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Soon kueh is a Teochew steamed dumpling, also known as ‘cai kueh’.  In Singapore, we typically eat it for breakfast or as a snack any other times of the day, with chilli sauce and sweet black sauce. Traditionally soon kueh is made with bamboo shoots, thus the name ‘soon kueh’ as the ‘soon’ in Hokkien refers to bamboo shoots. However the soon kueh found in markets and food stalls are made mainly with jicama, or turnip, or ‘bangkwang’, because turnip is much cheaper and much more easily accessible in Singapore.

I did manage to find bamboo shoots, pre-cut in packages in the supermarkets. They are softer to cut and need to be blanched to remove the sour taste before cooking. In this soon kueh recipe, I made the filling with dried baby shrimps, shallots, bamboo shoots, turnip, carrot and dried mushrooms. It’s a fun recipe that me and my mummy will make together, she cooking the filling and me making the skin, we will assemble the snack together before steaming it.

For the skin, there are many different recipes out there. Some recipes use rice flour and tapioca flour, some using wheat starch and tapioca flour. I have tried both. The version with rice flour yields a soon kueh with somewhat whitish skin and it’s difficult to roll and seal as the dough breaks easily and is non-elastic. The wheat starch version yields a translucent skin which is stretchable when combined with tapioca flour, and easy to roll and seal, somewhat similar to har gow wrappers. 

soon kueh

Are tapioca flour and tapioca starch the same?

The two names, tapioca flour and tapioca starch actually refer to the same product. Depending on where you live, some manufacturers might name it differently but the actual product is the same.

Are wheat flour and wheat starch the same?

On the contrary, wheat flour and wheat starch are not the same. Wheat flour contains starch but not vice-versa.

Tips for making Soon Kueh

  • It’s important to add hot boiling water to the flour bit by bit when making the dough. The dough will turn out firm, elastic and non-breakable. 
  • Using just the jicama in the filling without the bamboo shoots is perfectly fine, in fact, we preferred the jicama version more than the bamboo shoots. We have also used cabbage to replace jicama and it tastes fantastic.
  • Lightly brush some vegetable oil after it is done steaming to keep it moist. I used olive oil for that.
ingredients

How to store Soon Kueh

Cooked soon kueh is best eaten warm just after steaming. You can store it in an airtight container on the countertop for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to a month. The skin will turn harder. Just reheat by steaming on high heat for about 3-5 minutes and it will turn soft again.

Uncooked ones can be stored after wrapping. Store it in an airtight container and separate each soon kueh with baking paper. Freeze it in the freezer for up to a month. To cook, steaming without thawing over boiling water for 10 minutes.

Check out other local snack recipes

If you are into local kuehs, do check out these recipes, many of these are gluten-free, eggs-free and made with Monk fruit or Stevia sweetener, making them a healthier snack version from the original recipe:

Watch how to make Soon Kueh on YouTube

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soon kueh

Soon Kueh 笋粿 (Bamboo Shoots Dumplings)

Learn how to make Soon Kueh in this simplified step-by-step recipe. This Teochew steamed dumpling, also known as ‘cai kueh’ is a favourite local breakfast snack.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine asian, Chinese, southeast asian
Servings 4 persons
Calories 89 kcal

Ingredients
  

Skin

  • 100 g wheat starch
  • 60 g tapioca flour
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • 220 ml hot boiling water

Filling

  • 500 g jicama bangkuang or turnip
  • 400 g bamboo shoots
  • 1 carrot
  • 5 dried mushrooms
  • 50 g dried baby shrimps
  • 100 g shallots
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce season to taste
  • White pepper season to taste
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce season to taste
  • ½ cup water

Instructions
 

Make the skin

  • In a mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (100g wheat starch, 60g tapioca flour, 1/2 tsp fine salt) together. Use a chopstick to stir until well mixed.
    100 g wheat starch, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 60 g tapioca flour
    flour
  • Add in 200ml hot boiling water gradually (important to add gradually) and use the chopstick to stir until it forms a lumpy dough.
    220 ml hot boiling water
    flour
  • Once dough is cool enough to handle, use hand to knead the dough and add oil until it form a pliable dough. Dough should be stretchable, non breakable, like playdoh.
    Note: If it is too wet, add some tapioca flour. If too dry, add some water.
    1 tbsp vegetable oil
    knead the dough
  • Wrap with cling wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
    rest the dough

Fry the vegetable filling

  • Soak 50g dried shrimps for about 30 minutes. Drain and shred in food processor.
    50 g dried baby shrimps
    dried shrimps
  • Soak 5 dried mushrooms until it turns soft. Squeeze off the water, cut off stem from mushrooms and mince coarsely. 
    5 dried mushrooms
    mushrooms
  • Peel jicama and carrots. Julienne 500g jicama, 400g bamboo shoots, 1 carrot (can use a food mixer with blade attachment to shred jicama and carrots).
    Peel off 100g shallots and slice into thin strips.
    500 g jicama, 400 g bamboo shoots, 100 g shallots, 1 carrot
    cut the vegetables
  • Sauté dried baby shrimps and shallots with 4 tbsp cooking oil until aroma is released.
    2 tbsp vegetable oil
    fry the filling
  • Add jicama, bamboo shoots, carrots, mushrooms and stir fry.
    fry the filling
  • Add about 1/2 cup water and let it simmer until jicama and bamboo shoots turn soft, with lid covered. Takes about 20-30 minutes. 
    1/2 cup water
    fry the filling
  • Add fish sauce, white pepper, shaoxing wine, oyster sauce. Season to taste. Fry until liquid evaporates. Set aside in a plate and let it cool.
    2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 2 tbsp fish sauce, White pepper, 1 tbsp oyster sauce
    fry the filling

Assemble the Soon Kueh

  • Measure about 50g for each dough. Lightly flour the rolling mat and rolling pin. 
    weigh the dough
  • Roll the dough into a ball and flatten with a rolling pin into a round shape.
    Note: Keep the unused dough covered while working on each dough.
    roll the dough
  • Scoop about 2 tbsp of vegetable filling onto the middle of the flattened dough. 
    add filling
  • Fold the skin into half to form a semi-circle shape. Seal by first pressing the middle, then move to both sides to seal.
    seal the dough
  • Place on lined greased parchment paper on a steamer tray.
    ready to steam soon kueh
  • Boil water to a rolling boil. Then steam the soon kueh for 10 minutes over high heat. Skin will turn translucent.
    steam the soon kueh
  • After steaming, brush some vegetable oil on the soon kueh.
    apply oil
  • Serve warm with dark soy sauce and chilli sauce. 
    steam the soon kueh

Video

Notes

This recipe makes about 12 pieces with some excess filling.

Nutrition

Calories: 89kcal
Keyword cai kueh, kueh, kuih, snack, soon kueh
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