Why Cooking with Dad on Father's Day is the Most Underrated Gift?
Dads in Singapore are famously terrible at receiving gifts. You get him a watch, "wah, so expensive, shouldn't have lah." A gadget lives in the box for six months. But food? He will never say no to food. More than the meal, it's the time. Not rushed, not scripted, not half-distracted by a phone. Cooking together means everyone is present, someone's watching the wok, someone's tasting the sambal, someone's losing an argument about belachan. And in between all of that, you actually talk. It's also genuinely funny. Dad burning the garlic and blaming the stove? That's a core memory right there. No restaurant gives you that. A reservation says I remembered. Cooking together says I showed up. That's the difference.Image Source: Unsplash
Father's Day Breakfast Recipes: Start the Day Right at Home
There's something quietly magical about a Singaporean morning. The kopi smell. The sound of toast popping. The specific satisfaction of dipping buttered bread into a barely-cooked egg pooled with soy sauce and white pepper. These father's day breakfast recipes are built around that feeling: familiar, comforting, and made with actual love instead of a loyalty card.1. Homemade Kaya Toast Set with Kopitiam-Style Soft-Boiled Eggs
The one that will make him emotional. Guaranteed. Kaya toast is Singapore's breakfast icon. Your dad has almost certainly eaten hundreds of kaya toast sets in his life. He has never had one where someone made the kaya for him.What you need:
For the kaya:
- 6 eggs
- 200g caster sugar
- 400ml thick coconut milk
- 8 fresh pandan leaves, knotted and bruised
- Pinch of salt
For the set:
- 8 slices white sandwich bread or Hainanese bread loaf
- Salted butter, sliced cold
- 2 extra eggs (for soft-boiling)
- Light soy sauce
- Ground white pepper
- Kopi or teh for serving
How to make it:
- Start with the kaya the night before if you can, it needs time to cool and set.
- Blend pandan leaves with coconut milk and strain well.
- Whisk eggs and sugar gently, then stir in the pandan coconut milk.
- Cook over a double boiler on low heat for 40–50 minutes, stirring continuously until thick and glossy.
- Let the kaya cool fully before storing or serving.
- Toast the bread until crisp and golden, then spread generously with kaya and cold butter slices.
Image Source: Unsplash
2. Nasi Lemak with Homemade Sambal and Crispy Fried Chicken
For the dad who needs a proper meal to function before 9am. Some dads eat kaya toast for breakfast. Other dads need a plate with three proteins and a pile of rice, or they’re not leaving the house. This is one of the better father’s day healthy recipes for the latter category, and we respect it entirely.What you need:
For the coconut rice:
- 2 cups jasmine rice, washed
- 300ml thick coconut milk
- 200ml water
- 3 pandan leaves, knotted
- 1 tsp salt
For the sambal:
- 15 dried red chilies, soaked in hot water 20 minutes
- 8 shallots
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp-sized block of belachan (belacan), toasted in a dry pan
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
For the sides:
- 4 chicken pieces, marinated in turmeric, salt, and a pinch of white pepper
- 1 cup dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
- ½ cup roasted peanuts
- 4 hard-boiled or fried eggs
- 1 cucumber, sliced
How to make it:
- The night before: marinate the chicken, make the sambal, and let everything rest in the fridge. The sambal improves overnight as the flavours deepen.
- Blend sambal ingredients until smooth, then fry slowly for 15–20 minutes until fragrant and the oil separates.
- Add tamarind, sugar, and salt. Taste until it’s spicy, savoury, and slightly sweet.
- Cook rice with coconut milk, pandan leaves, water, and salt for about 15 minutes until fluffy and fragrant.
- Fry chicken at 180°C for 12–15 minutes until deep golden and crispy.
- Fry anchovies separately until crunchy.
- Serve rice with sambal, chicken, peanuts, cucumber, eggs, and anchovies.
Image Source: Unsplash
3. Roti Prata with Homemade Dal Curry
The Saturday morning ritual, elevated. If your dad grew up eating roti prata for breakfast on weekends, this one is for him. Making prata from scratch requires patience and practice, but that's exactly the point.What you need:
For the prata dough:
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup warm water
- 3 tbsp ghee (plus extra for coating and frying)
For the dal curry:
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- A handful of curry leaves
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 400ml water
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
How to make it:
- Mix flour, salt, sugar, egg, and water into a dough, then knead until smooth.
- Add ghee and knead again until elastic. Rest the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results.
- For the dal, fry cumin seeds, onion, garlic, and curry leaves until fragrant.
- Add spices, lentils, tomatoes, and water. Simmer for 25 minutes until thick and creamy.
- Stretch each dough ball thinly on an oiled surface, then fold into squares.
- Pan-fry until golden and crispy on both sides.
Image Source: Pexels
4. Teochew Porridge (Muay) with Small Dishes
For the dad who says he "doesn't eat much" and then has four plates. Father's day brunch recipes often skew Western, eggs Benedict, pancakes, and the works. But if your dad is a Teochew uncle (or just a man who knows what's good), a proper spread of Teochew porridge with lots of small dishes on the side hits harder than any brunch menu.What you need:
For the porridge:
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 8 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
Suggested small dishes:
- 200g fresh fish, sliced thin (cook directly in the hot porridge)
- Century egg, quartered
- Salted egg, halved
- Preserved turnip (chai poh), rinsed and briefly sautéed with garlic
- Stir-fried pork belly with dark soy
- Pickled vegetables
- Fried tofu with oyster sauce
- Crispy fried shallots, julienned ginger, sesame oil, white pepper for topping
How to make it:
- Simmer rice with water for 30–35 minutes until loose and silky.
- Add more water if needed, the porridge should stay light and smooth.
- Prepare the small dishes while the porridge cooks.
- Pour hot porridge over fresh fish slices to gently cook them.
- Top with ginger, crispy shallots, sesame oil, and white pepper.
- Serve everything family-style so Dad can mix and match.
Image Source: Pexels
5. Chee Cheong Fun (Steamed Rice Rolls)
Deceptively simple. Deeply satisfying.What you need:
- 1 cup rice flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 2 cups water
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Hoisin sauce, sweet soy sauce, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, crispy shallots for serving
- Optional fillings: char siew (BBQ pork), cooked prawns, or you tiao (dough fritters)
How to make it:
- Whisk rice flour, tapioca starch, cornflour, water, salt, and oil into a smooth batter.
- Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
- Lightly oil a tray and pour in a thin layer of batter.
- Steam over high heat for 4–5 minutes until just set and slightly translucent.
- Roll the sheet gently with a spatula and slice into pieces.
- Drizzle with hoisin sauce, sweet soy sauce, and sesame oil before topping with shallots and sesame seeds.
Image Source: istock
Also Read: Want to Surprise Father on Father’s Day? Try These Fun & Meaningful Ideas
Father's Day Lunch Recipes: The Hawker Centre Hits, Made at Home
Lunch is where Singapore food gets serious. These father's day lunch recipes pull directly from hawker centre culture, the kind of food your dad has been eating his whole life, elevated by the fact that you made it for him.1. Hainanese Chicken Rice (The Full Set)
Singapore's national dish deserves its national day. You cannot have a list of Singapore father's day recipes without chicken rice. It is non-negotiable. This recipe does it properly: poached chicken, stock-cooked rice, and all three sauces.What you need:
For the chicken:
- 1 whole chicken, approximately 1.5kg
- 6 slices fresh ginger
- 4 spring onions
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sesame oil (for coating after poaching)
For the rice:
- 2 cups jasmine rice, washed
- 2 tbsp chicken fat or oil skimmed from stock
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 slices ginger
- 2.5 cups reserved chicken stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pandan leaf, knotted
Chilli sauce (blend together):
- 6 fresh red chilies
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
Ginger sauce:
- 4 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chicken stock
Dark soy dipping sauce:
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar, dissolved
To serve:
- Sliced cucumber, coriander leaves
- Bowl of hot chicken stock, seasoned
How to make it:
- Rub the chicken with salt and poach gently with ginger and spring onions for 45 minutes.
- Transfer immediately into ice water for 10 minutes to keep the skin silky.
- Brush with sesame oil and set aside.
- Fry garlic and ginger in chicken fat, then stir in the rice for 2 minutes.
- Cook the rice with chicken stock, pandan leaves, and salt.
- Blend the chilli sauce and mix the ginger and soy sauces separately.
- Chop the chicken and serve with rice, cucumber, soup, and all three sauces.
Image Source: Pexels
2. Char Kway Teow (Smoky Stir-Fried Flat Noodles)
The dish that proves high heat is a love language.What you need:
- 400g fresh flat rice noodles (kway teow)
- 8 large prawns, shelled and deveined
- 100g cockles (optional but highly recommended)
- 2 lap cheong (Chinese sausages), sliced diagonally
- 150g bean sprouts
- 2 eggs
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- A handful of Chinese chives (ku chai), cut into 3cm pieces
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp sambal chilli paste
- 2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
How to make it:
- Separate the noodles gently before cooking.
- Heat the wok until smoking hot, then fry garlic in oil or lard for 20 seconds.
- Add prawns and sausage, then toss until fragrant.
- Add noodles and sauces, letting them sit untouched for 10–15 seconds for proper wok hei.
- Push noodles aside, scramble the eggs, then mix everything together.
- Toss in cockles, sambal, bean sprouts, and chives right at the end.
- Serve immediately while piping hot.
Image Source: Pexels
3. Singapore Laksa
28 ingredients. Zero regrets.What you need:
Laksa paste (blend together):
- 8 dried red chilies, soaked and drained
- 4 lemongrass stalks, white parts only, sliced
- 3cm fresh galangal, chopped
- 8 shallots
- 5 garlic cloves
- 6 candlenuts (or macadamia nuts)
- 2 tsp belachan (toasted)
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
For the broth:
- 600ml thick coconut milk
- 400ml chicken or prawn stock
- Fish sauce and salt to taste
Toppings:
- 300g dried rice vermicelli, soaked then blanched
- 300g fresh prawns, shelled and deveined
- 200g fish cake, sliced
- 200g tofu puffs, halved
- 2 cups bean sprouts, blanched
- Fresh laksa leaves (daun kesum), sliced thinly
- Sambal belachan and calamansi lime for serving
How to make it:
- Blend all laksa paste ingredients until smooth.
- Fry the paste slowly for 15–20 minutes until aromatic and the oil separates.
- Add coconut milk and stock, then simmer gently.
- Season with fish sauce and salt.
- Add tofu puffs and fish cake first and simmer for 5 minutes, then prawns during the last 3 minutes.
- Place noodles and bean sprouts into bowls before ladling over the broth.
- Finish with laksa leaves, sambal, and calamansi lime.
Image Source: Pexels
4. Bak Chor Mee (Minced Pork Noodles)
The noodle dish with the most devoted fanbase in Singapore, and for good reason.What you need:
- 300g mee pok (flat egg noodles) or thin yellow egg noodles
- 200g minced pork, seasoned with light soy and white pepper
- 100g pork liver, sliced (optional, omit if Dad's not a liver man)
- 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
- Fishballs and pork meatballs
- Crispy fried shallots, sliced spring onion
Sauce (per serving, mix in bowl):
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
- 1 tbsp chilli paste
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- White pepper to taste
How to make it:
- Braise mushrooms in dark soy sauce, sugar, and water for 15 minutes until tender.
- Stir-fry the minced pork until lightly caramelised.
- Mix the sauce ingredients directly in serving bowls.
- Blanch noodles for 30–45 seconds until springy, then toss immediately in the sauce.
- Cook liver slices for about 20 seconds, along with fishballs and meatballs.
- Top noodles with minced pork, mushrooms, shallots, and spring onion.
- Serve with hot soup on the side.
Image Source: Unsplash
4. Hokkien Prawn Mee
A tribute to the Hokkien immigrants who gave Singapore one of its greatest noodle dishes.What you need:
- 500g fresh prawns, shells on
- 200g pork belly, boiled until cooked and sliced thin
- 300g fresh Hokkien yellow noodles
- 200g rice vermicelli
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 2 eggs
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp lard or oil
- Fish sauce, white pepper to season
- Crispy pork lard for topping (optional)
- Sambal and calamansi lime to serve
How to make it:
- Fry prawn shells until fragrant, then simmer in water for 30 minutes to make the stock.
- Fry garlic in oil or lard until golden.
- Add prawns and pork belly, then toss for 1 minute.
- Add noodles and vermicelli, then pour in the stock gradually over high heat.
- Scramble eggs into the noodles and mix well.
- Toss in bean sprouts and season with fish sauce and white pepper.
- Serve with sambal, calamansi lime, and crispy pork lard.
Image Source: iStock
Also Read: 25 Brilliant Father’s Day Cake Ideas 2026
Father's Day Dinner Recipes: Pull Out All the Stops
These father's day dinner recipes are the main event. They take more time, more skill, and more mess, which is exactly why they're worth it. Choose one showstopper and do it properly rather than attempting three things simultaneously.1. Singapore Chilli Crab with Fried Mantou
The dish. The icon. The reason crab bibs exist. If there is one dish that says "Father's Day in Singapore," it is chilli crab. It is messy, it is generous, and it requires everyone to roll up their sleeves and commit.What you need:
- 2 whole mud crabs, approximately 1kg each, cleaned and halved (ask your fishmonger to do this)
- 8 mantou (steamed buns), to be fried just before serving
Chilli paste (blend together):
- 8 fresh red chilies
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3cm fresh ginger
Sauce:
- 400ml tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 4 tbsp water
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ cup water
- Coriander leaves and sliced spring onion to finish
How to make it:
- Deep-fry crab pieces at 180°C for 3–4 minutes until bright red, then set aside.
- Fry the chilli paste for 8–10 minutes until thick, fragrant, and slightly darker in colour.
- Add ketchup, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and water.
- Return the crab to the wok and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Stir in beaten eggs slowly to create silky ribbons.
- Add cornstarch slurry until the sauce turns glossy and thick.
- Fry mantou until golden and serve immediately for dipping.
Image Source: Pexels
2. Bak Kut Teh (Pork Rib Soup)
The dish that has kept Singapore's labourers fed and its families warm for generations. Bak Kut Teh translates to "meat bone tea", and while there's no actual tea in the soup, Singaporeans do traditionally drink Chinese tea alongside it to cut through the richness.What you need:
- 800g meaty pork spare ribs, cut into pieces
- 2 whole garlic bulbs, unpeeled and lightly smashed
- 15g dried dong quai (Angelica root)
- 10g wolfberries (goji berries)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise
- 20 white peppercorns, cracked (this is a lot, it should be noticeably peppery)
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp salt
- 1.5 litres water
- Tofu puffs and dried shiitake mushrooms (optional, added in the last 20 minutes)
- You tiao (dough fritters) for serving
How to make it:
- Blanch pork ribs first for 5 minutes to keep the broth clean.
- Simmer garlic, herbs, spices, and peppercorns in water.
- Add ribs and cook gently for 60–75 minutes until tender.
- Season with soy sauces and salt.
- Add mushrooms and tofu puffs during the last 15–20 minutes.
- Serve hot with rice, you tiao, and chilli soy sauce on the side.
Source: Pexels
3. Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Charcoal-grilled. Aromatic. The smell alone will bring the neighbours over.What you need:
Marinade:
- 700g boneless chicken thigh, cut into 2cm cubes
- 3 lemongrass stalks, white part only, grated
- 3cm galangal, grated
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oil
- Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
Peanut sauce:
- 200g roasted unsalted peanuts, blended to a coarse powder (not paste)
- Paste: 4 dried chilies (soaked), 2 lemongrass stalks, 4 shallots, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp belachan
- 200ml coconut milk
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
To serve:
- Cucumber chunks
- Sliced red onion quarters
- Ketupat (compressed rice cakes) or cubes of plain rice
How to make it:
- Marinate chicken overnight with spices, lemongrass, galangal, and oil.
- Blend and fry the peanut sauce paste for 8-10 minutes until fragrant.
- Add coconut milk, tamarind, sugar, and peanuts, then simmer until thick.
- Thread chicken tightly onto soaked skewers.
- Grill for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes for even char.
- Serve with peanut sauce, cucumber, onions, and ketupat.
Image Source: Unsplash
4. Claypot Rice with Chicken and Lap Cheong
Patience required. Payoff enormous. The crispy bottom is Dad's Father's Day privilege.What you need:
- 2 cups jasmine rice, washed
- 2.5 cups chicken stock
- 400g bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
- 2 lap cheong (Chinese sausages), sliced diagonally
- 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
- 3 slices ginger
Chicken marinade:
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp sugar
To finish:
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce (drizzled around edges at the end)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Sliced spring onion, crispy shallots
How to make it:
- Marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes.
- Bring rice and stock to a gentle boil in a claypot.
- Arrange chicken, mushrooms, lap cheong, and ginger over the rice.
- Cover tightly and cook on very low heat for 20-25 minutes.
- Drizzle dark soy sauce around the pot edges and cook another 3-5 minutes for the crispy crust.
- Finish with sesame oil, spring onion, and crispy shallots.
Image Source: Pexels
5. Sambal Stingray on Banana Leaf
Hawker BBQ brought home. One of the most theatrical dishes in Singapore food culture.What you need:
- 600g stingray wing, cleaned (ask fishmonger to skin and clean)
- 2 to 3 banana leaves, softened by waving over a gas flame for a few seconds
- Calamansi halved, sliced cucumber for serving
Sambal rempah (blend together):
- 12 dried red chilies, soaked and drained
- 6 shallots
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2cm belachan block, toasted
- 2 lemongrass stalks, white part
Season paste with:
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- 3 tbsp oil for frying
How to make it:
- Fry the sambal paste for 15–18 minutes until rich, fragrant, and the oil separates.
- Stir in tamarind, sugar, and salt.
- Place stingray on banana leaves and spread sambal generously over the top.
- Wrap loosely and grill for about 8 minutes per side.
- Cook until the banana leaf is lightly charred and the fish flakes easily.
- Serve hot with calamansi and cucumber slices.
Image Source: iStock
Make It More Meaningful: The Add-On That Elevates Everything
Here's the thing about cooking for Dad: the food is already the gift. But if you want to go one step further, here are a few ways to make the day genuinely memorable:- Write it in a card, not a text, an actual card. Find a food memory (the hawker stall he always took you to, his 2am Milo runs) and put it in writing. Dads don't always say when something means a lot. But they keep the cards.
- Start a recipe book together. Ask Dad to walk you through the dishes he grew up eating, the ones never written down, just made from feel and memory. Document them. What you're recording isn't a recipe, it's family history.
- Make it a recurring thing. One Sunday a month. A standing claypot rice session. The specific date matters less than the habit.
Image Source: Pexels
