Gems Harvest sells wah kueh at Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre
Tucked away in a tranquil neighbourhood is Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre, a hawker centre home to the famous Hai Kee Teochew cha kuay teow, and Jiak Song, which has handmade mee hoon kueh by an ex-MasterChef finalist. Wah kueh is one of the rarest hawker dishes in Singapore, so I was thrilled to chance upon Gems Harvest, a stall known for their traditional steamed rice cakes.
Run by an elderly couple, Gems Harvest has only three items on the menu: Wah Kueh ($1.80), Chwee Kueh ($1.80 for four), and Glutinous Rice ($1.80 for small, $2.20 for big).
For those lost in translation, wah kueh refers to “bowl cake”. This traditional snack used to be common in the 1950s, but its availability has gradually dwindled with the passing of time.
Think chwee kueh, but without the chai poh pieces, and drenched in a viscous brown sauce accompanied by garlic paste on the side. I was pleasantly surprised by how the paste elevated the savoury taste of the wah kueh—a little goes a long way with garlic, truly.
Their wah kueh contains bits of mushroom that complement the bouncy texture of the steamed rice cake. You can also ask for chilli sauce for extra flavour, but do note that it’s fairly mild in spice.
It’s no surprise that the stall owners take pride in their steamed rice cakes as they wake up in the wee hours to prepare the dishes.
Affordably priced at $4 for 10 pieces, their chwee kueh was generously topped with chai poh. If the topping doesn’t suffice, you can pay an additional $0.30 or $0.50 for more.
Chewy and sticky, their glutinous rice is a good option for a hearty breakfast. As the glutinous rice isn’t heavily seasoned, it helps that the dish comes with crispy fried shallots to accentuate the savoury taste.
If you want to explore more food options at the hawker centre, check out the best Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre stalls to visit. Otherwise, find out more about the famous Michelin-approved chwee kueh stall Jian Bo Shui Kueh.
Address: 11 Telok Blangah Crescent, #01-86, Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre, Singapore 090011
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 7am to 2pm
Gems Harvest is not a halal-certified eatery.
Jian Bo Shui Kueh: Famous Michelin-Approved Chwee Kueh Stall Open Since 1958
Photos were taken by Zi Hui Tan and edited by John Lery Villanueva.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.
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