Bak chor mee is a hawker dish that is unique to Singapore. The noodle dish, served either in a pork-based soup or dry with a chilli and black vinegar sauce, is not found anywhere else, as far as I know.
You may find some similarities in fishball noodles or pork noodles, but I doubt any Malaysian or Indonesian will claim as their own this Teochew noodle dish that comes topped with minced pork, pork balls and stewed mushroom. Some hawkers add pig liver, fish cake, Teochew dumpling and, in some luxed-up versions, fried fish maw and abalone slices.
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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on March 17, 2019, with the headline Top 5 Bak Chor Mee. Subscribe