Fat Fat Food: Hawker Jim Chia dishes out silk, soul-warming Cantonese porridge

Jim’s hawker journey

Jim tells us he didn’t come from a culinary background — his training was entirely hands-on. Before and after national service, he worked at Botak Porridge under his aunt and uncle, preparing and serving their signature Cantonese porridge. The six-year stint shaped everything he knows today.

What motivated him wasn’t just duty or routine — it was a sense of pride in the cuisine, executing a recipe handed down from his relatives. His uncle’s own mentor was a Cantonese chef from Hong Kong, and the porridge recipe they developed became the foundation for what he cooks today.

“Seeing my aunt and uncle build their brand from nothing, I’m blessed with the ability to follow in their footsteps,” says Jim. 

Family support pushed him to finally take the leap and start his own Cantonese porridge stall. When the opportunity came to occupy a unit at Buangkok Hawker Centre, Jim went for it. 

“My aunt and uncle were very supportive and encouraged me to strike out on my own,” he says. “Another uncle also helps out at my stall.” 

His relatives even let him use their exact recipe, making his stall the next-gen progression of their Cantonese porridge craft. 

The main change Jim makes is skipping the pre-added sauce used at Botak Porridge. Instead, he lets customers add their own, so those who prefer the porridge plain can enjoy it as-is. 

The art of Cantonese porridge

If Teochew porridge is characterised by simplicity, Cantonese porridge is all about precision. Jim explains that his uncle drilled into him the importance of exact measurements, not guesswork. 

“He taught me to be very particular with measuring the ingredients, as the recipe has a very precise rice-to-water ratio,” says Jim. 

Jim adds that his aunt was extremely strict about consistency in food preparation. “She always nagged about being precise, and now I nag here as well,” he quips, laughing. 

When working at Botak Porridge, no shortcuts were taken. He recalls one early misstep vividly: “I wasn’t aware that my uncle already seasoned the porridge, and I did it one more time. We had to throw away the whole batch!”

At Fat Fat Food, each pot begins with a three-rice blend of white rice, Japanese pearl rice and glutinous rice.

“We use glutinous rice sparingly,” Jim says. “It adds a creamy, soupy taste to the porridge, but too much will create an overly smooth texture.” 

The porridge takes over two hours to cook — and that’s before seasoning the base. Jim and his uncle arrive as early as 4.30am to start boiling water and firing up the machine.

As the grains slowly break down, he watches carefully for that transition into silkiness before adding their seasoning — a family recipe he chooses to keep secret. The stall opens at 7am at both outlets, and is one of the few to serve breakfast.

The menu and what we tried

Many of Fat Fat Food’s menu items come directly from the repertoire he learnt at Botak Porridge. These include the handmade meatball porridge (S$3.50), sliced fish porridge (S$5.30), seafood porridge (S$6.50), and pork, liver and meatball porridge (S$4). 

The ingredients such as sliced pork and minced pork are seasoned in-house. Cuttlefish, liver, and fish are cut fresh by hand. The liver is only prepared in small batches, so it stays tender and doesn’t dry out.

The you tiao (dough fritter) is intentionally deep-fried to a smaller size and crunchier texture, adding a crispy contrast to the smooth porridge.

During our visit, we sampled several of Fat Fat Food’s signature bowls — each one comforting and tasty in its own way.

The first was the mixed porridge (S$4.80), a hearty bowl piled with handmade meatballs, shredded chicken, lean meat, cuttlefish, liver, and century egg.

The porridge itself is definitely the star of the show. The silky, creamy porridge base holds everything in a rich consistency and was very flavourful.

This is a great option, if you enjoy a mix of textures and flavours in every scoop. The handmade meatballs also stood out for their tastiness. Jim says that they are shaped one by one, using a technique where the minced meat is “hit”, or worked, to develop a stickier, bouncier texture.

In the seafood porridge (S$6.50), sliced fish, prawns and cuttlefish are added. Light, fresh, and clean-tasting, it’s a comforting option that doesn’t skimp on flavour. The sliced fish is noticeably tender with a delicate sweetness. 

A classic done right, the century egg with lean meat and meatballs porridge (S$4) marries velvety congee with tender lean pork and springy meatballs. The century egg adds an extra richness, giving every scoop a warm, full-bodied flavour.

The pork, liver and meatball porridge (S$4) is hearty and comforting too. The liver gives the porridge a slightly brownish hue, as the blood blends into the porridge during cooking. It’s a satisfying bowl for those who enjoy a stronger flavour from the addition of liver. 

Carrying tradition forward

While Jim’s family supported him from day one, public perception took longer to catch up. “Some elderly people have expressed doubt in me, as I’m a young hawker selling very traditional food,” he says.

He never felt the need to prove them wrong though. “Everyone has their own preferences. Over time, when regular customers keep returning, that’s a sign that we have done something right,” he says. 

Quality checks help keep things tight. His aunt and uncle still drop by to taste and QC the food, while friends give feedback as well.

For now, Jim isn’t looking to overhaul the menu or expand to more outlets. His focus is on training staff and maintaining standards. Also, if the right person comes along, he hopes to pass down the craft one day.

“If someone is interested, I’m happy to teach them my recipe,” he says. “Maybe they can open their own stall as well, just like I did.” 

For more ideas on what to eat, check out the new sweets concept by chef Pang and Park Side with modern Asian brunch plates.