Mr Tan Boon Heng, 65, the owner of Ming Xiang Fishball Mincemeat Noodles, learnt the ropes of business and cooking from his father. He started helping at the stall soon after it opened at 409 Ang Mo Kio Market and Food Centre in 1979.

Back in the 1960s, his father was selling laksa and green bean soup from a roadside stall in Hougang. But he noticed that many people were reluctant to eat spicy food in the morning because of the hot weather. When he relocated to the market and food centre, he decided to sell fishball and minced meat noodles. This change suited the tastes of local customers and paved the way for the stall's success.

As one of the pioneer stalls at 409, Ming Xiang is a hit among residents due to its affordable price and generous portion. “Apart from residents who live around the neighbourhood, we also have a lot of regular customers from the nearby industrial estate who drop by for breakfast before going to work,” said Mr Tan.

At lunchtime, his stall has a snaking queue, a true testament to its popularity and the quality of the food. Many of his loyal customers have enjoyed his noodles since childhood. Even though they have moved to areas such as Punggol and Sengkang, they make it a point to return for a satisfying noodle.

He doesn’t make the fishballs from scratch, but patrons are drawn to the homemade chilli paste that goes with the dry noodles. “I cook it once a week and add garlic, shallots, dried shrimp and belachan,” he said.

He will arrive at his stall about 5.30am to prepare the broth. To speed up his work, he will also do some preparation work for the next day before closing up for the day. Business starts at 6.30am and ends at 2pm, and the stall is closed every Monday.

Today, he runs the stall with his 64-year-old wife, who helps serve customers. As age has caught up with the couple, they are taking a wait-and-see approach to determine the future of the stall. “My youngest child, who is about to graduate, has advised us to work fewer days,” he said.

Mr Tan has noticed a growing interest among individuals who want to join the hawker trade. "Previously, not many people wanted to bid for a hawker licence, so it's good to see more people wanting to be hawkers now. It shows the continuation of the vibrant hawker culture in Singapore,” he said.

“Aspiring hawkers must have a genuine love for the trade and be prepared to commit to long and strenuous hours,” he advised. His own commitment is evident as he spends an extra four to five hours preparing and cleaning up after closing the stall, demonstrating the effort required to stay in the industry.

Ming Xiang Fishball Mincemeat Noodles: 409 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #01-06

[Chinese]

茗香鱼圆面是宏茂桥10道第409座巴刹与熟食中心的首批摊贩之一。每到午餐时间，摊位前就会排起长长人龙。许多顾客从小就光顾茗香鱼圆面，即使后来搬到榜鹅和盛港等地区，也会老远回到宏茂桥满足食欲。摊主自制的辣椒膏是肉脞面的灵魂，深受顾客喜爱。

[Malay]

“Ming Xiang Fishball Mincemeat Noodles” antara gerai terawal di Pasar dan Pusat Makanan 409 Ang Mo Kio. Pemiliknya, Encik Tan Boon Heng, tidak membuat bebola ikan dari mula, namun para pelanggannya tertarik dengan pes cili buatan sendiri yang sedap dimakan dengan mi kering. Dia menasihatkan bakal pegerai agar memiliki minat mendalam untuk perniagaan penjaja dan siap sedia bekerja keras bagi tempoh yang panjang.

[Tamil]

409 அங் மோ கியோ சந்தை, உணவு நிலையத்தின் முன்னோடிக் கடைகளில் ஒன்று மிங் சியாங் ஃபி‌ஷ்பால் மின்ஸ்மீட் நூடல்ஸ் உணவுக்கடை. அதன் உரிமையாளரான திரு டான் பூன் ஹெங், மீன் உருண்டைகளைச் சொந்தமாகச் செய்வதில்லை. ஆனால், அவர் சொந்தமாகத் தயாரித்து நூடல்ஸுடன் பரிமாறும் மிளகாய்ச் சாந்து வாடிக்கையாளர்களை ஈர்க்கிறது. உணவங்காடிக் கடை நடத்த விரும்புவோர் அந்தத் தொழில்மீது உண்மையான விருப்பம் கொண்டிருப்பதோடு, நீண்ட நேரம் கடுமையாக உழைக்கவும் தயாரிக்க இருக்கவேண்டும் என்று அவர் ஆலோசனை கூறுகிறார்.

#supportourhawkers