What Makes A Good Handmade Popiah?

What Makes A Good Handmade Popiah?

Popiah in Singapore is one of those foods that works well as a dinner or as a snack in between meals. Foodies worldwide, especially in Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan love popiah for its thin wafer-like skin and the savoury goodness wrapped within it. 

The Hokkiens consider wrapping popiah to be equivalent to wrapping gold and silver, both of which are highly esteemed as they symbolise prosperity and wealth. Popiah in Singapore used to be made only during significant festivities. However, Popiah is now available anytime and anywhere.

According to legends, the popiah in Singapore first appeared during the Ming Dynasty, when an imperial officer was too busy preparing official documents to sit down for a full meal. his doting wife, noticing her husband’s busy schedule, cut up some ingredients and wrapped them in a thin flour skin. And just like that, the simple popiah was born.

The wafer-like skin of popiah, which is often made of wheat flour, is undoubtedly its greatest feature. Among a large variety of additional savoury ingredients, the filling for popiah often consists of steamed turnips, shredded carrots, and chopped peanuts. 

While foodies everywhere crave the thin wafer-like skin of a popiah, making popiah skin from scratch is a time-consuming practice. In view of this, many stores have abandoned the age-old tradition of making popiah skins by hand. At Ann Chin Popiah, we believe that making good quality handmade popiah skin preserves the traditional practice and contributes to a phenomenal popiah with every bite.

Handmade popiah skin has a particularly soft and fluffy consistency that can only be achieved when made lovingly by hand. While the elasticity of the skin makes it chewy and enjoyable to eat, mass-produced popiah skins are often thicker and chewier. A well-made popiah is a testament to forefathers who perfected the recipe across decades and a love letter to future generations.

How Is Singapore's Best Handmade Popiah Made?

A very wet, sticky dough of flour is repeatedly twirled in the hand and then placed on a heated griddle to cook for a few seconds. The skin is removed a little later so that the fillings can be added. Each roll includes fillings like lettuce, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, housemade crispy bits (made with fresh eggs and flour) and the homemade sweet sauce. The popiah filling goes really well with the homemade chilli sauce, which gives it an extra kick. It is preferable to have two popiah skins since this will prevent the skin from tearing.

If you could eat the entire roll without the skin breaking and the ingredients falling out, then that is an indication of a good handmade popiah in Singapore. Even though the average price of popiah costs around $2, it can come in smaller rolls. Popiah is a perfect snack if you’re on the go or a perfect meal to share with a few friends. 

Are you trying to find Singapore's best homemade popiah? Ann Chin Popiah will be the ideal option for you!

Try Ann Chin Popiah Today!

With eleven locations, Ann Chin Popiah is one of Singapore's most well-known popiah spots. Our primary location is tucked away on Chinatown Food Complex's second floor. Ann Chin Popiah's skin is handmade in-store and is incredibly thin. The popiah doesn't get mushy. It stays perfectly chewy and crispy. Additionally, Ann Chin Popiah sells DIY party setups if you want to host a popiah party in the comfort of your house.

To get your popiah delivery done and to learn more about the menu options, visit Ann Chin Popiah.