Crystal Dumpling Chai Kueh (水晶菜粿）

 

Despite being Cantonese, I truly enjoy Teochew Chai Kueh. These days, it can be difficult to find a cuisine that is both traditional and genuine. The outer skin, which is thin and crystal transparent, is the most significant component of the delicious Chai Kueh.

Jicama, taro, and chives are the most popular fillings used to make Chai Kueh (Mang Kwang). Jicama filling, enhanced with dried shrimp, is my favourite. The flavour and scent are both amazing. When eating chai kueh, homemade sauce makes it much tastier.

I don't profess to be an expert in chai kueh preparation. I experimented with a few ingredients and techniques before coming up with my own modifications, which I will now share with you.  When I initially made my Chai Kueh with wheat starch and corn starch, I still recall that it had to be served hot because otherwise the skin would harden.

I am currently using wheat starch and tapioca flour to make the kueh skin. The kueh will have a crystal-clear appearance and it tastes bouncy. The skin can be made quite thin and is simpler to handle. The chai kueh is quite delicious and won't harden after cooling.

Another important step is to add boiling hot water to the flour mixture when making the dough. The reason for doing so is to cook the dough and give it more elasticity and prevent it from breaking while rolling. Once the filling is sealed, it can be chilled and steamed when you're ready to eat.

 

INGREDIENTS

(Filling)

500g jicama, peeled and shredded

½ carrot, shredded

50g dried shimps, minced

2 tbsp minced garlic

 

(Seasoning)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp white pepper

½ cup water

 

(Dumpling skin) (20 pcs)

100g wheat starch

60g tapioca flour

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp cooking oil

220ml hot boiling water

 

METHOD

1. Heat up some cooking oil in a wok, sauté minced garlic and dried shrimps until fragrant, add shredded jicama and carrots, stir fry evenly until soft and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

2. Add all the ingredient into a mixing bowl except the boiling water, mixed well. Pour in the boiling water, mixed well with a spatula or dough cutter, knead into a soft dough, cover, and rest for 15 minutes.

3. Separate the dough into 25–30g-sized balls, flatten and roll out each one, then fill it with filling and seal it. Try not to use too much filling.

4. Lay a parchment paper on the bottom of a bamboo steamer, then add the wrapped chai kueh. After the water has boiled, steam it for seven minutes over a high heat.

5. After steaming, brush some scallion oil on each chai kueh while hot. Serve with red chilli oil or spread some crispy fried onion and chop spring onion on top. ENJOY!!