Water Rice Cake (Chwee kueh)

Chwee kueh is a traditional steamed rice cake originating from Singapore, where it’s been created by the Teochew people. The dish is made by mixing rice flour and water into a thin mixture that’s poured into aluminum cups and steamed.

Once steamed, the rice cake should have a distinctive bowl-like shape with a dimple on top. These rice cakes are bland on their own, but they’re typically topped with diced preserved radish (often with sautéed shallots and garlic) and served with sambal chili sauce on the side.

Nowadays, chwee kueh is a popular dish that’s served for breakfast and in hawker centers across the country.