Ah Kong Wa Kuih @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

A few months back, a new wa kuih stall called Ah Kong Wa Kuih has opened next to my favorite pandan butterfly bun stall at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre.

I have tried visiting the stall numerous times but the shutters were always down. It does not help that information regarding their operating hours and off days are not available.

I must have made at least six wasted trips to the stall before I was finally able to catch it in business today.

Economic Food - Wah Kueh @ Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre

I was having porridge in front of a random stall at Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre when out of the corner of my eyes, I caught sight of the word "wah kueh" among the list of food items they sell.

I doubt the younger generation would know what "wah kueh" really is because it is a fast disappearing snack rarely found nowadays.

This rice pudding of Hokkien origins is made by steaming the rice mixture in bowls. The word "bowl" in Hokkien is pronounced as "wah" hence the name, wah kueh, which roughly translates as bowl cake.

During my younger days, I have been hearing Mum reminiscing about this elderly gentleman who peddles his wah kueh from a basket at Hoy Fatt Road where my family used to stay during the 1970s.

I was only born after we moved away to another estate. Needless to say, I never quite got the chance to eat this.

Mushroom Bak Chor Chai Tow Kway 香菇肉脞菜头粿 @ North Bridge Road Market

Ke Shuang Xing Fried Carrot Cake (柯双兴菜头粿) has been dishing out fried carrot cake (Chai Tow Kway) for five decades but just this month, they have roll out a new offering which is a marriage between Chai Tow Kway and Wah Kueh.

Wah Kueh (碗糕), as its name implies, is a bowl-sized rice pudding (imagine a giant Chwee Kueh) with toppings and sauce drizzled over it.

Unfortunately, this is a fast disappearing dish in Singapore. I myself have eaten it only once at Bukit Merah Food Centre while on my way to CMPB from Redhill more than 10 years ago. I have even forgotten how it taste like now.

Ivan, the owner of Ke Shuang Xing Fried Carrot Cake decided to bring this old favorite back and merge it with their Chai Tow Kway.