If you’re a hawker food noobie like me, you’ve probably never heard of abacus seeds, AKA suan pan zi, a traditional Hakka dish consisting of disc-shaped dumplings made with yam. This unique delicacy is hard to come by at hawker centres because it takes a lot of time and effort to make.
One place offering Hakka abacus seeds is Toa Payoh 93 Soon Kueh, located at Geylang Bahru Food Centre. At this humble stall, you’ll also find a selection of traditional kueh that are freshly handmade each day. Peek behind the counter and you’ll likely catch the stall owners kneading and rolling the dough right on the spot.
They have also earned a mention on the Michelin Guide!
Priced at $3.30, their Abacus Seed is so popular that it sells out early each day. Each serving features chewy yam abacus seeds drizzled with a dash of oil, and accompanied by flavourful mushrooms, fried garlic, preserved vegetables, and black fungus.
They also sell Soon Kueh ($5.50 for five pieces), starring slightly sheer, handmade rice skin stuffed with hearty portions of diced jicama, mushrooms, and dried shrimp. We’ve heard good things about their Ku Chai Kueh ($5.50 for five pieces) too, which is a classic kueh filled with chives.
You can also try their pretty-in-pink Rice Kueh ($5.50 for five pieces), comprising fragrant glutinous rice, peanuts, and mushrooms encased in a thicker, pink-hued rice skin.
For more good food in the area, check out our Geylang Bahru Food Centre guide or Geylang food places guide. Otherwise, read our Leong Kee Klang Bak Kut Teh review for herbal and dry bak kut teh.
Address: Block 69 Geylang Bahru, $01-68, Geylang Bahru Food Centre, Singapore 33069
Opening hours: Tue 7am to 7pm, Wed 8:30am to 7pm, Thurs-Sat 7am to 6pm, Sun 8:30am to 4pm
Tel: 8816 9393
Toa Payoh 93 Soon Kueh is not a halal-certified eatery.
Feature image adapted from Toa Payoh 93 Soon Kueh, Marilyn Tan, and @druceats