Ang ku kueh, which translates to red tortoiseshell cake, is a common Chinese confectionery that’s often consumed for luck and longevity. It is typically filled with sweetened mung bean or ground peanuts, but today, you can find flavours of mango, green tea and even durian at Poh Cheu Kitchen. The store has been steaming ang ku kueh since 1985, and is currently helmed by third-generation owner, Jerome Ng, who hopes to further his family’s business and appeal to a wider audience.
Kueh can be many things. It can come sweet or savoury. It can be enjoyed as a snack or dessert. It can come in circles, or squares, or any shape under the sun. A piece of kueh can be painstakingly made from time-honoured recipes or modernised using unconventional ingredients and transformed into new desserts.
This colourful, bite-sized snack has its roots in various Southeast Asian cultures. You’ll find variants of kueh in Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Peranakan communities – each unique in its own way.
“Kueh has such a great social and cultural significance,” shares Christopher Tan, a writer who turned his love for kueh into a recipe book, The Way of Kueh. In it, he explores Singapore’s diverse kueh culture, chatting with respected kueh makers about the art form and teaching readers how to recreate them at home.
RECOMMENDED: Meet the people preserving a piece of our kueh heritage
