Tag: Nonya Kueh

This Young S’porean Sells Traditional Nonya Kueh On Instagram Using His Ah Mah’s Recipes

Making Nonya Kueh is not a typical career path most Singaporean men would take fresh out of National Service.

Most of us would dream of being teachers, doctors, engineers but this 23 year old decided to take on a whole new challenge and sell Nonya Kueh using his Ah Mah’s recipes.

Meet Keith Su, a 23 year old whose love for kueh spurred him to take his fondness for pastries a step further – by making them from his kitchen and selling them on Instagram (@ahmahzingsg).

Exploring Traditional Food With Ah Mah

Operating out of his kitchen in his family flat in Ang Mo Kio, Keith started taking in orders in April 2018, selling nonya treats like Kueh Salat and Kueh Bingka Ubi via Ahmahzing‘s Instagram Account.

The name is a play on  the words ‘ah mah’ (meaning grandma, in hokkien) and ‘amazing’.

“I wanted a name that reflects the concept of heritage and tradition,” he shares. Which led him to to think about his grandparents and that his happiest childhood memories stem from being pampered by ah mah.

“While I was serving National Service, I spent my free time visiting public libraries and borrowing cookbooks,” he added.

He would study the recipes and experimented with them until he got it right.

“The Kueh Salat took me about four attempts before I actually got it right and when I did, the feeling of satisfaction was indescribable,” he quipped. His first successful attempt at making the technically-challenging Kueh Salat, spurred him on to try other recipes, building up his repertoire, one kueh at a time.

It wasn’t just the positive comments he received that spurred him on, it was his personal interest and love for kueh that motivated him to do better.

While most millennials would prefer a sugar-packed cupcake to a more traditional Ang Ku Kueh, Keith believes that kueh is something that we are all familiar or grew up with, and hence we will crave for it from time to time. It is this symbolic value about kueh that makes it more than just a commoditised product.

One of the best-tasting kueh in his arsenal would definitely be the Ang Ku Kueh. The chewy red skin is made from sweet potato which he boils and then mashes before adding coconut milk and oil to get that supple, chewy texture. Tucked within is generous filling of mung beans.

Keith also recently started selling Soon Kueh which took a lot of trial and error to get the right texture and thickness of the skin. He shared that the Soon Kueh requires a lot of effort from start to finish: from slicing the turnip into thin strips, to rolling out the dough and stuffing them into dumplings. Lots of attention to detail is required to ensure that the dumplings are not overstuffed or else they will split open while steaming.

Always on the adventure to explore other kinds of Kueh, Keith expressed that his current interest is in Teochew Kueh. He is also intrigued by the Hainanese Yi Buah, which is less commonly known. He also plans on doing more pop-ups and looking at more locations to set up shop. Who knows, Ahmahzing might just set up shop at a neighbourhood near you.

“Kueh is more than just a snack; it is part of our childhood and unique to our local culture,” he added.

I mean, let’s be real. Most of us would rather eat a real good Kueh Salat over a lemon meringue tart any day.

Interested in Keith’s homemade Nonya Kueh? Check out Ahmahzing’s Instagram page and maybe order a few for your Ah Mah to try!

Ahmahzing
Website

Also Read Meet S’pore’s Spice Boy And His Muji-Style Spice Shop In AMK

(Header Image Source: @ahmahzingsg)

Lovers Of Old School Snacks, Here Are The Very Best Places For Your Nonya Kueh Fix!

Do you miss any of your childhood snacks? Many of us remember the cakes and pastries we grew up eating. If you’re searching for your favourite old school Peranakan Nonya Kueh, you’ve come to the right place! Here are 7 best places where you can get your Nonya Kueh fix!

1. Ji Xiang Confectionery

Since it opened for business in 1988, Ji Xiang has been reinventing the traditional Nonya Ang Ku Kueh with unique flavours such as salted bean, corn, coconut, and even durian!

Since they specialise in, and mainly sell Ang Ku Kueh, you’re guaranteed the very best!

Each kueh is hand-made with a soft and thin skin. There’s a generous amount of filling, and this snack is perfect for all ages.

It’s no wonder more than 4,000 are sold daily!

Ji Xiang Confectionary
1 Everton Park #01-33
6223 1631
Monday – Saturday: 8AM – 5PM

2. Simple Delite 

Dubbed The Best Traditional Kueh in town, Simple Delite is popular among the Muslim community with its authentic halal Malay kueh.

Serving freshly made and piping hot kueh for more than 15 years, the must-try kueh here is the Kueh Lopis (sticky rice with sweetened gula melaka and shredded coconut).

Image Credit: Simple Delite

Made with only a few ingredients, the glutinous rice is tender and not too dense. The shredded coconut has just the right amount of salt, giving the perfect balance of sweet and savoury!

The kuehs here usually sell out by noon, so be sure to come early!

Simple Delite
665 Buffalo Road, #01-219 Tekka Food Centre
Mon – Sun: 6:30am – 2pm

3. Chinta Manis

This Nonya Kueh sure looks interesting!

Taking a spin on traditional Nonya Kueh, Chinta Manis blends modern variations to its traditional recipes.

Inspired by the rich tradition of Peranakan food and culture, Chinta Manis serves an incredible spread of over 20 types of Nonya Kueh.

With innovative creations such as their signature Chendol Agar Agar, Pulut Seri Kaya, and Chocolate Ondeh Ondeh, enjoy a different kind of brunch here!

Chinta Manis
180 Kitchener Road, #B2-K2/K11 City Square Mall
Mon – Sun: 11am – 9pm

4. Xing Xing Tapioca Cake

Located in Maxwell Food Centre, Xing Xing Tapioca Cake only sells two things: Tapioca cake and Ondeh Ondeh.

Fragrant and super addictive when eaten warm, it is no surprise the steamed tapioca cakes are always sold out by 11am daily.

Made of shredded tapioca and coconut milk, the tapioca cake is slightly firmer than mochi. It has the perfect chewy texture, with the grated coconut giving a slight crunch.

The little grated coconut-coated Ondeh Ondeh are soft and bouncy, but not too sticky. It bursts in your mouth with the oh-so-rich Gula Melaka.

Xing Xing Tapioca Cake/Ondeh Ondeh
Stall 31, 1 Kadayanallur Street, Maxwell Road Food Centre
Mon – Sun: 8am – 2pm

5. Tiong Bahru Galicier Confectionery

Boost your traditional Nonya Kueh craving with a hit of warm, fragrant Kueh Dadar!

Famous for its Ang Ku Kueh (‘Red Tortoise Cake’ with soft sticky skin and Mung bean filling), the skin is tender yet chewy with a sweet and savoury filling.

Take your pick of their other Nonya Kueh as well; Png Kueh (Chinese rice cake), Soon Kueh and Ku Chye Kueh (chives cake).

Lek Lim Nonya Cake Confectionary
Blk 84 Bedok North St. 4, #01-21
Monday – Saturday: 6:30AM – 6PM, Sunday: 6:30AM – 2PM

7. HarriAnn’s Delight

The one thing most of us associate Nonya Kueh with is the colourful Kueh Lapis with all its layers and flavours!

Bright and colourful, the iconic rainbow Kueh Lapis is soft and chewy! Relive your childhood memories by peeling and savouring each layer on its own.

Passionately handcrafted with all-natural ingredients, the Nonya Kueh here are delightfully fresh and authentic!

HarriAnn’s Delight
230 Victoria Street, #01-01A, Bugis Junction Towers
Mon – Sun: 8am – 9pm
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