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Financial Consultant Ditches Corporate Life To Become Min Jiang Kueh Hawker

The 30-year-old apprenticed at the famous Granny’s Pancake before setting up own biz.

The 30-year-old apprenticed at the famous Granny’s Pancake before setting up own biz.

The 30-year-old apprenticed at the famous Granny’s Pancake before setting up own biz.

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In a sleepy section of Bedok South Food Centre, a queue forms under the glow of a yellow signboard. The Pancake Garden’s freshly-made min jiang kueh is the attraction here, with eager punters waiting for the next batch of pancakes. Believed to have originated in Fujian province, China, this breakfast favourite consists of a thickish pancake folded over ground peanuts, red bean paste or coconut shavings.

Thirty-year-old hawker Joseph is deft with his actions, spreading batter over three cast iron griddles simultaneously while preparing the fillings. He pauses to catch up with a regular customer while keeping an eye on the almost-ready min jiang kuehs. His multi-tasking ability reminds us of the popular console game, Overcooked. Any slip-up would mean starting over again and testing the patience of an already snaking queue. But he takes it in his stride, working with the precision of a true artisan.

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1 of 10 A chance encounter

At first glance, the well-spoken and clean-cut millennial looks out of place running a hawker stall. Joseph graduated with a diploma in marketing, worked as a guitar teacher first and then a financial consultant for a year — but the idea of starting a business always lingered at the back of his mind. He stumbled upon the F&B industry (he had never cooked prior to this) and min jiang kueh when he found out that a friend’s family was behind the popular Granny’s Pancake stall in Ghim Moh Food Centre. “I thought that min jiang kueh had a low barrier to entry and would be easier than starting a cafe or zi char stall”.

  • 2 of 10 Apprenticed for a year

    He joined them and spent the first two months as an unpaid apprentice perfecting the basics of min jiang kueh making. Subsequently, he was hired as a salaried worker and eventually handed the responsibility of running a branch at Jurong. Fast forward a year later, with the blessing and encouragement of his mentor, he forged out on his own. The Pancake Garden opened in October at Bedok and has been doing brisk business since.

    He now runs the stall with his friends and family helping out on busier days. This was a far cry from when he first started out. “My family was worried and felt that I was taking a step back (by being a hawker)”. So what won them over? A solid business plan and bringing home boxes of consistently yummy min jiang kuehs.

    3 of 10 Easy to learn, tricky to master

    Joseph arrives at the stall around 6.30am daily to prepare the batter and set up the stoves. “The stoves take the longest to prepare! It takes about 20 minutes for them to get heated up.” He then begins making the first batch of kuehs by pouring a precise quantity of batter (a slurry which includes corn flour and baking powder) on the griddle. Following which, he gently spreads the batter in a circular motion to get a consistent thickness and to allow the batter to rise properly. The pancake is left on the stove over low heat for around six minutes, but Joseph doesn’t use a timer and prefers to judge through visual cues. The wooden lid covering the griddle is also chosen for its ability to dissipate condensation while cooking. He then separates the cooked kueh from the pan in a swift, circular motion using a scraper, sets it on a chopping board and puts on the toppings. Finally, he folds and cuts the kueh: “I cut it this way as it gets me 12 equal-sized pieces.” “Easy to learn, hard to master” — the words of Joseph’s mentor ring in our heads as we are impressed by Joseph’s almost clinical precision.

    4 of 10 Elevating min jiang kueh

    Joseph has plans to offer a cheese alternative and black sesame filling. He also hopes to sell other types of pancakes, like murtabak manis, an Indonesian pancake that’s similar to min jiang kueh, but sweeter and with slightly different fillings.

    5 of 10 Fluffy traditional pancakes selling like hotcakes

    The Pancake Garden’s min jiang kueh is somewhere between the thicker, chewier variety and thinner crunchy ones. It is lighter and less stodgy within than most traditional pancakes, almost fluffy, and capped with a firm, golden-brown crust that's crispy at the edges. There are four different fillings on the menu.

    6 of 10 Peanut Butter Min Jiang Kueh, $1.20 (8 DAYS PICK!)

    This is the original peanut min jiang kueh, elevated (the regular dry peanut version is also quite good with chunky, moist ground nuts). This is a bit different from the pancake from his mentor’s stall, Granny’s Pancake. It’s slightly thinner, less doughy, and somewhat more elegant. In this hybrid version, luscious peanut butter sauce is drizzled atop the sandy peanut-sugar filling. The richness and smoothness of the sauce complements the roastiness of the nuts deliciously and binds it all neatly inside the pancake without falling out. We love the medley of fluffy, sticky, and crunchy. And the fact that it was not sickeningly sweet.

    7 of 10 Red Bean Mee Jiang Kueh, $1

    A pretty, almost Japanese-y looking slice. The red bean paste is smooth and has a nice mouthfeel. It balances well with the slight yeasty sweetness of the pancake. Ask for the edges — the crispy sides provide a delightful textural contrast.

    8 of 10 Coconut Min Jiang Kueh, $1.20

    The finely-shredded filling is aptly moist. Although we caught more hints of gula melaka in it than coconutty lemakness, it was still well-balanced and a good accompaniment to the fluffy kueh.

    9 of 10 Bottom line

    The Pancake Garden’s min jiang kueh is a rather refined version of the traditional Hokkien snack — it’s neither too thick nor thin, boasts a nice chewy bite without being gummy and the fillings are fresh and tasty. It’s great that a millennial like Joseph has thrown himself whole-heartedly into the art of making good peanut pancakes, thus keeping this increasingly hard-to-find hawker treat alive.

    10 of 10 The details

    The Pancake Garden is at #01-13 Blk 16 Bedok South Market & Food Centre, 16 Bedok South Rd, S460016. Open daily 7am-2pm.

    Photos: Alvin Teo

    No photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg


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