Guan Kee Chai Tau Kway: Still steaming it themselves!
All is not gloom and doom in the hawker front.
We all complain that it is going downhill and that everything is getting outsourced such that hawkers are now more like traders rather than cooks but there is a glimmer of hope over the horizon. I guess with all things, it is a cycle we are talking about. We go from handmade to factory made and then when it looks like everyone is selling the factory made stuff, the handmade stuff suddenly becomes a unique proposition for consumers which some clever hawkers will capitalize to their advantage.
So this is the story with Carrot Cake. Just when you thought that all Carrot Cake is being outsourced, some stalls see the opportunity to differentiate themselves by steaming their own Carrot Cake. Somehow, it gives the stall a feeling of authenticity.
And the strategy works. Everytime I chance upon a stall that bothers to steam their own Carrot Cake, I will stop and order a plate. That's half the battle won. The other half boils down to the taste.
I guess when it comes to the taste of the Carrot Cake itself, one should be able to taste the difference with the white version since it is not masked by the black sauce. I must honestly tell you that the white version is not that great, which is a bit of a dissappointment. However, the black version of the Carrot Cake is well worth wasting a few Calories for. The Uncle fries it till it has all that wonderfull caramelized charred bits which is oh so heavenly! 4.25/5
Conclusion
Now, I wonder if there is really any point in steaming your own Carrot Cake if you can't really taste the difference in the white version. It's the black version here that is really good, but that has more to do with the frying technique and the recipe behind the sweet sauce.
So tell us, does your favourite Carrot Cake stall steam their own Carrot Cake? And do you think it makes a big difference?
Guan Kee Changi Village Food Centre
#01-02
11am to 11pm
Closed on Mondays
12 comments:
for me, i honestly think its quite difficult to tell the difference. unless the stall's self-steamed carrot cakes are like chock full of the radish. otherwise, its not easy to differentiate between that and the factory made ones.
that said, i would gladly spend my money on a stall that steams their own carrot cake, over one which uses mass produced ones. just for the fact that they put in the extra effort to steam their own.
Oh no, you changed your comment system again?
Anyway, not sure if it's because of mass-produced carrot cake, I've neve truly eaten great carrot cake in my whole life. I have since attributed it to a low skill ceiliing dish that is little more than hawker centre fodder. The white ones are by far worse than the general black ones.
Btw, out-sourcing to factories is so common these days for all hawkers, as it saves time, money and effort. Even the clams used in Char Kway Teow are sold in large bags from factories now, all shelled and cooked.
There are 2 that I know which steam their own carrot cake. There is one at Toa Payoh which I never get to try it. They are popular for their white with lots of red carrots shreds in it.
The other one that i know is at Cambridge Road Food Centre in which this old man has been frying for years... I tried the black and the white and I couldn't tell the difference with the home-made carrot cake but they sure uses lots of eggs and that it is similar to scrambled egg.
ieat, you better start posting your food reviews from your vacation, or else the rumours would get worse.
Still in vacation mood? Happy to welcome you back!! Missed your favourite hawker food lei? haha...
Still busy unpacking. Should get the posts up soon. Just wondering if I should post the pictures of what I ate in Tokyo? Not really relevant to Singapore food though. But had some of the most famous tonkatsu, sushi and tempura there.
hi ieat...yes, yes...we want to see the Tokyo food...ok...I want to see the Tokyo food.
p.s. btw, for some reason couldn't post comments earlier...
In My Opinion , The White One always taste better , and from what most chefs say , the true taste of the Carrot Cake comes from the white ones
ieat, you should do a special write-up on your Tokyo food experience plus pics.
the black carrot cake at geylang bahru fc is v gd. there are 2 stalls. 1 old couple 1 young. i tried the young one carrot cake its v nice. the old's Char Kway Teow also v nice. will be v please if you can compare the 2 stalls
Hi is the changi village hawker centre open for business already or still under renovation? If still is, when will it open again?
There's this carrot cake stall at West Coast Food Market. The black carrot cake is v good as well!
I tried the white version because I wanted to see if there's any difference in taste between this homemade CTK and the factory made one. Didn't find any difference. He probably didn't put in much radish. My uncle, who used to fry carrot cake will make some carrot cake and fry that for us, the relatives on certain occasions like CNY. His carrot cake has a certain fragrance to it, not like the mass produced ones. And the carrot cake texture is softer (nng)and smoother too. Must ask him how he makes his carrot cake when I see him. There is a Geylang Homemade Carrot Cake at Blk 7 Eunos Crescent. I believe it's homemade as the texture and taste is different from the rest. He will sprimkle some grated carrots on top of his CTK.
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