The Complete Guide to Popiah in Singapore

Popiah is Singapore's favourite roll: a soft, paper-thin skin wrapped around slow-cooked turnip and a dozen little extras, made to each person's taste. It is hawker food, party food and family-reunion food all at once. This guide brings together everything we know after decades of making it: what popiah is, where it came from, what goes inside, how to roll one, and the easiest ways to serve popiah to a crowd.

What is popiah?

Popiah (薄饼, Hokkien for "thin pancake") is a fresh, unfried spring roll from southern China. A thin wheat-flour skin is spread with sweet sauce and chilli, layered with a stewed filling of turnip (jicama), carrot and bean sprouts, then topped with garnishes such as egg, peanuts, crispy bits, cucumber and coriander, and rolled up tight. Unlike the fried spring roll, popiah is eaten soft and at room temperature, which is why it is so good for sharing.

Where popiah came from

Popiah travelled to Singapore with Hokkien and Teochew immigrants from Fujian and Chaoshan. In China it is traditional food for the Qingming festival and family gatherings, when the whole table rolls together. In Singapore it became hawker food in the early 20th century, with stalls famous for hand-rubbed skins and secret turnip recipes. For the fuller story, read the history of popiah in Singapore.

Fortune Food's own story runs through that history. Our founder learned to make popiah skin by hand as a teenager and perfected her hand-rubbed technique in 1980. Today our skins are still made by hand every morning in our MUIS Halal-certified kitchen in Bedok.

Hokkien vs Teochew popiah

• Hokkien popiah is the style most Singaporeans know: a soft skin, a wetter turnip filling, sweet sauce and chilli, and plenty of crispy bits and ground peanuts.
• Teochew popiah tends to be drier, with a lighter sauce, and often includes stewed pork or lup cheong. Some Teochew versions add a little grilled or fried skin for crunch.
• Nyonya and other styles add their own twists, such as a sweet flour sauce and more prawn. Popiah's cousin, Kueh Pie Tee, serves the same filling in a crispy cup instead of a soft skin.

What goes into a popiah

A good roll has about ten things in it. The base is the skin and the turnip filling. The rest are toppings that each guest adds to taste:

• Handmade popiah skin
• Slow-cooked turnip and carrot
• Sweet sauce and sambal chilli
• Minced garlic
• Ground peanuts and crispy bits
• Egg, shredded cucumber and coriander
• Extras such as prawns, lettuce or, for a festive roll, tiger prawns and smoked duck

We go through each one in What's in a Popiah?, and explain why the turnip is the hardest part to get right in What Makes a Good Handmade Popiah.

The skin: why it matters most

Popiah skin is a wheat-flour dough rubbed by hand onto a hot plate for a second or two, leaving a round, almost translucent sheet. It should be thin yet springy, strong enough to hold a full roll without tearing, and soft enough to fold. Machine-made skins are drier and crack more easily. That is why we still make ours by hand. You can buy handmade popiah skin on its own if you want to make your own filling.

How to roll a popiah

1. Lay a skin flat and brush on sweet sauce, then chilli, leaving a border.
2. Add a lettuce leaf if you like, then a line of turnip filling across the lower third. Press it lightly to drain extra liquid.
3. Sprinkle on peanuts, crispy bits, egg, cucumber and coriander.
4. Fold the bottom edge over the filling, fold in both sides, then roll firmly away from you.
5. Cut into two or three pieces, or eat it whole.

Step-by-step photos and a filling recipe are in How to Make Popiah.

Four ways to serve popiah at a party

1. A DIY popiah set

Everything comes packed separately: skins, hot turnip filling and all the toppings. Guests roll their own, which doubles as the party activity. Our Popiah Set makes about 9 or 15 rolls, and the Golden Popiah Set adds tiger prawns for a festive table. See the DIY popiah delivery guide.

2. Ready-to-eat popiah rolls

For offices and events where no one has time to roll, we deliver ready-made popiah rolls in spicy, non-spicy and vegetarian, with a minimum of 100 rolls. Details on the popiah delivery page.

3. A popiah live station

For 50 guests or more, our master rollers make each popiah to order in front of your guests. It is our most popular station for D&Ds, family days and weddings. See the popiah live station page or get an instant quote.

4. Popiah in a party bundle

Our Fortune Bundles pair a popiah set with Kueh Pie Tee, satay, muah chee or orh nee, sized for 5 to 30 guests. To turn popiah into a full meal, add a bowl of noodles: our Mee Siam Set or Mee Soto Set serves 6 to 18 guests alongside the rolls (see the mee siam and mee soto party guide).

How many popiah per person?

As a snack or one dish among several, plan on 1 to 2 rolls per guest. If popiah is the main meal, 3 to 4 rolls. A Popiah Set of 15 rolls suits about 8 to 10 guests at a party. The Party Planner works it out for any headcount.

Vegetarian and halal popiah

Popiah is naturally close to vegetarian: the turnip filling and sweet sauce are vegetarian, and a roll is fully vegetarian without egg, garlic, coriander and chilli (our sambal contains dried shrimp). Our vegetarian popiah rolls are made that way. All our popiah is prepared in a MUIS Halal-certified central kitchen, so Muslim guests can enjoy the same spread. More on the vegetarian popiah page.

Where to eat popiah in Singapore

Popiah is everywhere, from heritage hawker stalls to food courts and home kitchens. Our popiah is served at partner stalls across the island, in food courts and at events. For a round-up of where to find a good roll, see our guide to the best popiah in Singapore, or read why DIY popiah sets have become the way many families celebrate.

Popiah FAQ