Tutu Kueh

Tutu kueh is widely regarded as a uniquely Singaporean adaptation of a traditional Hokkien steamed rice cake. One theory traces its origins to san kueh, a large plain cake from Fujian, China, which is made of rice crumbs with no filling. The Singaporean version features a bite-sized snack steamed in flower-shape mould, and filled with ingredients such as ground peanuts, grated coconut and gula melaka, reflecting culinary influences from the Malay Peninsula.

The snack was made popular in the 1930s by Tan Yong Fa, a Fujian immigrant who sold tutu kueh on the streets in Singapore. The origin of its name remains unclear. Some suggest that the word tutu is derived from the word putu, which is a Tamil word for something made with flour and coconut. Another possible origin of the name was how the word tutu resembled the whistling sound made by charcoal-heated steamers that were used to steam these cakes. Today, modern variations of the kueh feature flavours such as Biscoff, rainbow rice, and even durian.

Visit ConnexionSG Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok for more content.