Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: Dessert Fritter

Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: Dessert Fritter

Dessert Fritter

Nothing was sponsored, we visited as regular paying customers. Photos in this post were taken between 2000 and 2022 (across 22 years!), as such, the quality of photos varies drastically due to advances in camera technology. Mobile smartphones were in their infancy and had yet to become widespread.

Also Known As:
Dessert Fritter, Snack Fritter,
Fritter Banana, Banana Fritter, Goreng Pisang, Pisang Goreng,
Fritter Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato Fritter,
Fritter Yam, Yam Fritter, Fritter Taro, Taro Fritter,
Fritter 3 In 1 Cake, 3 In 1 Cake Fritter,
Fritter Tapioca, Tapioca Fritter, Fried Tapioca Cake, Fried Tapioca Kueh,
Fritter Butterfly Bun, Butterfly Bun Fritter,
Fritter Ham Chim Peng 5 Spice Powder, Ham Chim Peng 5 Spice Powder Fritter,
Fritter Ham Chim Peng Red Bean Paste, Ham Chim Peng Red Bean Paste Fritter,
Fritter Fried Dough, Fried Dough Fritter, You Tiao, Cakoi, Cakwe, Guozi, Pathongko, Bicho-Bicho, E Kya Kway, Cruller, Yu Char Kway

Average Price Per Serving:
SGD $1 - $2

List in alphabetical order - click the links to jump to entry

1. Boon Pisang Goreng (Long House)
2. Dough Culture
3. Geylang Lor 20 Banana Fritters
4. Mei Xiang Goreng Pisang (美香炸香蕉）
5. Rochor Original Beancurd
6. Xi De Li
7. You Tiao Man
~~Lim Kee (Orchard) Banana Fritters~~
~~Mr YouTiao~~
~~Rochor Beancurd House~~

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Description:
The Dessert Fritter is a type of Singaporean Chinese snack, consisting of pieces of vegetables or fruits coated in batter and deep-fried; or consisting of yeast dough (plain, seasoned, or filled) that is deep-fried. Also known as Snack Fritter, the Dessert Fritter dish is usually priced around SGD $1 to $2 per serving. A typical stall will usually offer between 4 to 15 varieties of Dessert Fritter, averaging around 10 varieties. It's a popular heartland dish, usually eaten for breakfast or tea, after meals, or as a snack between meals.

The batter is common to all varieties of Dessert Fritter, with the standard batter usually made from a blend of all-purpose flour, rice flour, corn flour, baking powder, salt, and ice cold water. The pieces of vegetables, fruits, or dough, are evenly-coated in the batter, then deep-fried in vegetable oil, till the exterior of the Dessert Fritter is lightly crispy, while the interior is moist and tender in texture. A Dessert Fritter is best enjoyed sparingly, though most stalls will offer promotional prices for a bulk order, such as 3 pieces for a reduced or rounded price. The following are 9 of the most common Dessert Fritter available.

The Fritter Banana, also known as Banana Fritter, Goreng Pisang, or Pisang Goreng, is made with a whole ripe battered and deep-fried banana (either pisang raja or pisang abu), and has a fruity sweet flavour. The Fritter Sweet Potato, also known as Sweet Potato Fritter, is made with a thick wide square slice of battered and deep-fried sweet potato, and has a vegetal earthy sweet savoury flavour. The Fritter Yam, also known as Yam Fritter, Fritter Taro, or Taro Fritter, is made with a thick wide square slice of battered and deep-fried yam / taro, and has vegetal earthy savoury salty flavour.

The Fritter 3 In 1 Cake, also known as 3 In 1 Cake Fritter, is made with a layer of mashed yam / taro paste, a layer of mashed sweet potato paste, and a layer of glutinous rice paste infused with gula melaka / palm sugar, battered and deep-fried, and has a vegetal earthy sweet savoury floral flavour. The Fritter Tapioca, also known as Tapioca Fritter, Fried Tapioca Cake, or Fried Tapioca Kueh, is made with a blend of mashed tapioca or cassava paste, white sugar, pandan / screwpine leaf essence, and coconut milk, battered and deep-fried, and has a floral earthy sweet savoury flavour.

The Fritter Butterfly Bun, also known as Butterfly Bun Fritter, is made with dough marinated with a sugar syrup, studded with white sesame seeds and deep-fried, and has a bready savoury sweet nutty flavour. The Fritter Ham Chim Peng 5 Spice Powder, also known as Ham Chim Peng 5 Spice Powder Fritter, is made with dough seasoned with 5-spice powder and deep-fried, and has a bready savoury salty spice flavour. The Fritter Ham Chim Peng Red Bean Paste, also known as Ham Chim Peng Red Bean Paste Fritter, is made with dough filled with sweetened adzuki red bean paste and deep-fried, and has a bready sweet earthy nutty flavour.

The Fritter Fried Dough, also known as Fried Dough Fritter, You Tiao, Cakoi, Cakwe, Guozi, Pathongko, Bicho-Bicho, E Kya Kway, Cruller, or Yu Char Kway, is a sub-category of Dessert Fritter all its own. Made with deep-fried stretched dough, this has bready savoury flavour. Aside from being eaten on its own, Fritter Fried Dough / Fried Dough Fritter / You Tiao is commonly paired with other dishes, including Bak Kut Teh, Congee, or Chee Cheong Fun. Some also like to dip it into hot coffee or tea.

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1. Boon Pisang Goreng (Long House)
@ Balestier Market, 411 Balestier Road #01-18
Opening Hours: Tue - Sun 10am – 7pm, Closed Mon

Taken in 2022

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Dessert Fritter (~ SGD $1.30 per piece) @ Boon Pisang Goreng (Long House).

Founded in 1998 by the late Boon Fong Juan, and just 1 of 4 stalls remaining from the now-defunct Long House Food Centre, his wife Rose Le has run the stall since 2011.

They use a signature tempura-like batter for their fritters, resulting in a beautiful golden hue that's non-greasy, and a gentle crispy crunch to texture.

The sweet potato is tender and yields easily, releasing its vegetal sweet starchy flavours. The yam / taro is soft and comes apart in small chunks, with mild vegetal earthy savoury flavour.

The tapioca has a unique golden yellow hue, fragrant and soft with earthy sweet flavour. The fried banana / goreng pisang is creamy and soft, with addictive floral fruity sweet notes, shiok.

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2. Dough Culture
@ Changi City Point, 5 Changi Business Park Central 1 #B1-K3
Opening Hours: Daily 10am – 8pm

@ White Sands, 1 Pasir Ris Central Street 3 #01-43
Opening Hours: Daily 10am – 8pm

Multiple Other Branches Across Singapore

Taken in 2012

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Dessert Fritter (~ SGD $1.70 per piece) @ Dough Culture.

From its humble beginnings in July 2009 as a small kiosk, this brand has since grown to be among the largest and most accessible snack and dessert fritter stalls.

Their high turnover means their items are hot and fresh, best eaten quickly.

Their 3-in-1 sweet potato, yam / taro, and gula melaka / palm sugar glutinous rice is crisp outside, soft sticky inside, with lovely vegetal earthy grainy sweet savoury floral flavour. The pandan / screwpine leaf infused tapioca has a light crunch that yields to a sticky chew, with earthy floral sweet flavour.

The ham chim peng are fluffy with a soft moist chew, the 5-spice version having savoury salty spice flavour, the red bean paste version having floral earthy sweet notes.

The fried banana / goreng pisang is creamy soft with bold fruity sweet flavour. The butterfly bun has a crisp crunch to texture, with lovely nutty sweet savoury flavour.

Their dough fritter / you tiao veers to the light and crisp side, with faint bready sweet savoury flavour.

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3. Geylang Lor 20 Banana Fritters
@ Old Airport Road Food Centre, 51 Old Airport Road #01-57
Opening Hours: Tue - Sun 11:30am – 8pm, Closed Mon

Taken in 2011

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Taken in 2022

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Dessert Fritter (~ SGD $1.30 per piece) @ Geylang Lor 20 Banana Fritters.

This stall has been quietly serving since the 1980s, and the couple is serious about their fritters, evident by the ample fruit, including bananas and cempedak, adorning the stall.

Their house batter is medium thick with a firm satisfying crunch, nicely holding the filling so it's less messy or crumbly than elsewhere. They're also more generous in serving size, with larger and thicker cuts.

The tender sweet potato has mild vegetal sweet flavour, while the dense yam / taro holds vegetal earthy savoury notes. The pandan / screwpine leaf infused tapioca is soft with bright floral earthy starchy sweet flavour.

The fried banana / goreng pisang is creamy and soft, bright with bold fruity sweet flavour and a lovely caramelised fragrance.

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4. Mei Xiang Goreng Pisang (美香炸香蕉）
@ Changi Village Hawker Centre, 2 Changi Village Road #01-51
Opening Hours: Wed - Mon 11am – 9pm, Closed Tue

Taken in 2009

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Taken in 2022

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Dessert Fritter (~ SGD $1.50 per piece) @ Mei Xiang Goreng Pisang (美香炸香蕉).

Chef-Owner Mary Teo has been perfecting her fritters for more than a decade (even before March 2011), selling hundreds of pieces daily.

The batter is a house signature, thin, crispy, non-greasy, yet sufficiently strong without being fragile.

Their fritters come in hand-made odd shapes; the tender sweet potato carries mild vegetal sweet starchy savoury flavour, while the soft yam / taro has vegetal earthy savoury notes.

The pandan / screwpine leaf infused tapioca has a grainy soft feel, with mild toasty sweet earthy floral flavour, rather like roasted coconut was used.

The fried banana / goreng pisang is small but plump and juicy soft creamy, with addictive fruity sweet flavour.

A queue forms quickly every time a new batch of dessert fritters comes out from the fryer.

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5. Rochor Original Beancurd
@ 2 Short Street
Opening Hours: Sun - Thu 10:30am – 11:30pm, Fri - Sat 10:30am – 12:30am

@ 156 Sims Avenue
Opening Hours: Daily 10am – 10:30pm

Taken in 2011

Taken in 2022

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Dessert Fritter (~ SGD $1.20 per piece) @ Rochor Original Beancurd.

Established in 1955 by couple Mr Xu Jun Jie and Madam Tan Kim Keow, a family dispute in 2002 saw their business pass down to the 2nd child, William Koh, while his 3 siblings went on to create their own brands.

Now run by the 3rd generation, they're most known for luscious soy beancurd pudding / tau huay, but they also have a small range of freshly fried snack fritters.

The butterfly bun is crispy and light, with nutty sweet savoury flavour.

The dough fritter / you tiao is best eaten when hot and crisp, its bready savoury flavour pairing well with the soy beancurd pudding / tau huay.

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6. Xi De Li
@ Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, 448 Clementi Avenue 3 #01-39
Opening Hours: Mon - Fri 8am – 5:30pm, Sat 7am – 5pm, Sun 9am – 11am

@ Tiong Bahru Market, 30 Seng Poh Road #02-41
Opening Hours: Daily 6:30am – 2pm

Multiple Other Branches Across Singapore

Taken in 2012

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Dessert Fritter (~ SGD $1.60 per piece) @ Xi De Li.

A pioneer brand founded in the 1920s, the fourth-generation owners Adrian Koh, Valerie Koh, and Pathom Koh, set the baseline for accessibility of halal-certified dessert fritters, selling over 10,000 items daily across their 60+ stalls throughout Singapore.

They still maintain the traditional hand-pulled dough, and their batter is thin and crisp, shattering and flaking easily.

Their 3-in-1 sweet potato, yam / taro, gula melaka / palm sugar infused glutinous rice, has a sticky soft moist texture, with pleasant vegetal earthy grainy sweet savoury floral flavour.

The pandan / screwpine leaf infused tapioca is dense but bouncy, with a nice floral earthy starchy sweet flavour. Seems to have a bit more fibrous chew than elsewhere.

Their ham chim peng are light, airy, and soft, the red bean paste version holding earthy nutty sweet flavour, the 5-spice version having salty savoury spice notes, both with fragrant bready aroma.

The fried banana / goreng pisang is medium thick and ripe, creamy soft with a bright fruity sweet flavour.

Their dad invented the iconic butterfly bun as a token of love for their mom, who wanted something sweet and crisp - they still use the original recipe.

Their dough fritter / you tiao is hand-pulled, with a crispy texture and bready savoury flavour, best eaten when hot. Quality differs at times though, from stall to stall.

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7. You Tiao Man
@ Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre, 127 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 #02-05
Opening Hours: Daily 6am – 2pm

Taken in 2011

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Dessert Fritter (~ SGD $1 per piece) @ You Tiao Man.

Founded in the 1940s and among the more affordable brands retailing dessert fritters, they're mostly known for being a halal business-to-business supplier.

However, 4th generation owner Audrey Chew still has help maintaining a hawker stall, showcasing their product range.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, they pivoted to the online and offline consumer market, selling directly to the customer - ensuring business continuity with a multi-channel digital approach.

Today, their dough is still freshly made from scratch, and formulated to be kept for up to 9 months, allowing one to enjoy these in the comfort of home.

Their ham chim peng has a light fluffy chew, with the 5-spice version having salty savoury spice notes, and the red bean paste version carrying earthy sweet nutty flavour.

The butterfly bun is chunky and soft, with a light crispy bite to texture, and lovely nutty sweet bready flavour.

The dough fritter / you tiao has a softer chew than elsewhere, with nice bready savoury flavour.