Kai Jeaw)
The Singapore/Chinese omelette is a big flat round omelette seasoned with salt and pepper.
Thai omelette is a fluffly egg omelette that is seasoned with fish sauce and pepper. There is a technique to achieve this. It is definitely more fluffy that the Singapore version but some might might it too fluffy and you are not biting into egg but air.
My verdict: Somehow, the Thai omelette goes with Thai food, and the Singapore omelette goes with local food. Hmm..
Kai Jeaw
Omelette
Gong Bao Chicken (Cashew Nut Chicken)
The main ingredients are the same, ie, chicken, dried chillies, cashew nuts, garnishes (bell peppers, onions, spring onions). The main difference lies in the sauce. There is black vinegar in the Singapore version. The Thai version has Thai chilli paste (Nam Prik Pao). Both versions look exactly the same.
My verdict: I am not a fan of black vinegar. It’s a personal preference. I prefer the Thai version.
Cashew Nut Chicken
Fried Rice (Khao Pad)
Singapore version stir fries garlic, then egg lightly cooked, then rice, achieves wok hei, adds spring onions and seasoned with salt, sugar and pepper.
Thai version stir fries garlic and white onion, then egg fully cooked (they do not want an egg smell on the rice), then rice, no wok hei, adds spring onions and tomatoes, and seasoned with golden mountain sauce, light soy sauce, and pepper. Served with prik nam pla, a dipping sauce of chillies and garlic in a lime juice and fish sauce concoction.
My verdict: Both are different. But at Rochor Thai, we do the Thai version with wok hei. The onions add a natural fragrance and sweetness. I like the best of both worlds. For the Thai version, I cannot live without the dipping sauce whereas the Singapore version is good on its own.
Fried Rice
Khao Pad
Chin Chao / Grass Jelly (Chao Kuai)
Singapore version has the jelly softer, and in long thin strips usually served in a basic sugar syrup as a beverage. You can request it to be served as a dessert as well.
Thai version has firmer jelly cubes, and served with ice and a brown sugar syrup as a dessert. You can request it to be served as a beverage as well.
In terms of taste, both are almost the same. Only textures are different with one being firmer.
My verdict: Exactly the same thing. But I prefer the Thai version with a firmer texture.
Grass Jelly
You Tiao (Pa Thong Ko)
Singapore version is longer than the Thais, and usually eaten plain. Both versions do eat with soy bean milk. The Thai version is served with sangkaya, a pandan custard or something similar to our Singapore kaya.
Every shop in both countries have their own specials. Some are more fluffy, some crispier, some fatter, some thinner etc.
My verdict: Having eaten this my whole life, I can still unable to appreciate it with kaya. My vote goes to the Singapore version. I enjoy holding a long stick and slowly munching my way down rather than a short stick that finishes in 2 bites.
Pa Thong Ko
You Tiao
Laksa (Kanom Jeen Nam Ya)
Both versions are complex dishes with a spice paste base in their broths. The Thai version has many versions. Kanom Jeen is their “laksa noodles”. Nam Ya is the name of the sauce. There are nam ya, nam ya gati, nam ya pla etc. However, using nam ya as a guide, the Thai laksa doesnt have any seafood. It is a spicy sweet sauce mixed with Thai herbs and fresh raw vegetables. It is a coconut based heavy broth, but balanced with the fresh herbs and raw vegetables. The spice paste has some cooked fish meat pounded into it. This is a Thai method to add depth and protein to the dish.
The Singapore version is more satiating with a very rich coconut based broth made with prawn stock and dried shrimps.
My verdict: Both are very different in tastes but the Thais relate our Laksa to Kanom Jeen Nam Ya, and Singaporeans relate their Thai laksa to our Laksa. It all depends on the craving at that moment.
Kanom Jeen Nam Ya
Laksa
Sticky Rice
Thais eat white sticky rice as a staple. They pair it with certain dishes and eat it in place of white rice. As a guide, they only steam their rice for about 20-30minutes. The Thai like it with a bite and note mushy.
Singaporeans would link sticky rice to lor mai gai, a steamed sticky rice with chicken. This dish has mushy and sticky sticky rice. More often that not, first timers who eat Thai sticky rice would find it hard and undercooked.
My verdict: I like a rice that is al dente and with a bite. Thai version.
Roti Prata (Roti Gluay)
Both versions are similar in taste and texture. However, Singaporeans eat it usually with curry as a meal whereas Thais eat it sweet as a dessert. Roti Gluay has condensed milk and bananas with the prata. Somehow, the Thais find it weird to have a salty prata as a meal.
My verdict: Both are different and we love both versions!
Roti Gluay
Roti Prata
The list is never ending, and I will add on as and when I recall something. Feel free to comment if you can think of a similar dish!
Rochor Thai 