Hawker HeritageĀ is an art project by Teo Yu Siang that explores the stories behind 10 iconic hawker dishes to advocate for greater diversity in Singapore. You can stay updated through Hawker Heritageā€™s Facebook page.

The Story Behind Rojak

In colloquial Malay,Ā rojakĀ means ā€œmixedā€ or ā€œeclectic mixā€, and is used to refer to the multicultural identity of Singapore.

RojakĀ might have originated fromĀ ancient Javaā€”the dish was mentioned as ā€œrurujakā€ in an ancient Javanese Taji inscription from Mataram Kingdom (901 CE) in Central Java.
Today, rojak is sold in different variants in Singapore. The Indian Muslim version is calledĀ rojak mamak, and it contains fried dough fritters, bean curds, boiled potatoes, prawn fritters, bean sprouts, etc., mixed with a sweet thick, spicy peanut sauce.
Then thereā€™sĀ rojak buahĀ (the Chinese version), which contains fruits like cucumber, pineapple, benkoang, bean sprouts, taupok and youtiao. The dressing inĀ rojak buahĀ contains belacan (shrimp paste), sugar, and lime juice. Finally, thereā€™sĀ rojak bandungĀ (the Malay version)ā€”this version contains sotong, kangkung, cucumbers, bean curds, peanuts, chili and sauce.

The use of peanuts inĀ rojakĀ can be traced all the way back toĀ Mexico. The Spanish empire brought peanuts from Mexico to the Philippines, where it was further brought to Indonesia and introduced toĀ rojak.

The Story Behind Wanton Mee

WantonĀ refers to the dumpling and is from Cantonese. WantonĀ literally means ā€œswallowing cloudsā€ in Cantonese, because when the dumplings are cooked they float in the soup like clouds.
Mee, on the other hand,Ā means ā€œnoodlesā€ in Hokkien. A distinct characteristic ofĀ wanton meeĀ in Singapore is that its name is a mix of two dialects. In other regions of the world, the nameĀ wanton meeĀ makes little sense.

Wanton meeĀ was created inĀ Guangdong, ChinaĀ during the Tang dynasty (618ā€“907 CE). The dish spread to many places as people Guangdong emigrated to other parts of the worldā€”for example Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Unlike the Hong Kong and Guangdong versions, SingaporeanĀ wanton meeĀ is usually served dry, with ketchup and chilli sauce. FriedĀ wantonsĀ might also be served, on top of the usual boiledĀ wantonsĀ in soup.

Hawker Culture Teaches Us the Value of Diversity

Hawker food is all about diversity. When cultures and recipes are blended together, the result is a unique spread of dishes. Itā€™s a reminder that diversity has trueā€”and tangibleā€”benefits that we all enjoy. Unfortunately, in Singapore some forms of diversity are more celebrated than others. We cheer for racial and cultural diversity, but ignore LGBTQ and gender diversity, among others. As a nation, we can do so much more to fully embrace the ethos of our hawker culture.