Ramadan Recipes from Singapore and Malaysia
Ramadan in Singapore and Malaysia has its own familiar rhythm: an early meal for sahur, the long day of fasting, and then the anticipation of buka puasa as evening approaches.
Here you’ll find Singaporean and Malaysian Ramadan recipes for both ends of the fasting day, from comforting rice dishes, curries and soups to quick meals, kuih, desserts and drinks. Some, like bubur lambuk, are closely associated with Ramadan itself, while others are everyday favourites that are particularly good for cooking ahead, sharing with family or putting together when you really don’t want to spend all evening in the kitchen.
Ramadan in Singapore and Malaysia
Ramadan is the Muslim month of fasting, when food and drink are avoided from dawn until sunset. The pre-dawn meal is known here as sahur — you’ll also see the Arabic spelling suhoor — while breaking the fast in the evening is usually called buka puasa in Malay, or iftar.
And naturally, food becomes a big part of the daily routine.
In Singapore and Malaysia, Ramadan means home cooking, food being shared between families and neighbours, and, of course, the Ramadan bazaars that appear in towns and neighbourhoods throughout the month.
You’ll find everything from traditional dishes and kuih to roti john, fried snacks, curries, rice dishes, enormous drinks and whatever new creation somebody has decided needs cheese on it this year.
The bazaars are fun, but some of the best Ramadan food is still the food cooked at home.
What Do We Eat for Iftar or Buka Puasa?
There isn’t one set Singaporean or Malaysian iftar menu.
A family meal might be as simple as rice with a curry and vegetables, or it might involve several dishes laid out to share. On other evenings, especially when everyone has been busy, fried rice, noodles or a bowl of porridge may be all that’s required.
That variety is reflected in the recipes below.
You’ll find dishes such as ayam masak lemak cili api, kari ayam, dalcha, nasi tomato, nasi lemak, mee siam goreng and black pepper beef, alongside lighter vegetable dishes, snacks and desserts.
Many of these recipes can also be made earlier in the day and reheated before buka puasa, which is always useful when nobody wants a last-minute kitchen marathon at sunset.
Bubur Lambuk and Ramadan Traditions
If there is one dish particularly associated with Ramadan in Singapore and Malaysia, it has to be bubur lambuk.
This lightly spiced savoury rice porridge is traditionally cooked in large quantities during Ramadan and distributed to the community, particularly through mosques.
It’s warming and filling without being a particularly heavy way to begin an evening meal, and it’s one of those foods that immediately says Ramadan to many of us.
I have both my traditional bubur lambuk recipe and a vegan bubur lambuk here on the site.
Then there are the foods associated with the Ramadan bazaar.
Roti john is an obvious one, along with fried snacks such as pisang goreng, various kuih and an ever-changing collection of sweet drinks.
Some are old favourites. Others appear for one Ramadan, go viral for three weeks and are never heard from again.
Easy Sahur Recipes
Sahur is the meal eaten before the fast begins at dawn, so ease and practicality usually win.
This is a good time for dishes that can be prepared the night before, reheated quickly or assembled without too much thought at an hour when nobody should reasonably be expected to make complicated culinary decisions.
Leftover curries and stews are particularly useful with freshly cooked rice. Fried rice and noodle dishes work well too, as do eggs, porridge and simple vegetable dishes.
Recipes such as nasi goreng, nasi goreng daging cincang, mee siam goreng, macaroni goreng, telur tempra and even leftover kari ayam are all easy possibilities.
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating last night’s dinner for sahur. In fact, I highly recommend planning for it.
Ramadan Desserts, Kuih and Sweet Dishes
Sweet dishes naturally have a place on the Ramadan table too.
Traditional Singaporean and Malaysian desserts tend to make excellent Ramadan food because many can be made ahead and served in small portions.
Here you’ll find recipes such as bubur kacang hijau, bubur pulut hitam, onde-onde and sugee halwa, alongside more contemporary desserts inspired by local flavours.
My Bandung panna cotta, for example, takes the familiar rose-and-milk flavour of sirap bandung and turns it into a very different sort of dessert.
Traditional? Absolutely not.
Delicious? Very much so.
Drinks for Buka Puasa
After a day without food or drink, you can understand why drinks have such a prominent place at Ramadan bazaars.
On this site you’ll find some familiar Singaporean and Malaysian favourites including sirap bandung, homemade rose syrup and teh tarik.
There are plenty of modern bazaar drinks around these days too, but there is something rather comforting about the classics.
Vegetarian and Vegan Ramadan Recipes
Not every Ramadan meal needs to revolve around meat.
There are plenty of plant-based Singaporean and Malaysian dishes that work beautifully for iftar or sahur, including vegan bubur lambuk, bayam masak lemak, easy cabbage stir-fry and soy limang terung.
You’ll find vegetable curries, stir-fries, salads, rice dishes and desserts throughout the collection below as well.
Ramadan Food Beyond Singapore and Malaysia
This page is deliberately focused on Singaporean and Malaysian Ramadan recipes.
If you’re after Ramadan food from further afield, I also have a much broader collection over on LinsFood, where you’ll find recipes from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and elsewhere, including drinks, desserts and dishes for both iftar and sahur.
Looking for Hari Raya Recipes?
Ramadan ends with Hari Raya Aidilfitri, also known as Eid al-Fitr, when the cooking changes rather dramatically from everyday iftar meals to the dishes we associate with visiting, entertaining and celebration.
If you’re planning your Raya menu, I have a separate collection of Hari Raya and Eid recipes, including rendang, festive rice dishes, kuih and other favourites.
Have a family recipe you’d like to share with me? I’d love to hear from you. And if you’re looking for something you don’t see here, just let me know.
