Teochew Soon Kueh with Turnip & Sio Bak

Chinese

Roots

Seafood

Sides/Snacks

Soon Kueh 笋粿 literally means “bamboo shoot dumpling” – but in Singapore, we often use turnip (mangkuang 沙葛) and every household has their own traditions.

For Shiny (@ahmahslegacy), it’s a dish filled with memories – of her sitting on her kitchen floor with her grandmother at 5 a.m., shaping them so they could eat them for breakfast.

Together with Yeo Min (@yeomyyyy), they recreate this beloved Teochew classic, adding a sio bak twist for that extra crunch!

Wrapped in a chewy, rice-like skin made with rice flour and tapioca starch, this humble snack remains a true Teochew comfort food across generations. 💛

Ingredients

Adjust Servings

US / Metric

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Turnips

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Turnips

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Carrots

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Carrots

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Dried mushrooms

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Dried mushrooms

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Dried black fungus

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Dried black fungus

Dried shrimps

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Garlic

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Garlic

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Sio bak

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Sio bak

White pepper, to taste

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Sugar

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Sugar

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Light soy sauce

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Light soy sauce

Salt, to taste

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Salt, to taste

Fish powder or chicken powder

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tbsp

Oyster sauce

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tbsp

Oyster sauce

Dough

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Rice flour

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Rice flour

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Tapioca starch

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Tapioca starch

Salt

White pepper, to taste

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tbsp

Shallot oil, for flavour

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tbsp

Shallot oil, for flavour

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Boiling water (40ml, for buffer)

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Boiling water (40ml, for buffer)

Steps

1

For the filling, soak dried shrimp and mushrooms, reserving the soaking water for later.

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2

Chop turnips, carrots, and black fungus into thin matchsticks. Dice mushrooms, dried shrimps, and garlic.

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3

Stir-fry dried shrimp and garlic first, then add black fungus and pepper. Set aside.

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4

Stir-fry mushrooms with a bit of oil, sugar, and dark soy sauce. Set aside.

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5

Simmer carrots in shallot oil with a sprinkle of salt, then add turnips. Gradually pour in some reserved soaking water and cook until vegetables are about 70% done.

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6

Combine all ingredients in a large basin, strain off excess liquid to keep the filling crunchy.

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7

For the dough, mix rice flour and tapioca starch in a bowl.

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8

Slowly pour in boiling water, stirring with chopsticks until large lumps form.

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9

Cover and let rest for 10 minutes, then knead into a smooth dough. Add shallot oil and a dash of pepper. Add additional hot water if the dough still feels slightly dry.

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