Halal Bak Chor Mee

a "thank you" gift to someone special ❤️

“Don’t worry, let me do it.” “How can I help?” These words left an impression on me when I first met Jun Jie. His constant readiness to lend a hand and to make sure we felt comfortable during our shoot made me deeply curious–who is this stranger???

That’s when I was introduced to Jun Jie, a 35-year-old Senior Volunteer Manager at HCSA Community Services. He greeted us with a big, bright smile, followed by an enthusiastic handshake, before showing us around the premise.

At the Crossroad

Curious, I asked, “Have you been doing this all your life? Why do you look so happy?” With a chuckle, he shared that he actually graduated with a degree in Material Science Engineering and initially worked in that field. His days were spent looking at 3 screens at once, analysing graphs and systems, buying patterns, the list goes on. Until one day, he asked himself the question many of us do: “Is this what I want to do for the rest of my life?” The answer was no: and that was enough for him to make the change.

Through that experience, Jun Jie realised what mattered most to him–making a meaningful impact on community and individual lives. With volunteering being a big part of his life since secondary school, he knew exactly where he should head next.

He shared that making the change came with lots of uncertainty and self doubts, but he also knew that his youth years were short. So if not now, then when?

Fast forward to the present, it has been eight years since he fully committed to volunteering-related work—and he hasn’t looked back. From the smile on his face and the sheer excitement while he went on to share about his current role, I could definitely tell that there were no regrets. Honestly, I resonated with his career switch, as I too, left a “stable” job myself to pursue something I’m passionate about. Seeing how Jun Jie made it work, inspired me to keep going and not fear change if it ever comes again.

From Strangers to Friends

In his current role, Jun Jie oversees the volunteer engagement for SPIN (Single Parents INformed, INvolved and INcluded), a programme that supports single parents in Singapore to improve their quality of life through various workshops and events. His work covers the full volunteer ecosystem–from the backend administration and volunteer coordination, to building external partnerships with corporates and schools, creating meaningful opportunities for community involvement.

When asked about some of his most memorable moments since joining SPIN, he spoke about the meaningful relationships he has built with the beneficiaries, and the joy of witnessing their growth and transformation over time. He went on to share about Felicia, a SPIN graduate whose journey had left a lasting impression on him.

When Felicia first met Jun Jie, she was at one of the lowest points in her life–juggling between part-time studies, finding a job to make ends meet, while trying to support her then 8-year-old son. She shared with us that one of the toughest parts of being a single mother was the lack of emotional support, feeling constant pressure to be “more mature”, while still trying to figure out her own identity, besides being a mom.

As I got to know Felicia better, I realised that beneath her bubbly and energetic personality is just a young person trying to navigate life. Alongside learning what it meant to become an adult, she had to figure out what it meant to be a good daughter, a good sibling, and now a good mom.

Among the many workshops SPIN offers, Felicia especially appreciated the family day events and resume-writing sessions. As she shares about her experiences, I could tell how much these events meant to her from the way she vividly recalls them. She was especially grateful for the family events as it takes away the extra burden of planning and logistics–she could simply show up and have fun!

These experiences not only helped strengthen her bond with her son, it has also helped her become emotionally stronger and gain confidence in raising a child on her own. Felicia also mentioned that Jun Jie’s compassion goes beyond the structured programmes; even two years after graduating from SPIN, he still checks in on her, believing in a long-term commitment to the community.

Pressing on

After learning more about Jun Jie, I couldn’t help but wonder, what has kept him going all these years and what is his ultimate goal?

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life” he answered, quoting his current go-to inspiration from Muhammad Ali. This pushes him to think outside of the box, to stay bold and keep exploring fresh and new ideas, and he’s already seen some fruition with that mindset.

Currently, SPIN has helped approximately 400 single parents across the island–a milestone that reflects the team’s dedication and compassion. But when Jun Jie shared that there are still nearly 99,500 single parents who have yet to be reached, I could really feel his sense of urgency and determination. His goal is to expand SPIN’s reach so that more single parents can access the support they need. Seeing their lives improve and knowing he played a role in their transformation brings him immense joy and encouragement to press on further.

A simple gesture

To let you in on a not-so-secret secret, prior to meeting Jun Jie, we already had an agenda to surprise him. To express her gratitude for everything Jun Jie has done for her, Felicia “hired” Azfar to teach her how to cook one of his favourite dishes–Bak Chor Mee!

Spoiler alert: there were a few hiccups, but all went well and Jun Jie was pleasantly surprised!

When asked “why Bak Chor Mee”, Jun Jie shared that it is his go-to comfort food. Whether during his university days, or now at work, he tends to turn to this hearty bowl whenever he faces challenges. For him, it’s like a warm hug and a pat on the back–a small reminder to pick himself up and keep going. Who knew a simple BCM could cheer someone up?

It’s safe to say that both of them had a great catch up session after the shoot, and I was genuinely moved watching their friendship. At that moment, I finally understood who this stranger is–an ordinary man with an extraordinary heart for the people around him.

I’ve learnt so much from this short interaction with both Felicia and Jun Jie. Before this, I didn’t even know that Singapore had such a programme for single parents. So now, I find myself asking, what can I do to help?

We hope that Jun Jie’s leap of faith has also inspired you to take a chance too–before it’s too late. So if you’ve been searching for more meaning in your work or spare time, or if you have a heart for people and want to do more for the community, you can check out go.gov.sg/ivmd-ogs1 for more details.

@nomies.coget you a man who loves you the way JJ loves bak chor mee 🥹🫶 happy international volunteer managers day everyone!  to explore more careers in social service, visit go.gov.sg/ivmd-ogs1 Check out the full recipe on nOm substack or find it on our facebook!

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Halal Bak Chor Mee

(serves 3-4)

2 packet egg noodles (mee kia or mee pok)
200g minced chicken
200g chicken breast, sliced thin
200g chicken liver, sliced
4 chicken meatballs/ fishballs
3 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tsp cornstarch
ground white pepper, to taste
water, as needed

Braised mushroom
40g dried shiitake, soaked for 1 hour in 3 cups water and sliced
2 tsp five spice powder
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
20g rock sugar
1 tbsp chinkiang vinegar
2 tsp dark soy sauce

Soup
300g chicken feet
1/2 cup soya beans, soaked 2 hours
20g ikan bilis
3 spring onion
1 tbsp black peppercorn
1.5l water
Salt, to taste

Dressing/Finishing
1 tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chinkiang vinegar
1 tsp sambal
sliced spring onion
lettuce

Directions

1. Combine all the soup ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off impurities and simmer for 1.5 hours on low heat, covered. Then, cook the chicken meatballs the soup for 5 minutes.

2. In a pot, combine all the braised mushroom ingredients including the soaking liquid simmer for 30 minutes, covered until the mushrooms are soft.

3. Marinate the chicken breast, minced chicken and liver in 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp cornstarch and some pepper per bowl.

4. To assemble, blanch noodles in boiling water and toss it in with the finishing sauces in a serving bowl. Use the soup to quickly blanch the meats and arrange on the noodles together with meatballs, and braised mushroom, spring onion and lettuce.

5. Serve alongside a bowl of soup.

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if you are looking for more halal recipes, check out a few of our favourites: