‘Kueh’?
The term “kueh” is being used in many different cultures across Asia even though it might be spelt differently. Kueh refers to bite-sized traditional snacks. It’s used to refer to various traditional confectionery such as cakes, cookies, dumplings, pudding, biscuits and pastries. Although they are similar to desserts, they can be eaten throughout the day as the main course.
Here in Singapore, the Teochew community is the second-largest Chinese dialect group. Many local dishes such as Bak Chor Mee and Bak Kut Teh originated from the Teochews. Unlike other prominent Teochew dishes, their kuehs are underrated. So we decided to introduce the 4 most common kuehs of the Teochews.
1. Ang Koo Kueh
First up on our list is the Ang Koo Kueh which translates to Red Tortoise Cake. Its outer layer is made from soft sticky glutinous rice flour or sweet potato wrapped around a sweet filling. The fillings are typically mung bean or ground peanuts and sugar. As the name suggests, this kueh is red-coloured and shaped like a tortoiseshell. Other colour variations include yellow and purple. The kueh is then placed on a piece of cut banana leaf.
2. Png Kueh
Png Kueh is also known as rice peach cake because of its striking pink colouration which resembles a peach. It’s shaped using a wooden mould to achieve its teardrop shape. Similar to the Ang Koo Kueh, its skin is made from soft sticky glutinous rice flour. The insides are filled with glutinous rice, peanuts, shiitake mushrooms and shallots. The kueh is about the size of a hand and is generally eaten as a meal as the glutinous rice can be very filling.
3. Gu Cai Kueh
These hand-shaped dumplings traditionally come in circular shapes with pleated sides, like the illustration above. However, these are less commonly seen these days. It’s much easier to find those that are shaped like a semi-circle or crescent dumpling. The dumplings are either made from rice flour or tapioca flour. Its main filling is chives and occasionally dried shrimps. It’s simple but packs a punch of flavour. If you are a fan of chives, you really shouldn’t miss out on these dumplings.
4. Soon Kueh
These semi-circle shaped dumplings are filled with jicama, carrots, dried shrimp and mushroom. Sometimes, bamboo shoots are also included in the fillings. It’s a savoury delight with the juiciness of the fillings spread in your mouth with every bite.
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