Thursday, September 6, 2012

Png Kueh (饭粿)


You could have either stumbled onto this page while blog-surfing or purchased our Magnetic rice cake or png kueh. In either case, THANK YOU!!!

We love our local heritage and we would like to share more about this local snack with you.

This snack (picture, left) is popularly known as Png Kueh, 饭粿
The typical filling in this local heartland delicacy is glutinous rice with mushrooms and dried shrimps.

The Teochews also called these dumplings Poong Tor which literally means "rice peaches". In Mandarin, they are known as 桃粿 which means "peach dumplings". The peach is regarded in Chinese folklore as a symbol of longevity.
Dumplings like the Png Kueh that is made in the shape of peaches are as offerings to dieties during religious festivals. Both of these items have the familiar pink hue to make them look more like peaches.

There are two common colours to the png kueh but not many know the reason behind it. The red ones are used as an offering to the gods who dwell in heaven, while the white ones are used as an offering to the ancestors who dwell in hell.

Whatever the case may be, this handmade png kueh can be used as a fridge magnet or a paper-clip organiser, or both. It looks pretty on your table and also contains a big filling of the heritage of Singapore as well!