Sin Swee Fatt in Negeri Sembilan takes pride in serving delicious pau and baked Chinese pastries made using family recipes that have been lovingly preserved and handed down from one generation to the next.
Currently helmed by its fifth-generation, Sin Swee Fatt traces its humble beginnings to 1935 in Titi, located in the district of Jelebu.
In the following decades, the business weathered many storms but persevered. Today, in addition to the shop in Titi, they have opened a second outlet in Seremban and have plans for another in Kuala Lumpur.
They sell a variety of pau such as char siew, black pepper chicken, petai, rice wine chicken, siew pao as well as cakes, kaya puffs and Chinese wedding pastries.
The FMT team recently visited the Seremban outlet where Yap Wei Seng, the fifth-generation owner, and his mother, Lee Oi Chun, gave the team a behind-the-scenes look at pau-making.
The pau dough is first prepared in a mixer.
Lee Oi Chun carefully kneads the dough before inserting it into the machine.
The machine is used to ensure that there is no residue flour left in the dough.
Next, Lee cuts the dough into smaller portions.
Lee deftly rolls and flattens the dough.
Many hands make light work: Lee is assisted by her eldest son, Yap Wei Seng, and an employee.
It’s all smiles for Lee and Yap as they place the filling onto the centre of the dough.
The fragrant rice wine chicken pau is popular with customers of Titi.
The char siew pau, which has tender and flavourful pork meat, is yet another scrumptious option.
Each pau is measured on a kitchen scale before it is closed to ensure it has just the right amount of filling.
The edges of the dough are gathered together to form pretty pleats and subsequently pinched together at the top to seal the filling in.
The pau are then placed on a tray and left to rise for approximately 20 minutes.
Lee and Yap check to ensure that there is sufficient space between each pau so that it cooks evenly.
Lee and Yap carefully insert the tray of pau into a steamer.
After approximately 10 to 20 minutes, the pau are finally ready!
Lee and Yap arrange the pao in a wood and bamboo steamer to keep warm for their customers.
Sin Swee Fatt is a fifth-generation business that is resolutely making its way into the future.