Singapore Chinese Vegetarian

Singapore Chinese Vegetarian food consists mainly of non meaty stuff. As the name suggests, the total vegetarian diet includes mainly foods from plants like fruits, vegetables, legumes (dried beans and peas), grains, seeds and nuts.

I can’t say I am a fan of vegetarian Chinese food, it never cross my mind to have a meal strictly based on the vegetarian diet. It just seem tasteless and bland to me… but that was 3 months ago that I have such confined thoughts. I was not open enough to give it a go at the Singapore Chinese vegetarian food. Call me an idiot…

There are not many vegetarian food lovers in my circle of friends. Pale, wobbling knees and skinny frame are thoughts that came straight into my mind when someone tells me he or she is a Chinese vegetarian. I know this kind of labeling, stereotyping and stigmatization can be so wrong. And worst, I always have this in mind that those vegetarian Chinese food lovers are Buddhists.

Singapore Chinese Vegetarian Food

It is true that in Singapore, the population is pre-dominantly Chinese. And we have the largest group of Buddhist believers among others religion. Many would link Buddhists to be vegetarians and most would have think that Buddhists only eat vegetarian. In fact, this is not true.

Most staunch Buddhists follow a vegetarian diet which adheres to the two basic principles. Buddhist believes in rebirth. After death, the soul of our human body may occupy the body of an animal; inevitably the believers of Buddhism would abstain from killing animals for food. However, the restraint is really more against killing animals than anything else, which is the real teaching of Buddhism.

Chinese Vegetarian Delight

Fast forward to today, I would have step into any of the vegetarian restaurant. The thing that changed my perception was more or less by chance (I didn’t create this moment as I never could see myself eating just plant).

While walking to the library, my stomach started a revolution. Times up! I had been walking for a while and I knew I had to look for a place to eat. I chanced upon a hawker place in Geyland East Avenue 1. In that moment of famishment, I simply approached a hawker store and pointed at a picture with a bright colorful dish without much thought.

“Auntie…mix yong tau foo with beehoon dry” I gently ordered my dish. It didn’t take too long for it to arrive on my table as it was way past lunch time. Still there were several customers waiting in line after me.

What it didn’t occurred to me was that I had ordered a vegetarian “Yong Tau Foo” (Chinese soup dish with Hakka origins) dish. I was pleasantly surprised as I could not tell the difference at all. It tasted fabulous! Perhaps it was the extreme hunger that somehow made the vegetarian dish extremely wonderful to my tummy…I ordered a 2nd serving. This time round, my hunger didn’t fool me. The vegetarian dish was indeed exceptional.

Chinese Vegetarian Dumplings

It was only when I shared with my vegetarian friends that they told me the eatery was a previous yummy king winner (a television pundits show for local food). The coffee shop is at the row of HDB shop house facing Sims Avenue. They serve “Zhi-Char” (Chinese cook and fry) style vegetarian dishes, vegetarian “Laksa” (spicy noodle with prawn) and vegetarian “Yong Tau Foo”.

This wonderful experience certainly has a positive insight on my perception about Singapore Chinese vegetarian food. I even grow to have a penchant for the dish, though I am yet to be converted into a vegetarian which I doubt I ever will be one.

Recommended Singapore Chinese Vegetarian restaurants:

Kwan Inn Vegetarian Food – Block 134, Geylang East Avenue 1

Grand Court Vegetarian Restaurant – 321 Orchard Road #05-01 Orchard Shopping Centre

Kingdom Vegetarian – 3 Temasek Boulevard #03-014 Suntec City Mall

Greenland Vegetarian Restaurant – 789 Upper Serangoon Road