With this shop space, Yeoh did what she knew best. In 1978, she opened Hainan Cuisine & Snacks, selling yi bua, a Hainanese glutinuous rice flour kueh filled with grated coconut, peanut, sesame and ginger; ang ku kueh, a Hokkien glutinous rice flour snack filled with mung beans or peanuts; as well as buns filled with kaya and butter.
Working tirelessly, she single-handedly supported her entire family.
GROWING UP IN A KUEH FAMILY
The eldest grandchild of the family, Loi’s entire childhood was intertwined with kueh-making.
“My grandmother used to wake up at 2am to fulfil orders, prepare for walk-in purchases and open the kueh store. My mum would reach the store around 7am and take over from her. Then, my grandmother would spend the rest of the day at her home with me,” she recalled.
Because Loi’s grandmother and mother prepared the kueh at home, their house was always filled with the enticing aroma of food.
“As a child, I thought they were playing in the kitchen every day. They were always preparing the dough and ingredients, cutting up and blending ginger, and roasting sesame. The kitchen was always bustling,” she said.