When Ang Mo Kio 628 Market & Food Centre opened in 1979, the surrounding area was a bustling kampung with community spirit and traditional charm. In this vibrant environment, Xiang Ji Porridge began its humble journey in December 1980.
Founded by Mr Lee Hong Hiang’s father and grandfather, the stall opened at 2.45am and welcomed early risers and night owls alike, from residents to taxi drivers, all seeking the comfort of a heartwarming bowl of pork porridge.
“It was my dad who came up with the recipe for the porridge. Over the years, we have adapted his recipe and added a few other ingredients. But we insist on making the minced pork balls by hand,” he said. He and his siblings, who help to run the stall, have also expanded the menu to sell chicken, fish, cuttlefish and peanut porridge. According to him, their best-selling porridges are the pork and liver porridge, century egg and pork porridge, and pork porridge.
Unlike other porridge stalls that sell Teochew porridge, which has a grainy texture, or Cantonese congee, which is almost like a thick broth, Xiang Ji Porridge sells Hainanese porridge, which is wet and slightly grainy. He said: “We also add dong cai [preserved vegetables] to make the porridge more fragrant.”
He recalled that a bowl of porridge cost 80 cents in 1980. Now, it is sold at an affordable price of between $3.30 and $4.50 a bowl. “Despite the rising ingredient and operating costs, we try to keep our prices affordable because there are a lot of elderly people in this area,” he said.
Mr Lee, who has been helping out at the stall since the 1980s and learned the ropes from his father, would arrive at the stall at 2.30am daily. “I will slice the fish and chicken and start cooking the porridge. We have to let the cooked porridge simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour for it to thicken,” he said. Customers will patronise his stall from 4am onwards.
Unlike in the old days when his father used to cook porridge with charcoal, he explained that the process is easier now that they have switched to gasoline. “In the past, we had to watch the fire and cover the charcoal with a cloth if the fire got too hot, as overheated charcoal can scorch the porridge.”
It is a source of great pride and encouragement to him that the dedication and hard work of running the family stall has enabled him to support his three children to university.
Today, this legacy continues to flourish as his eldest daughter runs a sister stall in Telok Blangah with her husband, having learnt the intricacies of the business and the art of porridge-making under his guidance. His eldest son and younger daughter help out at the stall on weekends. He also imparts his cherished cooking techniques to his children, grooming them to take over the stall eventually.
As Xiang Ji Porridge operates daily from 4am to 8pm, his siblings would also take turns helping out when he knocks off from work at noon. “Selling porridge as a family has helped to deepen our relationship and allow us to see each other more often. There is harmony between me and my siblings, and we never argue about our family business,” he said. This seamless blend of family and business shows a beautiful continuity of tradition, skill and familial love.
Xiang Ji Porridge: 628 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4, #01-81
Chinese
李奉香在宏茂桥4道第628座巴刹与熟食中心售卖海南粥。这个粥摊由他的父亲和祖父在1980年创立。菜单从单一的猪肉粥增至鸡片粥、鱼片粥、鱿鱼粥和花生粥等各式粥品。他如今仍坚持手工制作猪肉丸。大女儿也继承了手艺，和丈夫在直落布兰雅经营粥摊。儿子和小女儿每逢周末也会到粥摊帮忙。小小的粥摊展现的不只是技艺的传承，还有家人同心的温情。
Malay
Encik Lee Hong Hiang mengendalikan sebuah gerai bubur Hainan di Pasar & Pusat Makanan AMK 628, yang diasaskan bapa dan datuknya. Oleh kerana ia beroperasi setiap hari dari pukul 4 pagi hingga 8 malam, adik beradiknya juga membantunya secara bergilir-gilir apabila dia selesai bekerja pada waktu tengah hari. Legasi ini terus berkembang apabila anak perempuan sulungnya kini mengendalikan sebuah cawangan gerainya di Telok Blangah bersama suaminya. Anak lelaki sulung dan anak perempuan kecilnya juga membantu di gerai pada hujung minggu. Gabungan serasi keluarga dan perniagaan ini menunjukkan keindahan kesinambungan tradisi, kepakaran dan kasih sayang kekeluargaan.
Tamil
திரு லீ ஹொங் ஹியாங், AMK 628 சந்தை, உணவு நிலையத்தில் ஹைனானீஸ் கஞ்சி விற்பனை செய்யும் கடையை நடத்தி வருகிறார். இந்தக் கடையை அவரது அப்பாவும் தாத்தாவும் தொடங்கினர். தினமும் அதிகாலை 4 மணியிலிருந்து இரவு 8 மணி வரை கடை திறந்திருப்பதால், திரு லீ நண்பகல் வரையிலும், அதற்குப் பிறகு அவரது உடன்பிறந்தோரும் கடையை நடத்துகின்றனர். இந்தக் குடும்பத் தொழில் தொடர்ந்து செழிப்படைந்து வருகிறது. திரு லீயின் மூத்த மகள், தனது கணவருடன் சேர்ந்து தெலுக் பிளாங்காவில் ஒரு கிளையை நடத்துகிறார். திரு லீயின் மூத்த மகனும் இளைய மகளும் வார இறுதியில் கடையில் உதவி செய்வார்கள். குடும்பமாகச் சேர்ந்து இவர்கள் நடத்திவரும் இந்தத் தொழில், பாரம்பரியமும், திறனும், குடும்பப் பாசமும் என்றென்றும் நீடித்து நிலைத்திருப்பதை உறுதி செய்கிறது.
