Time to talk about Yang's Epok Epok
Devour a piece of Singapore makan culture
To a connoisseur, the curry puff, kali pap, baked curry puff and epok epok mean different things.
A curry puff is what local snack chains dish out, and it is also sold by Chinese hawkers.
Kali pap is the triangular crusty-edged version you see at Indian snack and kopi stalls.
The baked curry puff is much like a croissant stuffed with potatoes, egg and chicken.
Epok epok is what I am gushing about today, the humble Malay-style one that you find at almost every hawker centre or Malay snack stall.
When I first saw the version at Yang's Epok Epok, I knew what it would taste like - just by the look of the crust.
I took a closer look on my third trip there and asked the matriarch Ibu Yang, who is in her early 60s, to regale me with her tale.
"It is my mother's recipe, and yes, it is about the crust," she said.
You can see her and the workers, patient and focused, making each epok epok by hand.
It seems there is nothing special there, until you see them pinching each fold of the potato version and using a fork to imprint the edge of the sardine version.
It comes crispy and crunchy - thanks to a family secret dough recipe - and felt light to the bite.
The sardine version is my favourite, with its savouriness and mildly spicy tang.
Believe me, you will want to take a second helping before turning to the potato epok epok, which is just as crunchy, but the finger-pinched edges come thicker so it feels fuller in the tummy.
The potatoes are not overly spicy and it is comforting.
Pair the epok epok with teh tarik and you will be devouring a slice of authentic Singapore makan culture.
The little stall is manned by at least six people, which is a wonder in today's manpower supply situation.
Both of Ms Yang's daughters, her sister, two workers and a part-time helper handmake the snacks and there is a queue for it every evening from 5pm.
"The poorer labourers and residents in the area buy them in bulk," she said, adding that it is one reason she still hawks them at 50 cents a piece.
Also going for 50 cents is her goreng pisang.
Made with a supremely golden crispy and crunchy batter and Kapok bananas, it is soft, with a balanced sweet and tangy creamy texture.
One of her daughters, Ms Eda Sinwan, helps out when she is not in school studying engineering. She wonders if she should continue the family business after graduation.
I reminded her that with today's technological advances, machines can accurately replicate at least 70 per cent of the hand work they do each day at the stall.
Make it happen, Ms Sinwan.
Visit food exhibitions and go invent a custom machine to make your family's epok epok because it is worth it.
Yang's Epok Epok,
Sinaran Cahaya Bedok Corner
#01-04, Bedok Food Centre
Noon to 7pm, closed on Mondays
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