The Saturday Kitchen – Chwee Kueh for Breakfast

When I was a little kid, I used to follow my mum to the wet market on Sunday mornings. Being a chubby, greedy child, there was one thing that motivated me to accompany her to the hot, stuffy market with her–the chwee kueh stall.

Growing up, we ate this traditional Chinese snack only on Sundays when everyone did not have to hurry through the morning, and we had time to go to the market to buy some. They were handmade and at Siglap Market, the ladies who made the chwee kueh did them fabulously.

Chwee kueh are steamed rice flour cakes, gelatinous and wobbly, mild in flavour on its own. But their toppings of preserved radish, or chai poh, held together in oil-laden unctuousness is the stuff of gustatory dreams. Umami-rich, savoury with a lingering sweetness, with depth of flavour from slowly sautéed garlic and soy sauce, it is complex and comforting and downright delicious. Add to that the crunchy texture of chai poh and it is a mouthful made in heaven. Decades on, chwee kueh is still ranks among the top five of my favourite breakfast foods. Thankfully I can always buy them at the hawker stalls. My only beef is that they are pretty stingy with the toppings, and too little of it will spoil the enjoyment completely.

So I have learnt to make my own chwee kueh, and heap it with as much of the chai poh topping as I want. It took me a few attempts to get it right, and while this may not be absolutely perfect yet, the recipe below gives a good, enjoyable rendition which I am happy to share.

The technique in this recipe is as important as the ingredients. It is crucial to:
• Steam the little moulds beforehand so the batter comes into contact with its hot surface and has no chance to cool (see picture above). It has to ‘hit the ground running’ at the point of steaming;
• Use very freshly boiled water to stir into the batter, as the hot water will thicken the batter somewhat and that is important.
• Use the stipulated flours. I tried using tapioca flour instead of corn flour once with disastrous results.
If you don’t have little metal moulds, you could try using little dishes instead. Note the depth of the batter—too thick in the middle and it may not cook properly. Have fun and enjoy!