* Singlish is a largely spoken creole, and as such descriptivism (recording forms that reflect actual pronunciation in spoken language, or as appearing in the linguistic corpus) is more pertinent than strict prescriptivism. Nevertheless, the use of more standard forms (or for words originating in languages with Latin script, such as Malay, accurate to the original spelling) is recommended and encouraged.
also can:
cai tao kueh chye tow kueh chye tow kuey chye tow kuih chai tau kueh chye tau kuih chai tow kueh chai thau kueh
chai tow kway
→
Teochew:
菜头粿
菜頭粿
peng'im:
cai3 tao5 guê2
definitions
noun
- a popular dish of Teochew origin, which uses a base of steamed radish cake made from shredded Chinese radish, rice flour, and water. The radish cake is then cut approximately into cubes (in some variations, long cuboids) with a square section of around 1 cm2 (1 cm × 1 cm), and stir-fried with egg, fish sauce and/or soya sauce, chai poh, finely-diced garlic, and white pepper. It can be fried with or without chilli, usually to request. It is usually then garnished with white pepper and spring onions before serving. Some hawkers may include fresh or dried prawns in the dish.
If kicap manis is added towards the end of the stir-frying process, the "black" version can be produced; if not, it is known as the "white" version. It is often possible to order a plate of half black and half white as well.
Later I will go downstairs and tell the chye tow kuey uncle downstairs that he is more capable than Obama because his chye tow kuey costs $3 per plate. He should really go into politics. At least he is friendly and never talks down to me. Neither does he ever claim that he sells the best chye tow kuey in Singapore.
— 2012 January 16, Molly Meek. In Appreciation of Chan Chun Sing. https://mollymeek.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/in-appreciation-of-chan-chun-sing/
synonyms:
usage notes
While "carrot cake" can refer to both chai tow kway and a Cantonese dim sum dish, "chai tow kway" specifically only refers to the Teochew dish and its variants.