Holiday Ayo - Chai Kue or also called Choi Pan is a typical Chinese dish from West Kalimantan such as Singkawang, Pontianak, and its surroundings.

This typical West Kalimantan snack that has a savory and special taste is made simply. Small shape similar to dumplings. By having skin, which is made of a soft and thin white layer.

Chai Cakes are usually a breakfast menu and even snacks when relaxing, some are steamed and some are fried. The key to the delicacy of this Chai Cake lies in its delicious vegetable filling.

Photo : daeng posaka

At first glance, the shape of Chai This cake is similar to pastels or croquettes, but the processing method is different. Well, if pastels or croquettes must be fried first, while Chai Kue must be steamed before serving.

Historically, this food is a processed product brought by Chinese descendants who migrated from China and then came and settled in Indonesia, especially in West Kalimantan.

The origin of the name Chai Kue itself comes from the Chinese language, where the word Chai means vegetables and Kue means cake.

So, Chai Kue means “cake filled with vegetables”.

Chai Kue or Choi Pan is made from a thin and very soft white layer of skin, this Chai Kue layer is made from chewy rice flour and cornstarch. The dough is initially in the form of a large ball, then one handful is taken to be flattened and then molded into a circle. The skin is then filled with a variety of vegetables, such as chives, yam, bamboo shoots, taro, and peanuts.

The typical Pontianak Chai cake uses a filling in the form of yam which is thinly sliced lengthwise like matchsticks.

In addition, there are also ebi and garlic are also mixed to add to the savory and delicious food that has a chewy and soft texture.

The savory taste and distinctive aroma of garlic in the stir-fried vegetables must be felt because a delicious filling is a key to the delicacy of this culinary. Chai Cake is more deliciously served directly when it is cooked and hot.

For the steamed Chai Kue, the complementary sauce/sambal is spicy and sour orange chili sauce, while for the fried Chai Kue, you can enjoy it with a mixture of oyster sauce and soy sauce, depending on individual tastes.

Maybe the outer appearance of this snack looks ordinary.

But this simple cake will have you hooked. If you are curious to try it, just come to Pontianak. Almost all places provide this delicious culinary.

Chai This cake is most delicious when enjoyed while warm with the addition of spicy and sour orange sauce. Or the fried ones are very delicious when eaten with a mixture of oyster sauce and soy sauce.