Kiam-Ko-Kue (adapted from Teo-Chew language) - Steamed Rice Cake

Adapted: family's recipe.

After working in front of the computer for couple of hours in the rainy day, i am craving for food and imagining of something salty and spicy for our dinner.

Kiam ko kue or Cha kue is a traditional steamed rice cake served with dried shrimp, salted turnip and fried garlic as toppings. It has a soft but chewy texture of rice cake, with tasty and fragrant topping. 

I prefer to use rice to be the base for the rice cake than the rice flour. Either of the rice and rice flour can be used. In some creation, change the topping to minced chicken or pork instead of dry-shrimp.

Ingredients:
4 cups rice (blended) or 500 gr Rice flour
3 tbsp of tapioca flour
3-4 cups of water
1 tbsp of cooking oil
1 tsp of salt

For the Topping:
Dried Shrimp chopped
Salted Dried turnip or radish chopped
Garlic chopped
1 tbsp sugar
Shallot chopped
Pepper

Instruction:

1. Dissolve rice powder with water, add tapioca flour, salt and cooking oil.
2. Boiled the rest of water, and pour into the mixture. I am not quite sure the exact measurement of water, because it depends on rice flour or rice itself. 
   I prefer use rice as the base of the cake. Make sure mashed up the rice into liquid and add boiled water into it. For the perfect measurement of water, test steamed a bit of the mixture after all the ingredients combined well. 
3. Pour mixture into small molds, and steam over high heat for about 15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat.

Instruction for topping:

1. In a heated saucepan, add in cooking oil. Add in garlic, dried turnip, and dried shrimp.
2. In a medium low heat, fry well.
3. Add in sugar and shallot.
4. Remove from heat.

For serving, put the topping on the rice cake. Add in a bit of soy sauce and chilli. Yummy....