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The Way of Kueh
Food writer, cooking instructor and author Christopher Tan is back with the definitive book on Singapore’s kueh, sharing everything you need to know about local kueh culture.
Much more than just a collection of recipes, The Way of Kueh delves into the topic with a lyrical, insightful and practical approach. It traverses kueh families and genres, key kueh-making techniques, the seasonality and social significance of kueh, and the importance of both tradition and innovation. Local kueh artisans from all walks of life share their stories and perspectives in interviews, while short essays muse on the histories, regional and colonial influences, science and symbolism behind this most diverse of food genres.
Helpful glossaries on key ingredients and essential kitchen tools will equip you to tackle over 100 detailed and precise recipes for kuehs from across Singapore’s communities, from ang koo kueh to kueh bakar, kueh kaswi to jian dui, steamed and baked kueh lapis varieties, and many more, including rare and endangered items such as sesagun, putugal and bak kueh.
Making kueh is truly and traditionally a labour of love. The Way of Kueh was born from a desire to inspire and encourage Singaporeans to make and enjoy kueh together with their families and friends, to celebrate, preserve and progress this unique and rich part of our national food heritage.
Much more than just a collection of recipes, The Way of Kueh delves into the topic with a lyrical, insightful and practical approach. It traverses kueh families and genres, key kueh-making techniques, the seasonality and social significance of kueh, and the importance of both tradition and innovation. Local kueh artisans from all walks of life share their stories and perspectives in interviews, while short essays muse on the histories, regional and colonial influences, science and symbolism behind this most diverse of food genres.
Helpful glossaries on key ingredients and essential kitchen tools will equip you to tackle over 100 detailed and precise recipes for kuehs from across Singapore’s communities, from ang koo kueh to kueh bakar, kueh kaswi to jian dui, steamed and baked kueh lapis varieties, and many more, including rare and endangered items such as sesagun, putugal and bak kueh.
Making kueh is truly and traditionally a labour of love. The Way of Kueh was born from a desire to inspire and encourage Singaporeans to make and enjoy kueh together with their families and friends, to celebrate, preserve and progress this unique and rich part of our national food heritage.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published November 1, 2019
5 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Tan
16 books8 followersChristopher Tan is an award-winning writer, cooking instructor and photographer. His articles, columns, recipes and photographs have appeared in many international publications, including Singapore's Sunday Times and Straits Times, The Peak Selections: Gourmet & Travel magazine, and America’s Saveur magazine.
A regular cooking and baking teacher at Shermay's Cooking School, Christopher has also presented talks, demos and tasting sessions revolving around cuisine and culture at many venues, among them Singapore's National Museum and Peranakan Museum, the Culinary Institute of America’s Napa Valley campus, Le Musee Quai Branly in Paris and The Sydney International Food Festival. He has authored and co-authored many cookbooks, including: Singapore Cooking, a compendium of local favourites; Inside the Southeast Asian Kitchen: Foodlores and Flavours, an ASEAN-commissioned volume on the foodways of its constituent nations; Ask The Foodie: Kitchen Knowhow Explained, a collection of his newspaper columns; and Chinese Heritage Cooking, a celebration of traditional Singaporean Chinese recipes. NerdBaker is his 10th cookbook.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 29, 2024
I am very impressed by and thankful for this cookbook. Had originally picked this up for the recipe on kueh ambon, one of the hardest kuehs to bake, and also my favourite.
Found myself being supremely wowed by the level of detail that went into the interviews with kueh makers, the intricacy of the prose, and the history behind kueh making, as well as how these all blended into Singapore history and heritage. Christopher Tan's central thesis is that kuehs are a central piece of heritage food for Singapore, and he hopes that this intangible part of our culture can be remembered by the younger generations alongside korean, Japanese or American cuisine.
This book is worth much more than its retail price. It is priceless as it is a slice of heritage, and countless hours of research and labour went into executing these recipes.
Found myself being supremely wowed by the level of detail that went into the interviews with kueh makers, the intricacy of the prose, and the history behind kueh making, as well as how these all blended into Singapore history and heritage. Christopher Tan's central thesis is that kuehs are a central piece of heritage food for Singapore, and he hopes that this intangible part of our culture can be remembered by the younger generations alongside korean, Japanese or American cuisine.
This book is worth much more than its retail price. It is priceless as it is a slice of heritage, and countless hours of research and labour went into executing these recipes.
January 27, 2022
This is an elaborated recipe book dedicated just for Kuih-s!!!!
A keepsake or heirloom!!
A keepsake or heirloom!!
April 17, 2020
I loved Nerd Baker, rereading it several times. Way of Kueh has a more serious tone which I hadn't really expected and I didn't enjoy it as much.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews