Recipe - Singapore Fried Carrot Cake (Chai Tau Kway)

white carrot cake

This humble Teochew dish of fried carrot cake made it into a Singapore icon. What is even more special about this dish is that it has no carrot (a bit). The main ingredient is white radish which in Teochew is called white carrot, hence the name carrot cake. The steamed radish cake is diced and stir fried with eggs, pickled (preserved) radish, garlic and spring onion.

It is a popular dish and is available throughout the day in many food centres. All stalls will offer you a choice of "white" (straight) or "black" (fried with sweet soya sauce).

A little joke: Some restaurants serve a more expensive version known as X.O. Chai Tau Kway.

Ready made steamed carrot cake is available at the supermarkets at the chilled section. They come in rolls of 500 grams, enough for 3 servings.

black carrot cake

Ingredients(1 serving)
150 grams carrot cake, cut into small cubes
1 tsp preserved radish (available at the dried goods section)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp chilli paste (I like mine hot)
2 eggs, beaten
1 spring spring onion, chopped
1 tbs oil

Method: (For "white" carrot cake)
Heat the oil in wok or pan on medium till hot
Toss in the garlic and preserved radish, fry till fragrant,
Toss the diced carrot cake (and chilli paste) and saute till light brown on both sides
Toss in the eggs and the spring onion and stir fry till the eggs are done.

readymade carrot cake

Dish and serve.
Note: No salt is added as the preserved radish is saltish enough.

For the "black" carrot cake, add a spoonful of sweet soya sauce at the last minute.
I use the sari sedap sweet sauce.

preserved radish

sari sedap sweet sauce

    

A 3 minute video on how to fry carrot cake




Another version chai tau kway, 9 minute video.



If you want to steam your own carrot cake, this short video will help. This steamed carrot cake has a lot of garnish that makes this carrot cake very flavourful.



One of the best carrot cake in Singapore.