If you were a fan of Ah Yee’s Soon Kueh back when they were at Dunman Hawker Centre and was sad when they closed the shop, we’ve got good news for you!
Ah Yee’s Soon Kueh recently unveiled a brand new shop in Tembeling Road, using the entire space for the production as well as sale of their signature kuehs.
The food here is mainly for takeaway, but there are two tables for dining in. Be warned though: there is no air-conditioning and only minimal ventilation, so it can get quite warm inside.
A quick history lesson on Ah Yee’s Soon Kueh: The old stall in Dunman Hawker Centre had stopped operating because there were not enough helping hands. As such, young owner, Jeffrey Goh, decided to quit his full-time job to help his mother carry on the family business.
Every food item here is made fresh daily, and they have an open kitchen where you’ll get to see the kueh in the making. So if you’re curious, here’s a glimpse of how to make soon kueh.
After the strenuous exercise of kneading the dough, it is then put through a dough sheeter to flatten the dough.
The filling — that consists of shredded carrots, black fungus, turnip, and hei bi — that is fried every morning, is then generously wrapped in the dough.
After steaming, these hand-made delicacies are out, and ready to be devoured.
The consistency of the kueh scored points with us, with each and every kueh looking similar in shape and size. The thin, translucent skin also got us excited, because nobody likes kueh with a thick, rubbery skin.
My family eats these Chinese kuehs with chilli sauce and sweet sauce. The mix of sweet, spicy and savoury flavours makes the dish taste better.
We were very impressed with our first bite into the Soon Kueh ($1.30). The light skin did not disappoint and was perfectly soft yet springy. The ratio of skin to filling was amazing, and we wished we had ordered more.
The filling was also very dense and juicy, with the turnip retaining a bit of crunch, adding a contrasting mix of textures to the entire kueh.
The Ku Chye Kueh ($1.30) has a lighter taste profile, perfect for vegetable-lovers. The chives filling balanced very well with the hei bi, and once again, the skin of the kueh was mind-blowingly delicate.
The Peng Kueh ($1.30) is a tad different from those sold elsewhere, it has a much flatter appearance.
This kueh stood out the least because the filling was a tad dry. The hei bi taste came through the most, so this will be perfect for those who love the taste of dried shrimp.
Apart from kuehs, Ah Yee’s Soon Kueh also sells Glutinous Rice ($2.80). This came laden with shiitake mushrooms, hei bi and fried shallots.
The glutinous rice had a rich, umami flavour from the dark soy sauce and the medley of ingredients, but it was a pity that the rice was a little tough and dry.
Ah Yee’s Soon Kueh, which literally translates to Aunty Soon Kueh, definitely have a homely taste to its kuehs, and is guaranteed comfort food for breakfast or afternoon tea.
The soon kuehs here were definitely some of the best we’ve had thus far. At only $1.30 per piece, I foresee myself coming back to buy hordes of them for families and friends.
Expected damage: $1.30 – $5 per pax