Traditional Chee Cheong Fun

taught by a hawker chef!

if you live in Singapore, you probably have a “default” breakfast. For most, it’s kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs. for me, it’s almost always Chee Cheong Fun.

one of the best things about this dish is how much variety you can find in a simple, single roll. you have the local style—thick rice rolls doused in that dark, sweet sauce with sesame seeds; the Hong Kong Style, where thin translucent sheets are wrapped around fillings like char siew or prawns; and the real traditional kind which is swimming in a rich, savoury-sweet peanut sauce.

recently, I stumbled upon Xin Kee Hong Kong Cheong Fun, and it reminded me why I love the hawker scene here. it’s not just about the food; it’s about the people who are quietly perfecting a forgotten craft.

I took the courage to speak to the owner to find out more about this craft and his store. he even let me try my hand at rolling a rice roll! it looks incredibly simple when you’re just a customer, but the technique is actually quite demanding.

there’s a specific rhythm to it: the way he scoops exactly the right amount of batter, spreads it across the cloth in one smooth motion (the hardest part), then he lifts it off the steamer and rolls it into those perfect, uniform pieces. he moves with a kind of seasoned efficiency, that only comes from doing this thousands of times.

naturally, I asked him if this was something I could pull off in my own kitchen. He was honest: the texture will never be exactly the same. but, he told me if you aren’t affected by the texture, it’s definitely possible to make a respectable version at home. if you just want the flavour of a fresh rice roll, and the sense of achievement, the recipe below is a great place to start :)

@nomies.coI think I wouldn’t even last one day in the Hong Kong Chef’s kitchen… 🏳️🏳️ #cheecheongfun #recipe #food #sgfoodie

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Simplified Home-Style Chee Cheong Fun

(Serves 25 rolls)

rice roll batter
600g rice flour
225g potato starch
150g of wheat starch
3 tbsp of neutral oil
2.8l of water

traditional peanut sauce
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/8 cup sesame oil
1/8 cup sesame paste (optional)

sweet sauce
Cantonese sweet sauce (store bought)

seasoned soya sauce (*not disclosed to us so our own concoction)
1/2 cup light soya sauce
2 tsp dark soya sauce
3 tbsp vegetable oyster sauce
1 tbsp maggi
5 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 cup of water

filling
store bought char siew
cooked prawns
you tiao (fried fritters)

directions

1. in a large mixing bowl, combine your flour and oil with just a splash of the water. Whisk this into a thick, smooth paste first—this is the secret to ensuring you don’t get flour clumps later. Gradually whisk in the rest of the water until the batter is thin and runny (it should look much thinner than pancake batter, more like the consistency of heavy cream).

2. bring the water in your steamer to a rolling boil. Lightly brush a rectangular tray with oil and pour in a thin, even layer of batter. if you’re adding fillings like prawns or char siew, sprinkle them in now.

3. place the tray into the steamer, cover, and let it cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. you’ll know it’s ready when the rice sheet looks translucent and starts to form small bubbles.

4. remove the tray and let it sit for about 30 seconds. This brief cooling period helps the starch set, making it much easier to handle. Using a flexible spatula or a dough scraper, gently lift one edge and roll the sheet into a tight cylinder.

5. slide the roll onto a plate and repeat the process with the remaining batter. once you have a stack ready, slice them into bite-sized pieces, drizzle generously with your sauce of choice (sweet soy or peanut), and serve while they're still warm.

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looking for more inspirations? check out the following recipes: