Hakka cuisine is not as widely available at hawker centres as its more popular Teochew and Hokkien counterparts. In my search for this uncommon fare, I came across Mei Zhen Hakka Delicacies at Shunfu Mart.
Currently run by a trio of 3rd-gen Hakka sisters — Mei Ling, Stella, and Agnes — the business was first established by their mother and has been operating for over 35 years! That includes 15 years at the now-defunct Lakeview Market & Food Centre and 25 years at its present spot.
The 3 sisters started helping out at the stall during their secondary school days, learning the ropes from their mum even before they hit their teenage years!
Opening only from Wednesdays to Sundays, the 3 sisters arrive at the stall as early as 4.30am, preparing for the day’s work. This includes making the taro skin to wrap the turnip stuffing for their soon kueh, cooking the yam porridge… the list goes on.
What I tried at Mei Zhen Hakka Delicacies
Yam rice? Sure, I’ve heard of it. But Yam Porridge (S$3)? That’s a first! My curiosity got the better of me, so I kicked off my Hakka breakfast feast with this intriguing dish.
Sporting an ivory hue instead of the usual white, the bowl of porridge came loaded with peanuts, mushrooms, sesame seeds, and bits of black fungus. But wait… where’s the yam?
“After it boils and simmers, it probably dissolves when we stir it,” Mei Zhen explained. Its flavour sets it apart from the usual bowl of congee and to be honest… it’s something I don’t mind having on a regular basis.
It was comforting with the dried shrimps’s subtle umami flavour extracted during the cooking process. The mushrooms and infused yam added an earthy undertone, while the peanuts gave bits of crunch with every spoonful.
Unlike other soon kueh I’ve tried, which have flat edges, the Taro Skin Turnip Dumpling (S$1.70 per piece, minimum 2 pieces) here looked like they were filled to bursting point, topped generously with golden-brown fried shallots.
Since Mei Zhen Hakka Delicacies makes abacus seeds, they’ve doubled down and used it with their secret blend for the dumpling skin, too — which, by the way, were shimmering like sparkly diamonds under the hawker centre’s unforgiving fluorescent glow.
This, my friends, is soon kueh skin on a first-class ticket — thin, velvety, and ridiculously satisfying to bite into.
Next, you’re greeted with a generous stuffing of shredded turnip, mushrooms, hae bee, and black fungus, all tied together with the crowning of fried shallots that add a touch of savoury crunchiness.
Hakka Leipopo: Delicious Hakka YTF & solid lei cha perfect for your first try
To tackle this gargantuan bite, I had to open my mouth wide —like at the dentist—and cram half of it in. Thankfully, no one caught that unglamorous moment on camera (phew).
To turn up the flavour dial to eleven, pair it with the sambal for some tongue-tingling heat.
We then moved on to the Chee Cheong Fun + Yam Cake (S$4) that was topped with sesame seeds and fried shallots, perfect for those who can’t make up their mind. I went in with low expectations for the yam cake (because, let’s be real, they usually taste the same), but then I took a bite and — bam!— it was surprisingly soft and full of flavour.
The chee cheong fun was pure old-school nostalgia, drenched in sweet sauce, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and crowned with crispy fried shallots — instantly whisking me back to my childhood.
The Glutinous Rice (S$3.30) was topped with peanuts, fried onions and sesame seeds. Given how obsessed I’ve become with this dish in recent years, you can probably guess my excitement.
Unfortunately, due to exposure to the air, the outer corners of the glutinous rice had become a little hard and dry. Flavour-wise, it still hit the spot with speckles of mushroom, dried shrimp, and black fungus. Talk about a letdown.
The final dish to grace our taste buds was the Abacus Yam Ball (S$5). Similar to the rest, it was covered in fried shallots.
My first bite had me cringing a little, as it was just a touch too salty for my liking. But after the second try, it was alright — seasoning hiccup, perhaps? The yam balls were wonderfully chewy and the strips of dried cuttlefish added a nice oceanic essence.
The earthy whispers from the mushrooms and black fungus were also a nice touch.
Final thoughts
The dishes that stood out the most from Mei Zhen Hakka Delicacies were the Taro Skin Turnip Dumpling, Yam Porridge, and Yam Cake.
It’s touching to witness these 3 siblings carry on their mother’s legacy, working side-by-side, crafting each piece of soon kueh by hand.
“Sometimes, a legacy isn’t about continuing the exact same thing but carrying forward the values and passion behind it. It’s definitely tiring, but when you see your customers praising and giving acknowledgement about how good your food is, it’s totally worth it!” Mei Ling added.
Expected damage: S$3 – S$9.40 per pax
Price: $
Our Rating: 4 / 5
Mei Zhen Hakka Delicacies
320 Shunfu Road, #02-26, Singapore 570320
Mei Zhen Hakka Delicacies
320 Shunfu Road, #02-26, Singapore 570320
