Steamed Vegetable Dumplings (Chai Kueh aka Soon Kuay)

When I was back in Singapore in March 2011, mom and John's MIL collaborated to make Soon Kuay. I gave a whoop of joy when  I saw what the 2 elderly women was toiling about in the pretty messy kitchen. One was frying the filling in the wok while the other was using all her might to make the skin and later on, wrapped it nicely using the Soon Kuay mould. When the steaming tray came out, I couldn't wait to sink my teeth in it and boy, the taste was super fantastic while the skin was absolutely soft , thin and silky. I couldn't forget the taste  many days after that.

Mom actually bought 2 packets of the Soon Kuay flour and brought it over to KL. I helped her with the frying and wrapping. I still need to practise a little on how to knead the Soon Kuay flour. She bought the Soon Kuay flour in Singapore under the brand name Sunflower. The flour is a premix of rice flour, tapioca flour, wheat flour and corn flour. If this premix is not accessible to you, you'll need to find out the exact measurement on how to make it. It's of course easier to use the premix. It is best eaten with a little sweet sauce (甜酱)  and chilli sauce.

Soon Kuay Flour premix. Brand : Sunflower

 Here's the recipe that has mom generously shared :

Ingredients :
2 mid size turnip (about 1kg)
1 tbsp dried shrimp - coarsely minced
300g thinly sliced pork (with a little fat in it)
8 small onions - thinly sliced
1 tsp cornflour - add with a little water
light soy sauce
oyster sauce
dash of salt
dash of sugar
dash of pepper
1 packet of Soon Kueh Flour (brand is Sunflower bought in Singapore)

Filling method :

1. Heat up oil, fry shallots till fragrant in low heat. Before it starts to turn color, add in dried shrimp. Turn on low heat.
2. When color changes to slight brown, add in sliced pork. Saute till meat is cook. Add in oyster sauce before adding in turnip. Saute and add in a little water.
3. Add in soy sauce, sugar, pepper and salt. Please taste it before you continue adding more of the sauces to suit your preference. If it gets drier, add in water little by little. Saute till turnips are soft. Taste it for one last time to decide whether you need to add in more of the sauces.

The mould to make Soon Kuay

4. Add in cornflour and stir before dishing out. Set it aside to cool while you work on the dumpling skin.

Dumpling skin method:

1. Pour 500ml of water into a pot, bring to boil. Add 260gm of Soon Kuah flour into the briskly boiling water. Turn fire off immediately. Add one soup spoonful of cooking oil into it, use a pair of chopstick or wooden saucepan to stir well, use palm to blend it hard until it forms into a smooth and elastic dough.
2. Divide dough into several portions and flatten into Kuay Sheet, wrap Kuay Sheet with prepared fillings.
   

Steaming Method :

1. Ensure steaming tray is fully "oiled" before placing the Soon Kuay on it to steam.
2. Steam for about 10 - 13 minutes, remove tray from steaming pot and glaze it with a little vegetable oil on top. Serve immediately with sweet sauce and chilli sauce