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We love sharing good food recommendations with you, but for now, keep these recommendations as bookmarks—visit them only when the COVID-19 situation ends. Stay safe!
This is a special one. Hum Jin Pang might look like a normal hawker stall at Maxwell Food Centre but this is anything but your usual food stall. Loosely translated from Cantonese, hum jin pang means ‘fried dough fritters’.
These large, deep-fried golden puffy fritters that make a great snack when you’re on the go. At least, that’s how I like to eat them. Given that Maxwell Food Centre is known for its chicken rice, it’s not hard to imagine why this gem of a stall is often overlooked.
Pre-Circuit Breaker days, not only was Hum Jin Pang a purveyor of old-school fritters but they also allowed their customers to fry up their fritters. Given how protective hawkers are about their wares, this kind of DIY amongst hawkers is practically unheard of.
It turns out, this all started when customers would help the stall owners fry up these fritters on busy days. This then turned into one of Hum Ji Pang’s trademarks and speciality concepts.
When you walk up to the Hum Ji Pang, you’ll see a wok right in the middle table and even a pair of long chopsticks where customers used to have a go and frying these goodies.
Of course, since we are in the middle of the ‘Circuit Breaker’ period, frying your own fritters is not allowed. While I would love to fry my own fritters, the main event is actually eating those crispy ham chin peng.
You’ll notice one of the stall owners continuously rolling out these fritters and tossing them into the hot oil. I don’t think it gets any fresher than that.
What I tried at Ham Jin Pang
These will come to you steaming hot and freshly at $1 for five pieces, which is insanely affordable even by hawker standards. Hum Ji Pang has two flavours for these fritters, Red Bean or Five Spice Powder. You can also opt for a mix of two flavours, which is exactly what I did.
Tai Wah Cooked Food: $1 pandan butterfly fritters & red bean buns at ‘90s Chinatown stall
These are hefty and airy fritters, I started with the Red Bean fritter first. Crispy and light in my hand, these were surprisingly not greasy—which is a plus point to me.
I tore them open and they were chock-full of sweet red bean filling. The red bean was equal parts starchy and sweet, which I appreciated. Most red bean flavoured food tend to veer way too sweet and border on cloying. Here, you get the natural sweetness of the red beans in a smooth paste, enveloped by a crispy exterior.
I have to admit, red beans are not my go-to flavour for anything. I find the beans a little too starchy and heavy for my liking, but this one complemented the fritter well. Moreover, the powdered sugar topping is the literal icing on the cake.
Velvety and sweet with just the right amount of crunch, all the calories from this treat are worth it.
The other flavour Hum Ji Pang has under their belt is their Five Spice fritters. These are as simple as you can get—the dough is first seasoned with five-spice powder then fried to that golden hue. These fritters might have a hollow centre but they’ll leave you feeling full, alright.
Chewy, savoury with subtle warm and spicy notes, you’ll be coming back for more and wishing you had bought two bags.
These are best enjoyed the moment they’re in your hands, but with the ‘Circuit Breaker’ measures, that’s not always possible. So, I suggest getting home as soon as possible to enjoy these babies.
Final Thoughts
The fact that Hum Jin Pang only peddles essentially one item is telling of their reputation and quality of their fritters. A craft that has been perfected for years, you won’t be disappointed with Hum Jin Pang.
I’ve always been an advocate for our hawkers and Hum Ji Pang is one that I hope never disappears. As always, remember to #tapauplease during the Circuit Breaker—you know what to do!
Expected Damage: S$1 – S$2 per pax
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