Chai Tow Kway (Singapore Fried Carrot Cake)
Local name: 菜头粿
In short: Steamed radish and rice flour cake cut into cubes and fried crisp with garlic, egg and preserved radish, served with chili sauce. It takes about 1 h 35 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 h 5 min
- Resting
- 2 h
- Total
- 1 h 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Despite the name, Singapore's carrot cake contains no carrots. Chai tow kway is made from grated white radish (daikon) cooked into a rice flour batter, steamed into a firm block, then cut and fried with egg and garlic until the edges crisp. It is a breakfast and supper staple at hawker stalls, served plain (white) or tossed in sweet dark soy sauce (black). The cake can be steamed days ahead, which makes the frying fast.
Instructions
- Oil a 20 cm (8 in) round cake pan or heatproof dish. Bring water to a boil in a steamer.
- Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan and fry the dried shrimp for 1 minute. Add the daikon and 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) of the water, cover and cook for 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Take off the heat.
- Whisk the rice flour, cornstarch, salt, sugar and pepper with the remaining 260 ml (1 cup plus 1 tbsp) water into a smooth slurry.
- Pour the slurry into the daikon and stir over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until it turns into a thick paste. Fold in the spring onions.
- Scrape the batter into the oiled pan and smooth the top. Steam over high heat for 45 minutes until firm, with a skewer coming out clean.
- Cool completely, at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge. Turn out and cut into 2 cm (3/4 in) cubes.
- Heat the frying oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Fry the cubes for 5 to 6 minutes, turning only occasionally, until golden and crisp on several sides.
- Add the garlic, then pour the eggs over the cubes. Let them set for 20 seconds, then toss. Add the preserved radish and soy sauce, scatter with spring onions and serve with chili sauce.
Tips
- For the black version, toss the fried cubes with 2 tablespoons of sweet dark soy sauce and a pinch more sugar in the last minute of cooking.
- Cold, firm cake fries best and holds its shape. The steamed cake keeps 3 days in the fridge or 2 months frozen.
Questions and answers
Is Singapore carrot cake made with carrots?
No. The name comes from chai tow kway, where chai tow is the Hokkien word for white radish. The cake is made of daikon and rice flour.
Why does my carrot cake fall apart in the pan?
It was probably not cooled enough. Chill it until fully firm, use a nonstick pan and turn the cubes sparingly.
Can I use frozen steamed radish cake?
Yes. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, pat it dry and fry it as in the recipe. Ready-made slabs are sold at many Asian grocery stores.
How long does it take to make Chai Tow Kway (Singapore Fried Carrot Cake)?
About 1 h 35 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 1 h 5 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Chai Tow Kway (Singapore Fried Carrot Cake)?
About 380 kcal per serving, with 12 g of protein, 52 g of carbohydrates and 14 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 380 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
