Chai Tow Kway

One of the Singapore’s best known local foodies is K.F. Seetoh, the creator and author of the Makansutra guidebooks (similar to Zagat) in Asia. In his native Singapore, Seetoh is hailed as the Street Food Guru. Scroll down to see Chef Seetoh's recipe for Chai Tow Kway (Singapore Style Fried Carrot Cake with Shrimp). See more recipes by Chef Seetoh by visiting his featured chef page: Chef K.F. Seetoh

Serves: 10

For frying (1 portion)

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped preserved radish
2 tablespoon fish sauce
5 medium or small shrimps, deshelled
2 eggs, beaten
1 sprig of spring onion (scallion), chopped
½ tablespoon white pepper

For Carrot Cake

1. Mix rice flour, salt with room-temperature water.

2. For hot water, bring to boil, then reduce heat. Slowly add in rice flour mixture and stir constantly until mixture become thick and pasty.

3. Add carrots, radishes and salt. Transfer to baking tray and steam for about 30 minutes over medium-low heat.

4. Remove from tray, allow to cool for 30 minutes and set in fridge to chill overnight (or minimum five hours) until the cake is softly firm.

For Frying

1. Cut carrot cake into about 1-inch x 0.5-inch x 0.5 inch pieces or smaller

2. Heat oil in a flat nonstick pan (medium heat) and stir fry garlic and preserved radish bits till fragrant.

3. Add in 3-4 cups of carrot cake cubes with the fish sauce and shrimp and continue to fry until cubes are soft and lightly charred at edges.

4. Lay the fried cakes on pan in a flat and even square pancake and pepper the dish.

5. Pour beaten eggs slowly and evenly over the squared pancake and let it sit and sizzle for about 60-90 seconds over low to medium heat until eggs are gently crispy. [Do not cut at this stage.]

6. Flip over pancake and fry until this side is nicely browned.

7. Cut into four squares. Stack them on plate, top with spring onions and an additional puff of white pepper powder. Serve.

Note: It is best that some of the carrot cake and egg is nicely crisped and browned at the edges.

* All photos courtesy of Makansutra Singapore

0 comments