The space opposite Ya Kun Kaya Toast in Paragon Shopping Centre has been empty for the longest time. So we did a double take when we recently spotted a retro-hip kiosk near the ATM machine, selling assorted ang ku kueh.
Madam Ang KK offers a whopping 16 flavours of the traditional Hokkien snack, attractively displayed in shades of bright red, green, purple, yellow and black.
The week-old takeaway stand is opened by pastry chef Daniel Tay, 54, founder and group chairman of popular brands like modern Singaporean bake shop Old Seng Choong, cheesecake line Cat & The Fiddle, and the now-defunct bakery cafe chain Bakerzin.
The chef who was once best known for his Western bakes like strawberry shortcake and macarons, told 8days.sg that he’s going back to his Hokkien roots with projects like Old Seng Choong, and now Madam Ang KK.
“When I turned 40, I realised: I’m Chinese! I should be ashamed if I don’t know my Chinese desserts. I’m really good at making French and other Western pastries, and people respect me for that, but when I reached 40, I realised I must have a deeper knowledge of my own [heritage’s] pastries,” Tay explained of his decision to launch Madam Ang KK.
Traditionally, the kueh, which literally translates to ‘red tortoise cake’ in Hokkien, is made with glutinous rice flour skin and filled with a sweet filling like mung bean and peanuts.
However, Madam Ang KK introduces a wide selection of sweet and savoury flavours that we’ve never seen elsewhere. Besides the classic mung bean and peanut, expect to find quirky fillings like Parma ham shallot oil, XO scallop sauce and truffle mushroom.