Mum Mum 31 has putu mayam at Alexandra Village Food Centre
If you’ve never had putu mayam before, consider this your sign to try it. This old-school breakfast snack can be found at Mum Mum 31, a new stall at Alexandra Village Food Centre.
For the uninitiated, putu mayam is a traditional South Indian steamed rice noodle cake. Rice flour is pressed through a mould to create delicate, thread-like strands, which are then steamed into soft, slightly springy discs. It’s typically eaten with freshly grated coconut and gula melaka.
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Mum Mum 31, which previously sold vadai, has since pivoted to focus entirely on putu mayam. On our visit, two flavours were available: Original ($2.50) and Onde-Onde ($3.20). There’s also a Putu Bamboo flavour, though it wasn’t available when we dropped by.
Each order comes with two discs of putu mayam, with the grated coconut and toppings packed separately so everything stays fresh until you’re ready to eat.
If you’re trying putu mayam for the first time, I’d recommend starting with the Original for the classic experience. It’s best enjoyed piping hot—gently tear off a section, top it with freshly grated coconut and a pinch of the jaggery sugar, then roll it up like a tiny burrito and eat it with your hands.
On its own, the steamed rice flour noodles were relatively bland, which was exactly how it’s supposed to be. What stood out was the texture—it was springy without being stodgy. The grated coconut added a savoury note that played nicely against the sweetness of the sugar.
The jaggery sugar was the real MVP, with its striking bright orange-red colour and deep, molasses-like sweetness. When combined with the other components, each bite was perfectly balanced.
For something more unique, try the Onde-Onde flavour. The moment I opened the packet, I was hit with a strong, fragrant waft of pandan, thanks to the two small pieces of fresh pandan leaves tucked between each piece of putu mayam.
The rice noodles themselves carried a lovely green hue and a fragrant pandan aroma. Instead of red jaggery sugar, this version came with brown sugar, which had a more caramelised, toasty sweetness.
Mum Mum 31 is still new and gaining traction, so we recommend heading down in the morning for a breakfast treat in case it gets crowded later in the day. Alexandra Village Food Centre is about a 10-minute walk from Queenstown MRT Station, or you can take bus 33, 51, or 111 and alight along Alexandra Road.
For more food in Queenstown, read our Margaret Drive Hawker Centre food guide. Otherwise, check out our Komoco Motors Cafeteria feature for $6 chicken chop, assam fish and more.
Address: 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1, Alexandra Village Food Centre, #01-50, Singapore 150120
Opening hours: TBD
Mum Mum 31 is not halal-certified.
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Photos taken by Nathania Tay.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg/
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