Putu Piring: A Must-Try Singaporean Delicacy

If you’re traveling in Singapore, you need to try putu piring.

I was first introduced to putu piring through Netflix’s “Street Food: Asia” documentary series. Episode 8 is set in Singapore and during this episode the focus on Putu Piring made by chef Aisha Hashim. After landing in Singapore I knew this had to be on my bucket list, and it should be on yours too!

This traditional dish is historical, meaningful, made of local ingredients and techniques, and is delicious. Chef Aisha is keeping this traditional dish alive and accessible for both locals and tourists alike.

This post is all about putu piring!

what is putu piring?

Putu piring is a steamed, light and airy, patty-shaped cake. It’s about the size of your palm and made of rice flour. Inside the fluffy exterior is warm and sweet palm sugar. Think of it as a less heavy version of a chocolate lava cake. Traditionally, the cake is served directly on top of a pandan leaf while the cake is still hot. This allows the nutty and vanilla-like flavors to perfume the warm cake.

The palm sugar is what takes this treat to the next level. Palm sugar has a slightly smokey and nutty flavor which is more nuanced then one may predict. This coupled with the flight and airiness created by steaming the rice flour cake is ingenious and incredibly unique.

Where to try putu piring in singapore

I believe that supporting a chef like Aisha Hashim, who is so focused on preserving traditional foods, is one of the best things you can do when traveling to a new country.

Haig Road Putu Piring has been around since 1930 and is owned by Aisha Hashim. There are currently 3 different locations making it accessible to locals and tourists alike.

Click here if you’d like to read directly from their website.