Chwee Kueh (Steamed Rice Cake with Chai Poh)
Chwee kueh is a Teochew breakfast snack that has been part of Singapore's and Malaysia's hawker culture for generations, sold from the earliest morning hours at stalls that often serve nothing else. Rice flour batter is poured into small round molds and steamed until set, forming a soft, slightly concave cake - the depression in the center designed to cradle a spoonful of chai poh, stir-fried preserved radish seasoned with soy sauce and a touch of sugar. The rice cake itself is intentionally bland - just a gentle, clean rice sweetness - letting the salty-sweet chai poh and the accompanying sambal chili provide all the flavor contrast. A plate arrives with five or six pieces for a modest price, making it one of Singapore's most affordable breakfasts. The dish's appeal lies in its simplicity: the soft, steamed texture of the cake against the chewy, caramelized radish bits, sharpened by the chili. Some hawker stalls have been making nothing but chwee kueh at the same location for over fifty years.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Mix rice flour, water, and salt into a smooth thin batter.
- 2
Pour batter into small steaming cups.
- 3
Steam for about 12 minutes until set.
- 4
Saute garlic and preserved radish in oil, then season with soy sauce.
- 5
Top each steamed rice cake with the savory radish mixture.
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Nutrition (per serving)
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