Out of sight, out of mind. We clicked our heels thrice and found these along the forgotten Yellow Brick Road.
Abacus yam beads
Also known as ‘suan pan zi’, this traditional Hakka snack combines mashed steamed yam with tapioca flour to give it its chewy texture before it’s tossed in shallots, Chinese mushrooms and dried prawns.This one’s strictly for taro lovers, and starts at $3.50 for a plate.
TRY IT AT Mei Zhen Hakka Delicacies (#02-26 Shunfu Mart Food Centre, 320 Shunfu Rd. Wed-Sun 7.30am-2pm).
Cabbage kueh
This traditional Teochew kueh’s a real find: for $1.10, dig into chunks of diced cabbage, mushrooms, pork and hae bi, gently salted and encased in a chewy, translucent kueh skin. These babies are built from scratch daily on floured counters in the open kitchen, and sell out fast on weekends – so go early.
TRY IT AT Yong’s Teochew Kueh (1022 Upper Serangoon Rd. Daily 7am-5pm).
Kueh bong kong
'Kueh bong what?' we hear you cry. This Nonya snack is kueh in its most Platonic form: it’s made from rice and tapioca flour, coconut milk and palm sugar, then wrapped in banana leaf and steamed. Make sure to call before heading down to Glory Catering – its kueh bong kong’s ($1.80) only available after mid-afternoon.
TRY IT AT Glory Catering (139 East Coast Rd. Daily 10am-7.30pm).
Read our conversation with six modern Singaporean hawkers who are cooking up a storm in the local kopitiam scene.