Singapore’s dining scene is incredible, but the crowd and the noise (especially on the weekends) can be a little too much to bear sometimes. But you don’t have to miss out on the city’s best plates on days when you just want a cosy night in. These fab recipe books, courtesy of local chefs, will give you exactly that – lip-smacking dishes on your own dinner table – with some fussing about in the kitchen on your own. Happy cooking!
Dim Sum by Janice Wong
Make those delicate Cantonese delights in your own kitchen, and with artistic flair while you’re at it (really, just check out that photo above), thanks to this beautifully-shot recipe book ($40) by dessert queen and master of all things dainty Janice Wong. The 180-page guide gives you the rundown on must-know techniques and the importance of good ingredients through 92 straightforward recipes.
Buy it from 2am:lab.
Dim Sum by Janice Wong
Plusixfive: A Singaporean Supper Club Cookbook
Written by Goz Lee and friends (the same team behind the plusixfive supper club in London), this publication ($44.90) boasts a whopping 265 pages that don’t only contain beloved local recipes like chwee kueh and babi pongteh, but also anecdotes and doodles that are as engaging as the mouth-watering, full-colour food shots.
Buy it from Epigram Books.
365 Days of Fun
Quit making excuses for not holding that themed party – you’ve got the new Tools of The Trade (ToTT) cookbook to rely on. Featuring 24 fun dishes, 365 Days of Fun ($12.90) offers step-by-step instructions on how to create a meal for various occasions, like movie night, sleepovers, tea parties, and more. Recipes are courtesy of eight contributing chefs – most of which you’d be very familiar with – including chefs Andrew Walsh (Esquina), Bjorn Shen (Artichoke), and Benjamin Siwek (db Bistro Moderne).
Buy it from ToTT Store.
ToTT’s 365 Days of Fun (left) and the ToTT store (right)
Artichoke: Stories and Recipes from Singapore’s Most Rebellious Kitchen
We were certainly stoked that one of the country’s boldest chefs, Bjorn Shen, decided to cram his Middle Eastern-influenced recipes into one book. Straight from the Artichoke kitchen, his recipes (think basturma-cured tuna, Oreo pancakes, and the legendary Lambgasm – an eight-hour slow-roasted lamb leg) are what one would describe as “recklessly creative”. Beware, your guests might be back for more.
Buy it from Kinokuniya.
The New Mrs Lee’s Cookbook
The talent behind Fullerton Bay Hotel’s grand Clifford Pier, Shermay Lee, has rewritten and revived her grandmother’s cookbook, which was first published in 1979. Now titled The New Mrs Lee’s Cookbook ($26.96), the two-part opus covers timeless, well-loved Peranakan recipes, as well as a delightful mix of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian dishes. Best of all, it’s great for any home cook, whether you’re a pro or novice.
Buy it from Kinokuniya.
Top image: Artichoke: Stories and Recipes from Singapore’s Most Rebellious Kitchen