This Soon Kueh recipe was indeed the lifesaver for Auntie Kim, as it saw her through the hardest period in her life. Today, she makes these Soon Kueh with love for her family, with those difficult days behind her.
How old were you when you started cooking? I don’t quite remember the age, as cooking was a skill I picked up out of necessity in those days.
Personal wish related to cooking: Seeing the smiles on my grandchildren when they eat my Soon Kueh is already my wish come true!
Tan Pek Hiang , Doting Grandmother
Soon Kueh is a popular Teochew snack in Singapore. The dumpling-like kueh is filled with a fragrant mixture of shredded bamboo shoots, turnip and dried shrimps wrapped in a smooth rice-tapioca flour skin. It was commonly sold by street hawkers in the early days and was enjoyed by Singaporeans across all cultures.
These days, the commercially-produced ones and those sold in many hawker centres do not contain bamboo shoots, which are really what gave this kueh its name in the first place.
In order to bring you the recipe for the authentic version, we invited Auntie Kim to share her handmade Soon Kueh recipe with us.
MSF : Auntie Kim, who taught you to make Soon Kueh?
Auntie Kim : No one did! I came up with my own recipe by seeing how others make theirs, and modified it for my own.
MSF : Why did you want to make Soon Kueh?
Auntie Kim : In those days, times were hard and it was difficult to find a job. I was poor, but the ingredients for Soon Kueh were affordable, so I decided to make Soon Kueh to sell.
MSF : Was business good?
Auntie Kim : I started making only a few to sell. On the first day, I earned about $3! $3 was a lot in those days. Encouraged by the results, I made more to sell the next day. So yes, I guess you can consider that as good business!
MSF : Do you still take in orders now?
Auntie Kim : I don’t sell them now. I only make them when my grandchildren want to eat.
We were very privileged to be able to savour some of Auntie Kim’s delicious Soon Kueh. We are grateful for her sharing of her delicious recipe and the heart-warming story behind it.
This Soon Kueh recipe was indeed the lifesaver for Auntie Kim, as it saw her through the hardest period in her life. Today, she makes these Soon Kueh with love for her family, with those difficult days behind her.
Like many from Singapore’s pioneer generation, Auntie Kim used her ingenuity to earn an honest living in order to make ends meet. Today, we are privileged to be able to enjoy the fruits and food of their labour!
