The Pot of Wealth Vegan Poon Choi ($199, feeds eight) has no actual meat or eggs, but it has plenty of cute, realistic-looking ‘seafood’. The pen cai comes in a 30cm claypot loaded with over 12 ingredients like mock sea cucumbers, abalones, prawns and fish maw, all draped in a savoury seaweed and mushroom sauce that’s packed separately.

It also has ‘fishballs’ and ‘meatballs’, the latter made with mushroom stems, turnips, carrots and water chestnuts, lion’s mane mushrooms, deep-fried beancurd pockets and braised veggies. Each pen cai order also comes with two free side dishes of Braised Shiitake Mushrooms with Fatt Choy and the stall’s Signature Fried Rice that are good for eight pax.

We’re admittedly not very fond of mock meat, which usually tastes like mushy soy protein and disappointment. But this vegan pen cai is surprisingly appetising. The faux seafood has a springy, konjac-like texture that tastes like firm (real) fishballs, while the mushrooms in the  ‘meatball’ give it an earthy, meat-like flavour with a nice crunch from the chopped water chestnuts. We didn’t even miss fish, pork or beef during this meal.

Order online by Feb 8, 2021 at www.jiakzheyhawker.oddle.me/en_SG or Jiak Zhey’s two outlets:

Jiak Zhey @ Pasir Ris
#B1-K15, Whitesands Mall, 1 Pasir Ris Central St 3, S518457. Tel: 9181-7862. Open daily 10am-9pm.

Jiak Zhey @ Changi Business Park (opens Feb 1, 2021)
#01-51, 8 Changi Business Park Ave 1 (inside NTUC X’tra Hypermart), S486018. Tel: 9181-7862. Open daily 8am-8pm.

Self-collection recommended. Delivery fee based on distance (fee will be doubled on Feb 6, 7, 10 & 11).

PHOTOS: YIP JIEYING