70-year-old hawker Poon Sum Hay speaks about his battle with colon cancer in a matter-of-fact way, with zero trace of self pity.
“I was diagnosed with colon cancer. I’m going through chemotherapy now. If my cancer doesn’t relapse, I’m okay. If it comes back, then bye-bye.”
The second-generation hawker runs what is believed to be Singapore’s only stall making fresh sachima (a traditional Chinese snack made with fried dough strips and malt sugar) from scratch. He recently returned to work after closing his stall Pan Ji Cooked Food at Chinatown Complex Food Centre for six months while undergoing treatment.
Couldn’t stay away from work
Poon was diagnosed with colon cancer in late 2024 after seeking medical attention for abnormal bowel movements. He later underwent surgery to remove part of his large intestine before beginning chemotherapy.
Despite still undergoing treatment now, Poon found staying away from work harder than expected.
“The more I work, the more energised I become”
When asked why he returned to work while still undergoing cancer treatment, Poon doesn’t hesitate.
“I’m very bored!” he tells 8days.sg.
“I’ve taken a break for six months already. The more I work, the more energised I become.”
For the veteran hawker, who has been running Pan Ji since 1983, making sachima isn’t just a livelihood — it’s something he has been doing for more than 50 years after first learning the craft from his father at the age of 12.
Singapore’s only stall that makes sachima from scratch
Sachima is a traditional Chinese snack made by binding deep-fried strips of dough together with hot syrup, then allowing it to cool to a chewy-crunchy consistency before being sliced into blocks.
Poon describes it as an ancient Chinese “a power bar”, explaining that it once served as military rations during the Qing dynasty.
The sugary pastry is made using flour, eggs, maltose and white sugar. Poon is among the last traditional sachima makers in Singapore who still prepares the snack entirely by hand.
In Hong Kong, it is known as ma zai, while in China it is more commonly called sachima.
Seven hours from kneading dough to finished snack
Making fresh sachima is no quick task.
His workday begins as early as 6am, with kneading and flattening dough before deep-frying it and binding the strands together with hot syrup. According to Poon, the entire process takes around seven hours.
The most dangerous part comes when handling the bubbling syrup.
“It’s extremely hot,” he cautions.
“If this syrup gets on your hand, you will get blisters. It’s no laughing matter.”
Still, he believes the painstaking process is what gives the snack its signature aroma.
“Of course it’s fragrant,” he says.
“All I can say is, this is the real stuff.”
Mastered making sachima despite having no fingers on left hand
Poon has been helping out at the family business since he was in school. Having no fingers on his left hand didn’t stop him from mastering the craft.
“I don’t have fingers. I was born this way,” he says unfazed.
Asked if his disability makes preparing sachima challenging, he simply shrugs.
“There’s no difficulty. It’s the same [as when other people make it]. Once you get the hang of it, it’s similar.”
His philosophy towards making sachima is equally straightforward.
“When you cook it with heart, everything [tastes] nice.”
Happy to be back behind the stove
For now, Poon is simply glad to be back at the stall doing what he loves.
As he prepares for another blood test and chemotherapy session, he remains hopeful for the future, while continuing to make every batch of sachima by hand — just as he has done for decades.
Pan Ji Cooked Food is at #02-78, Chinatown Complex Food Centre, 335 Smith St, S050335. Open daily 8am-2 pm.
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