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Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
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Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?

We sample these two new local mala chips brands and tell you which is yummier.

Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
At first sight, Mala Mala’s permanent retail shop at the basement of Paragon mall could be mistaken for a chic art gallery or fashion boutique. Its products are displayed reverently on pedestals like It handbags, while the slogan, ‘Spicy is an attitude’, is emblazoned in all-the-rage neon cursive font on the trendy industrial-grey wall. We already feel cooler buying stuff from this place. Sadly, despite its stylo front, there are no samples provided here.
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
Mala Mala is founded by six NUS graduates who still hold day jobs in the F&B, fashion, IT and travel industries. These six pals also like spicy snacks, though they found the selection of fiery tidbits in the market lacking, and decided to set up their own brand selling mala-flavoured chips.
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
There are six types of vacuum-fried chips offered here, broadly sorted into two categories: mushroom or hand-cut potato wedges in three levels of spiciness — Mild Spicy, Super Spicy and Crazy Spicy. The chips are made and packaged in... China.“Producing Mala Mala closest to its source in Sichuan was our best option, as it maintains our signature flavour and ensures freshness. The R&D for a unique recipe was done over two years in Singapore,” Mala Mala’s marketing rep shares. The spicy chips are coated with a blend that includes dehydrated Sichuan chillies, peppercorns, star anise and soy sauce.Each resealable pack of chips in funky bright orange, red or yellow also open to reveal four smaller, non-resealable packets. Which means you can share the chips with your friends without worrying that the chips will go stale.Our packs of chips came with a photo of, er, controversial
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
Unlike the typical slivers for potato chips, Mala Mala’s chips are quartered baby potato wedges with their skin on. It kinda looks like cute fried garlic cloves. This mild spicy flavour is quite peasant — umami wedges that are a little bit spicy, but unfortunately lacking the numbing quality of sichuan peppercorn. The thicker wedges are also crunchier than your usual potato chips which is not bad if you want some heft to your snack. If you like really spicy stuff, this will be way too mild for you.
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
A refreshing snack option compared to the sea of carby chips out there. Thinly-sliced vacuum-fried shiitake mushrooms are coated in the same Sichuan chilli and peppercorn seasoning blend. The mushrooms are nicely earthy and flavourful, though not as crunchy as the potatoes.
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
Things get more fiery for this medium level in Mala Mala’s spicy range. We open our packet and smell an unpleasantly pungent odour. When we crunch on a wedge, it leaves a spicy aftertaste that also contains a hint of stale grease.
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
The same mushroom chips as the Mild Spicy, albeit spicier. The mala overpowers the mushrooms’ naturally earthy flavour, and it also makes us feel jelak quickly. Thankfully, the chips come in small individual packs.
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
The Mala Mala folks are not kidding when they dub this level ‘Crazy Spicy’. The spice attack is barely noticeable at first, till it creeps up on you and your whole mouth goes in shock. We find ourselves rushing for a glass of water. We can hardly taste anything except for the heat, and the smell of this is even more pungent than the Super Spicy level.
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
Eating this is like hoovering up the mala-drenched mushrooms floating at the bottom of your mala hotpot, except it’s fried. We prefer the potato wedges, which make a more satisfying crunchy snack for numb mouths.​​​​​​​Ooh
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
Ooh is started by its sole owner Gervor Quek, 35, who is currently working as a “regional digital lead for a Japanese MNC”. His sideline is this mala chips snack business, a favourite of Class 95FM deejay Yasminne Cheng. It offers two types of chips — potato chips called Ooh Mama (ooh, numbing) and cassava chips called Ooh Lala (ooh, spicy). Hilarious. To set up his biz, Gervor learnt how to make chips “by researching online and asking some of my chef friends for advice”.Unsurprisingly, Gervor is a huge mala fan. “When mala xiang guo [which is kinda like dry yong tau foo stir-fried with mala sauce] came about, I ate it almost everyday till the auntie at the shop could recognise me and know I want the spiciest level they have,” he quips. “I also love potato chips and often crave Calbee’s Hot & Spicy potato chips. Mala and chips are the perfect combination!”
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
Gervor’s chips are produced in a Singaporean factory. The cassava and potato slices are first slow-fried before being coated with a layer of seasoning that includes dried Sichuan chillies, peppercorns, ginger, fennel and salt. Unlike Mala Mala’s flashy, brightly-coloured packaging, Ooh’s plain brown bags with a red sticker are no-frills, though they have a charmingly hipster, homely look to them. You can buy Ooh’s chips via their website, or online shopping services Shopee and Lazada. Gervor also has a pushcart selling his wares at various locations in Singapore (for October, his pushcart is stationed at Change Alley at Raffles Place). But come November 1, he is opening a brick-and-mortar shop at Level 6 of Plaza Singapura.Taste test
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
The spicy aroma of mala tempts our taste buds when we open the resealable pack. It peppery and vegetal, in a good way. The look of the chips remind us of Ooh’s owner’s favourite Calbee Hot & Spicy chips, with specks of chilli powder coating thinly-sliced potato chips. Taste-wise, it’s also yummy: fragrant, crunchy and pretty darn addictive. But it’s just gently spicy with an authentic numbing quality of real Sichuan peppercorns. But unless you’re a chilli wimp, you’ll find this level of spiciness not quite fiery enough. Good news, Gervor says he has plans to “offer a much spicier version”.
Are Mala Potato Chips The Next Big Snack In Singapore?
Compared to potato chips, cassava (from which tapioca is derived) chips have a harder texture and can be unwieldy to eat if they are not sliced very thinly. The cassava chips here are sliced finely enough into delicate slivers, with a fab crunch. Its mala flavouring is tasty, but we still prefer a spicier kick. “Cassava is a harder chip and won’t absorb as much [of the seasoning] compared to potatoes,” Gervor tells us. So if you want chips that are more gently seasoned, this is the snack for you.Bottom line We personally prefer Ooh’s potato and cassava chips, because of their fabulous crunch and tastier, more elegant mala flavour. But its level of spiciness is not as flaming as Mala Mala’s Crazy Spicy flavour, which will please even the most hardcore of chilli fans. Mala Mala also has mushroom chips, a more atas, gourmet alternative to the usual variety of potato chips.Mala
By Yip Jieying
Published October 14, 2018
Updated October 16, 2018
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Singaporeans’ inexplicable love for mala hotpot has spread to tidbits, with two new local brands — Mala Mala and Ooh — offering mala-flavoured potato chips. Mala (in Chinese, the term means ‘numb and spicy’) originates from Sichuan, China, and is created by simmering Sichuan peppercorn, chilli peppers and spices in oil. While it’s commonly found as a sauce and in hotpot soup, these two local brands have spiked chips with a powdered mala seasoning for a spicy kick.

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