Fried Carrot Cake (Chai tau kueh)

Fried carrot cake (Chai tau kueh)

Also known as fried radish cake.

INGREDIENTS (provided by auntie selling chai tau kueh at pasar malam)
radish – shred finely and squeeze out juice
rice flour
tapioca flour
sugar
salt
soya sauce
sesame oil
water
turnip (chai poh)
taugeh(green bean sprouts)
chopped spring onions
egg
oil

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

	Fried Carrot Cake (Chai tau kueh)
Energy (kcal/100g)	140
Total Carbohydrate (g/100g)	18
Protein (g/100g)	3.2
Total Fat (g/100g)	5.7
Saturated Fat (g/100g)	1
Cholesterol (mg/100g)	8.8
Total Dietary Fiber (g/100g)	2.7
Total Sugars (g/100g)	3.2
Calcium (mg/100g)	25
Sodium (mg/100g)	540

Table 1: Nutritional Content of Fried radish cake. [Adapted from Food and Environmental Hygiene Department 2005]

NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Chai tau kueh is made from gluten free rice flour, bean sprouts and turnips with the radish. Turnips and radish are stir fried with seasonings. It’s high in Vitamin A. Radish contained is largely made up of water (more than 90%) yet contains as much potassium as bananas. It is also an excellent source of Vitamin C and folate and a good source of magnesium. The flesh is slightly sweet and rich in phytochemicals that have anticancer, antibacterial and antifungal properties. The radish also contains three digestive enzymes which is therefore a digestive aid. Quick fried with salt and chili with radish is good for digestion. Rice flour is another indispensable ingredient. The mixture of rice flour and tapioca flour is used here for the combination of denseness and gooeyness. Since rice flour is high in protein and contains no gluten, it is an excellent substitute for people who cannot tolerate gluten in their diets because of an allergic reaction. It’s very low in saturated fat and sugar content, but high in manganese. No cholesterol and sodium to be with it. As can be seen, the turnips inside the fried radish cake serve as condiment that benefit us as providing no excess fat due to low calories, high quantity of Vitamin C and antioxidants that help curb free radicals and destructive oxidation reactions and preventing as well as healing up a wide range of health problems because of high nutrient content. Its large amount of lutein helps prevent cataracts and cardiovascular disease (Lifestyle Lounge, n.d.). It is rich in calcium, phosphor, folic acid and magnesium, essential for all-round human body development. Besides, bean sprouts on the fried radish cake contain significant amount of proteins, Vitamin C and number of essential B vitamins needed for our body proper functioning. Bean sprouts can be served for people on dieting as they are very low in calories and can be eaten without any dressing over it (Spice Diva, 2008).

METABOLISM INVOLVED

Carbohydrate metabolism

The main ingredient of chai tau kueh is rice flour which is a carbohydrate source food. Once the chai tau kueh is ingested, our body is able to break down the carbohydrates into glucose units in small intestine and glucose is absorbed into the blood stream. The cells in our body can utilize carbohydrate metabolism to generate ATP as energy source. The oxidation of glucose is called glycolysis. This pathway cleaves the six carbon glucose molecule into two molecules of the three carbon compound pyruvate (Adam, 2000). Each molecule of glucose that is consumed results in the formation of 2 ATP and 2 NADH during aerobic respiration. The pyruvate is converted to Acetyl-CoA and following to enter citric acid cycle to generate 4 NADH, 1 FADH₂ and 1 GTP. Glucose-6-phosphate is the product in the process of phosphorylation of glucose in glycolysis, it can undergo pentose phosphate pathway to generate 2 NADPH and various carbon sugar. NADPH functions as a reductant in various synthetic pathways such as fatty acid and steroid synthesis (Diwan, 2007). The ribose-5-phosphate, produced from this pathway, is used for the production of nucleotides. Another pathway of glucose metabolism is glycogenesis whereby the excess glucose is converted into glycogen. Glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles until needed when glucose levels are low.

EATING CHAI TAU KUEH IN A HEALTHIER WAY

At first glance, the chai tau kueh served looks oily on the dish and this bridges excessive use of oil and frying of radish cake (Patrica, 2009). On the other hand, we know that palm oil is the main source of cooking oil in Malaysia. Palm oil contains more saturated fat than unsaturated fat. High intake of chai tau kueh which is cooked with much palm oil containing saturated fat gradually increases the LDL cholesterol, thus increasing the risk of heart disease. The study on nutrient values of chai tau kueh arises in recent, showed that chai tau kueh was found to be high in total fat. Food high in total fat is energy-dense and excessive intake of it may increase risk of obesity (Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, 2005). Lesser oil is advised to add in to fry the radish cake and after frying, the food is transferred to the bowl and set aside from the oil left in the pan. More or other shredded or finely chopped vegetables, mushrooms can be added to this to increase the fiber intake. If gluten-free soy sauce is being used, the fried radish cake will be more gluten-free (Maki, 2009). Instead of frying the radish cake, it is much more encouraged to be steamed as frying foods may double the calories of the food (Dotti, n.d.). From the nutritional information above, 100 g of chai tau kueh contains 540 mg of sodium which is considered high level. The high level of sodium is mostly contributed by chai poh (pickled radish), soya sauce and salt. Adequate intake (AI) of sodium for adults is 1500 mg/day. High level of sodium by the reason of high consumption of chai tau kueh will increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart attack. Besides, it is also associated with decreased absorption of calcium (Ellie and Sharon, 2008). In order to reduce the sodium level, season to taste with salt in small amount as the sausages is quite salty already. Another problem that we need to pay much more attention on or concerned is the burned food. Normally people will not take account of safety or health while consuming over-heated chai tau kueh that is sold by the vendors. Carcinogenic compound such as acrylamides that are produced by high temperature cooking of carbohydrates (chai tau kueh is mainly made from rice flour). Acrylamide induces gene mutations and cause benign and malignant stomach tumours in animal tests. It also damages to the central and peripheral nervous systems. To minimize the risk of acrylamide in chai tau kueh, it should not be cooked excessively, particularly for too long or at too high temperature.

Done by
Chong Pik Han 1000716619
Kho Pik Fang 1000715946

REFERENCES

1. Lily, N., 2006. Char Chai Tau Kueh [Online]. Available from: http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2006/05/char-chai-tau-kueh.html [Accessed 22 February 2009]
2. Patrica, 2008. Do you have any Question on Singapore Local Delicacies? [Online]. Available from: http://www.mywoklife.com/2008/09/do-you-have-any-question-on-singapore.html [Accessed 22 February 2009]
3. Maki, 2009. Vegan Turnip Cake or Daikon Radish Cake [Online]. Available from: http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/vegan-turnip-cake-or-daikon-radish-cake [Accessed 22 February 2009]
4. Lifestyle Lounge, n.d. Benefits of Turnips [Online]. Available from: http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/benefits-of-turnip-1531.html [Accessed 22 February 2009]
5. Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, 2005. Nutrient values of Chinese Dim Sum [Online]. Available from: http://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_n_01_03_ra_dim_sum.html [Accessed 22 February 2009]
6. Dotti, n.d. Chinese/ Asian Foods [Online]. Available from: http://www.dwlz.com/WWinfo/chinese2.html [Accessed 22 February 2009]
7. Spice Diva, 2008. Health benefits of bean sprouts [Online]. Available from: http://www.ayushveda.com/womens-magazine/health-benefits-of-bean-sprouts/ [Accessed 22 February 2009]
8. Adams, D., 2000. INTRODUCTORY METABOLISM MODULE [Online]. Available from: http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/08366/h&p2carb.htm#intr_top. [Accessed 19^th February 2009]
9. Diwan, J.J., 2007. Pentose Phosphate Pathway [Online]. Available from: http://www.rpi.edu/dept/bcbp/molbiochem/MBWeb/mb2/part1/pentose.htm [Accessed 18th February 2009]
10. British Broadcasting Corporation, 2002. Bread and crisps in cancer risk scare [Online]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1949413.stm. [Accessed 24th February 2009]
11. Ellie, Sharon, 2008. Understanding Nutrition. Eleventh Edition. USA: THOMSOM WADSWORTH, page 413.

快乐？？

今天我问朋友：“你快乐是为了什么？”
她说，“我快乐，就是自己快乐呀，就是内心的感受。”
我回答她，“我现在快乐是为了一件事。。。”
其实我。。。我想说。。我快乐是为了一个人，为了他快乐，不让他感到内疚，不让他不好过。。可能觉得我很傻吧。。。 好像好特别的反射动作哦.. 呵呵
我连自己是否真正笑过都不懂，但是只要他一高兴，我的心情就变好了， 好奇妙哦^^

没用的想念..

讲自己不想他也是假的，原来忘掉一个你爱的人真的很难哦，我要努力我要坚强，我不要再是懦弱的自己。他曾说过要我坚强，我一定要坚强，不要太依赖了。昨天朋友陪我看了部戏，发觉原来我很笨，又不懂得爱他，爱一个人不是拥有，我应该让他走的，我要让他幸福呢。。想想之前朋友只要讲到他坏话，我就骂，哈哈。。感觉我好像大女人哦。好想念去年的旅行哦，有个全世界最好的人陪我逛街走走，虽然不是只有两个人，但不知怎的已很满足了，另外还有个最温暖的戒指陪我，感觉好幸福哦。可是。。。我却把它面目全非了，害我生气了很久。。我好想再去一次KL，我一定要让它恢复原状，不管怎样，因为它对我好重要。。有时真认为自己很傻，多希望被他骂被他生气，不想自己被他遗忘。。好笨的方法哦。。

模模糊糊的自己

今晚， 参加朋友的生日会，自己也不知道抱着什么心情去，可能想着试着去散散心。。拿食物来发泄，想想。。最近不开心，好像都拿食物来发泄，淋雨。。每次不开心，好想去淋雨。。也不知道是为什么，渐渐地喜欢上淋雨。。过后就是他们疯狂karaoke的时间，尽量让自己不想。。不想。。

过后陪着朋友去找她的男朋友，渐渐地伤感又来了，想了好多事情，好想念。。觉得自己很蠢。。每次什么事都让自己搞扎。。真爱， 我有吗？曾经的拥有。。回到朋友家后，看到他们男生喝酒，我就也拿来喝。。失恋的味道就好像tiger beer苦苦的，好难喝！！不知道干嘛。。越喝越想哭。。刚才就差点儿要流泪了，但我说过我不可以再哭，不可以让他担心。。一直以来都在叫自己笑着，我也不知道那是不是真的了，我已忘记自己是怎样了。。只希望着他幸福快乐。。也许我真的很烂，总是第一个就被打败，踢出局，又总是第一个离开，不想其他人受到伤害。。最后自己就负责承受这一切，可能这就是我固执还不放手的后果吧。。真搞不懂自己是要怎样，明明要他好，却还放不下。。觉得自己好矛盾，好矛盾哦。。