Bedok Chwee Kueh Chinatown Complex Hawker Centre Branch 勿洛水粿

Bedok Chwee Kueh Chinatown Branch 水粿 | 335 Smith St, stall #02-43, Singapore 050335 🚅 5 minute walk from Chinatown station ⏰ 7am - 6pm

Bedok Chwee Kueh really doesn't need any more introduction. The factory produced steamed rice cakes are found in many hawker centres across Singapore.

There is very little to tell the many outlets apart, but the Chinatown Complex branch has a slight edge in the quality of its chai poh or preserved radish topping as well as a little more care in steam warming the rice cakes.

Sometimes, just a little more care makes all the difference.

The chwee kueh or steamed rice cakes are made in a factory and delivered to hawker stalls across our island.

The cost effectiveness of mass production has contributed to the demise of independent chwee kueh stalls and discouraged new independent stalls. I haven't seen any new artisanal chwee kueh stall in Singapore in the last decade.

The sautéed chai poh (with sesame seed) topping is stewed, slow simmered in oil at the stall. Mastery of heat produces varying quality of the chai poh topping.

The chai poh at Chinatown Complex branch has a light brownish golden colour. The crunchy bits of preserved radish taste umami savoury sweet.

It's a poor man's umami. We boomers like to reminiscence about how far we came during our lifetime 😬😁 We may seem complaining but that's because we want our country's fairy tale progress not to stall.

Lard is traditionally used to stew the chai poh but nowadays in Singapore, they mostly use only vegetable oil, including this in Chinatown Complex.

We lose the layer of flavour which only lard can give.

The Chinatown Complex branch steam warm the rice cake better, retaining its tenderness and moistness.

(To me, the worst chwee kueh are the firm-dry ones, and at the other extreme, mushy overcooked ones. It takes care and mastery to get the texture just right, like here at Chinatown Complex.)

The soft subtly rice-sweet cake paired well with the savoury sweet chai poh. It's the comfort staple of Teochew people and Singaporeans since our leaner days.