KUCHING: What began as a Ramadan experiment has grown into a promising food venture for Nurfarahin Shazwani, a young entrepreneur who introduced Korean hotteok pancakes with a local twist to Sarawak’s food scene.
Hotteok, a popular Korean street snack traditionally filled with cinnamon sugar and peanuts, is still relatively unfamiliar in Sarawak.
Nurfarahin at her hotteok’s booth.
Seeing this gap, Nurfarahin adapted the dish with flavours more suited to local tastes, blending Korean inspiration with Malay-style fillings.
“Originally, hotteok comes from Korea but I was inspired by people in Kuala Lumpur who introduced it in Malaysia. From there, I adapted it with Malay flavours,” she said.
She first started making hotteok during the fasting month in 2024, selling it on a small scale.
Encouraged by the response, she decided to pursue the business more seriously after Hari Raya celebration.
“In Sarawak, hotteok was still quite new. So, I decided to start it here. I didn’t expect the response to be so positive and many people really like it,” she added.
From its beginning in Kuching, the business has expanded to major events and festivals across the state.
Nurfarahin has participated in government-backed programmes such as Jom Heboh and Havoc festival, as well as large-scale food festivals.
This year, she started selling it at Sarawak Stadium, followed by a month-long stint at the Samarahan Ramadan Bazaar.
Looking ahead, she plans to bring her hotteok to Sibu, Bintulu and Miri, and join the Pesta Orang Kampung tour, with hopes of expanding to Brunei, Sabah and Lawas if opportunities arise.
The idea to venture into hotteok came from extensive research on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
“I was looking at what was not yet available in Sarawak and could be introduced. That’s when I came across hotteok from Hotteok HTK and we were truly inspired by it,” she said.
While the original hotteok flavour is cinnamon sugar and peanut, Nurfarahin has since expanded her menu to nine varieties, ranging from sweet to savoury.
Sweet options include original, red bean and Nutella while savoury choices feature cheese, beef cheese and chicken cheese.
Prices range from RM10 to RM18.
“I don’t dare to sell at high prices. Even though my capital cost is actually higher than the selling price, I try to keep it affordable,” she said.
Despite generally positive feedback, challenges remain.
“Hotteok is fried using mostly margarine, which some customers find oily.
“Operational hurdles include high ingredient costs, unpredictable weather at outdoor events and strict quality control, with up to 10 kilogrammes of chicken or beef sometimes discarded if standards are not met,” she added.
Her highest sales were recorded at Mega Pok Miri over six days, despite rainy conditions.
With growing demand, including requests for frozen hotteok, Nurfarahin hopes to one day open her own shop and continue innovating, supported by her family, who remain a crucial part of the operation.
