ah yee soon kueh review 2023; price, menu and location

The Tradition of Soon Kueh in Singaporean Culture

Soon kueh is a type of steamed rice cake that has been enjoyed as a snack in Singapore for generations. With origins tracing back to the Peranakan community, soon kueh was traditionally eaten to break fast during the Lunar New Year or Chinese festival periods.

The word “soon” means “long” in Hokkien, referring to the elongate shape of the kueh. It is made from a batter of freshly ground rice grains, water and pandan leaves. The batter is poured into round metal molds and steamed until set. Soon kueh has a soft, chewy texture and subtle pandan flavor.

In the past, soon kueh was a humble street snack sold by hawkers. Over time, it has gained popularity beyond the Peranakan community and become embraced as part of Singapore’s local culture and heritage. Today, soon kueh is still commonly found at local food stalls, coffeeshops and hawker centers. It remains a nostalgic snack evocative of tradition, childhood and Singapore’s multicultural roots.

The Founding of Ah Yee’s Soon Kueh Stall

Ah Yee’s Soon Kueh traces its origins to 1978, when Madam Yeo Ah Neo started a small provision shop in Singapore’s historic Tanjong Pagar district. In addition to selling local snacks, Madam Yeo began experimenting with making homemade soon kueh in her spare time.

Friends and regular customers were impressed by Madam Yeo’s fresh, high quality soon kueh. They encouraged her to focus her shop solely on selling her soon kueh specialty. By word of mouth, demand for Ah Yee’s soon kueh grew rapidly within the local community.

In 1978, Madam Yeo officially converted her shop into a hawker stall specializing in soon kueh. She named the stall “Ah Yee” after herself. Over the ensuing decades, Ah Yee’s Soon Kueh gained widespread popularity islandwide for its fluffy, perfectly sweet soon kueh.

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The Traditional Production Process

There are no shortcuts taken in the production of Ah Yee’s soon kueh. Fresh ingredients and handmade techniques are used from start to finish to uphold the stall’s high standards.

The proprietary rice batter starts with premium long-grain rice. The rice is soaked overnight before being ground finely with a mortar and pestle the next morning. Only the best quality pandan leaves are handpicked, washed and blended into the batter.

The batter is left to ferment for several hours. This natural fermentation process allows the rice flour to breakdown further, resulting in a super soft soon kueh texture. In the afternoon, the prized metal molds are carefully lined with banana leaves for steamer baskets.

The fermented batter is then poured into each mold by hand. No machines or automation are involved. The filled molds are laid in traditional bamboo steamers for precise timing over an open fire. Each layer of soon kueh is left to steam thoroughly before being removed, yielding a bouncy cake with a peaky rounded top.

Once cooled, the soon kueh cakes are packed into packets ready for service. Ah Yee’s stall still employs these same meticulous techniques today, 40 years later, to honor the founder’s legacy.

Upheld Tradition and Continued Success

When Madam Yeo passed away in the late 90s, she entrusted her daughter-in-law, Mdm Tan Li Li, with continuing Ah Yee’s Soon Kueh stall. Mdm Tan had assisted Madam Yeo for many years, learning the recipes, skills and dedication required to uphold the stall’s sterling reputation.

Under Mdm Tan’s stewardship, Ah Yee’s Soon Kueh has stayed true to Madam Yeo’s vision of using only the finest ingredients prepared through time-honored methods. Nothing is compromised – from the humble Ban Luan leaves lining each mold to the wooden pestles hand-pounding each batch of rice.

This resolute commitment to tradition and quality has kept Ah Yee’s at the top of lists for best soon kueh in Singapore. The stall receives a steady stream of customers from early morning till it sells out daily, including many multi-generational families. Ah Yee’s soon kueh has also won numerous awards and features in food guides.

Through the compassionate efforts of its owners past and present, Ah Yee’s Soon Kueh has kept an iconic Singaporean tradition alive. Its handcrafted kueh continues evoking nostalgia and delighting new customers, cementing its place in Singapore’s cultural heritage for years to come.

A Typical Day at Ah Yee’s

A typical day starts very early for the staff at Ah Yee’s. By 5am, Mdm Tan and her team are already hard at work preparing for the day. The rice is soaked overnight, so the first step is grinding it fresh with the mortar and pestle. Meanwhile, the banana leaves are soaked, washed and laid out to line the molds.

By 7am, the stoves are lit to begin steaming the first batches. Regular customers start queueing, knowing the soon kueh sells out fast.Precision is key during steaming to ensure each cake is cooked perfectly. By 10am, half the day’s production is already sold. A brief respite allows the team to replenish ingredients and refill the shopfront displays.

The bustling lunchtime period between 12-2pm is the stall’s busiest time. Often there is a long queue as office workers flock to get their mid-day soon kueh fix. Swift work is needed to keep up with demand. Once the final batches are steamed at 3pm, the stoves are switched off for cleaning. Most days the stall sells out by 4pm.

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Recognizing Quality Through Awards

Ah Yee’s dedication to craft has earned them much praise over the years. In 2009, they were awarded the Singapore Heritage Food Award by the National Heritage Board for their role in preserving soon kueh makings.

Their consistent excellence saw Ah Yee’s selected to participate in the President’s Challenge street food trail in 2013. This elite endorsement from the Prime Minister’s Office elevated their profile.

Most recently in 2020, Ah Yee’s won the jacket for Best Soon Kueh at the Star Observer Food Awards. This annual competition judged entries anonymously, highlighting Ah Yee’s soon kueh stands alone on flavor.

Passing on Tradition to Younger Generations

With the founders now elderly, ensuring the skills are preserved for future generations is important. Mdm Tan’s daughter Jasmine has started assisting at the stall after school. At 16, she already shows a knack for the intricacies of soon kueh production.

On weekends the mother-daughter duo can be found immersed in the rhythmic pounding and shaping together. It brings Mdm Tan joy to see tradition continued through Jasmine. Ah Yee’s longevity is a testament to how appreciation is sustained through careful guidance of eager young minds.