“Hmm…green peppers…tofu…fish balls…you shouldn’t want more eggplants!” I still remember when I was a child, I would be distressed every time I bought fried and stuffed sambo at a snack shop near my home. 10 mosquitoes and 4 pieces, the little person will always have a difficult choice when looking at the evil explosives in front of him. But the neighbors in Kwai Chung probably don’t have this problem.
There are many restaurants in Kwai Chung, and they are still brightly lit until late at night. Among them is “Hop Fat Snacks”, which sells fried and stuffed three treasures each. It has not changed in the past 20 years and has become a comfort for people in the area who want to heal their stomachs after a late night sleep.
The birth of the Three Treasures of Fried Rice and Stuffed Rice
The current boss, Sister Qian, was originally just a helper at “Hop Fat Snacks”. In 2003, the former boss wanted to close the store. Sister Qian had already worked in the store for four or five years and was familiar with the business. After weighing her abilities at the time, she decided to take over. After that, Sister Qian priced the fried and stuffed three treasures one piece at a time, until now.
The small shop has a small storefront, and there is a small kitchen at the back of the shop, where all steaming, stir-frying and deep-frying are done. During the conversation, I saw Sister Qian scooping up a spoonful of gelatinized fish meat, spreading it on top of the sliced red sausage, and then throwing it into the pan. When the fish begins to change color, drain the oil and bring to the pan. The cooking time is different. Some of the pan-fried stuffed sambo come out of the oven, some are golden, some are slightly burnt, and some are just cooked. After cooling slightly, they will be placed at the stall in front of the store for you to choose and fry again when needed.
Probably because it is one pill per pill and there is no price burden. I saw that most of the customers queuing up bought the pills in their twenties and packed them into a large plastic box. Sister Qian said that she once had a customer drive from Chai Wan and buy hundreds of dollars at a time to take back and treat the staff to eat. Although the distance is far, it is “even if you come back.”
Sister Qian has been keeping Hop Fat Snacks for more than 20 years. She insists on buying fried and stuffed three treasures one by one, so that Hong Kong people can still find the taste in their memories.
The “Troublemaker” in the hearts of the neighbors
Having been in business for many years, regular customers will say hello to “Shi Tou Po” when they pass by. Asked if Sister Qian had any unforgettable memories, she said that she often kicked the helpers one by one to take care of the shop after they got off work at night. In the early years, there were often a few girls in school uniforms who would put down their schoolbags and come to help her when they saw how busy she was. She said that the girls were also regular customers of Hefa. They were “kind-hearted” and would occasionally help collect money and pick up food. They were very quick with their hands and feet. Sometimes Sister Qian wants to treat them to food and give them hundreds or dozens of dollars as a reward, but they are unwilling to accept it. Now that they have grown up, one of them even came back to visit Sister Qian, which makes me heart-broken every time I think about it.
In addition to fried and stuffed sambo, the shop also sells other snacks.
Sister Qian said that the neighbors always asked her to increase the price, but she felt embarrassed. She had been selling fried and stuffed three treasures for many years, and if she could do it, she would still like to continue making it. Although the profit per mosquito is small, the profit is small but quick turnover, and the neighbors are happy to eat. I don’t want to make a lot of money. The money I make is enough to pay for labor rent and more than enough for my family’s living needs. One day I really can’t afford to raise the price again.
The shop is currently closed every other week. There is no fixed opening and closing time, but it will definitely be open until the early morning. If you pass by, you might as well check it out and try this “grain tail gift” that prices stayed at 20 years ago!
Hefa snacks
Shop No. 125D, G/F, Jewelery Building, Wo Tong Tsui Street, Kwai Chung
Written and photographed by: Ali
The post A snack shop that is open late at night and serves fried and stuffed three treasures first appeared on BetterMe Magazine.
This article A snack shop that is open late at night and serves fried and stuffed three treasures first appeared in BetterMe Magazine。
2024-01-05 11:26:20
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