Now, head chef Jack Lam Yeung is telling the story of this time-honoured cuisine and celebrating Hokkien culinary heritage by drawing out a multitude of flavours with Fujian ingredients.
In dishes like the Xiamen-style popiah, Lam redefines culinary traditions while skillfully balancing textures and flavours. โThe overall texture of the popiah includes soft vegetables and crispy ingredients like seaweed, sugar-fried peanuts, pork floss and pork lard,โ Lam explains. โThis provides a varied and satisfying mouthfeel with each bite.โ
A beloved classic originating from Fujian, popiah is a type of fresh spring roll also known as โthin pancakeโ in Teochew (a dialect spoken in the city in neighbouring Guangdong province). Often enjoyed during family gatherings and following Ching Ming Festival, Lamโs version is crafted with locally sourced ingredients like Oldham bamboo shoots and carrots, which are marinated for 20 minutes in rich pork and seafood broths, infusing the vegetables with a rich savoury depth.
โThe inspiration for the dish is deeply rooted in tradition. Following the familyโs gathering to honour their deceased loved ones, the dish symbolises hopes for a prosperous year ahead,โ he says. โOver time, it has evolved to become a staple during various festivals and family gatherings, such as Lunar New Year. Families sit down together, chat, and enjoy their time while wrapping and eating popiah with their preferred ingredients.โ
The Ming Pavilion dish features early harvested seaweed and nori powder from Fujian, adding a rich umami flavour and a salty fragrance that enhances the overall taste. Perfectly boiled tiger shrimp and crispy pork floss contribute to the popiahโs texture, while house-made thick and chewy flatbreads cradle the marinated filling, preventing moisture loss.