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Homemade Kikiam Recipe

Homemade Kikiam Recipe

Kikiam (Que-kiam) is a beloved Filipino-Chinese street food featuring seasoned ground pork, shrimp, and vegetables wrapped in thin bean curd sheets, steamed until tender, then fried until crispy. This adaptation of Chinese Ngoh hiang combines the warmth of five-spice powder with the satisfying crunch of water chestnuts and carrots, creating a versatile dish that's equally delicious as an appetizer, main course, or addition to noodle dishes and soups.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine Chinese, Filipino
Servings 6
Calories 376 kcal
Difficulty Intermediate

Equipment

  • Steamer Essential for cooking the rolls before frying
  • Deep heavy-bottomed pan (Kawaling malalim) For achieving the perfect crispy exterior
  • Meat thermometer To ensure food safety
  • Cutting board (Sangkalan) For preparing ingredients
  • Sharp knife (matalim na kutsilyo) For fine chopping
  • Kitchen scale For accurate measurements
  • Mixing bowls (mangkok) For combining ingredients
  • Food processor (optional) For finely mincing ingredients
  • Paper towels For draining excess oil

Ingredients
 

For the Meat Rolls:

  • 1 pound 454g ground pork (Giniling na baboy)
  • ½ pound 227g shrimp, peeled and minced (Hipon)
  • 1 large carrot finely chopped
  • 1 cup water chestnuts finely chopped (Kastanyas)
  • ½ cup green onions chopped (Sibuyas na Mura)
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt Asin
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper Paminta
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch Cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water Tubig
  • 3 bean curd sheets
  • Canola oil for frying

For the Special Dipping Sauce:

  • 2 cups water
  • ½ cup soy sauce Toyo
  • 1 cup brown sugar Asukal na pula
  • ¼ cup minced garlic Bawang
  • ¼ cup finely chopped shallots Sibuyas tagalog
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chili pepper Siling labuyo
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour Harina
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions
 

  • Begin by combining ground pork, minced shrimp, chopped water chestnuts, carrots, and green onions in a large bowl. Add five-spice powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well. In a separate small bowl, stir cornstarch and water until smooth, then add this mixture to the pork mixture. Stir everything until fully combined.
  • Take a small portion of the mixture and fry it to test the seasoning. Adjust salt and spices to your taste if needed.
  • Prepare your bean curd sheets by trimming any hard edges and cutting them to fit your steamer size. Run each sheet under warm water to moisten, then gently squeeze out excess water to make them pliable.
  • Place a moistened bean curd sheet on a clean, flat surface. Spoon about one-third of the pork mixture across the bottom length of the sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space on the sides. Roll the sheet tightly around the filling to form a log about 2 inches thick. Moisten the end with water to seal, then twist the edges to lock in the filling. Repeat with remaining sheets and filling.
  • Arrange the rolls in your steamer, leaving space between each one. Steam for 15-20 minutes until the center reaches 145°F (63°C). Remove carefully and let cool completely. For best results, refrigerate until fully chilled.
  • Heat oil in a deep pan to 350°F (175°C). Carefully place the cooled rolls in the oil and fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Keep the oil temperature steady between 330-355°F (165-180°C).
  • Remove from oil and let rest on paper towels for 5 minutes before slicing diagonally into serving portions.
  • For the dipping sauce, combine water, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, chopped shallots, chili pepper, flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a saucepan. Whisk until smooth with no lumps. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Let cool before serving with your kikiam.
  • Serve hot with your choice of dipping sauce. Leftover kikiam can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Tips from Lola's Kitchen

  1. Use fatty ground pork (at least 20% fat) for juicier kikiam
  2. Hand-chop ingredients for better texture control
  3. Always do a taste test before wrapping all rolls
  4. Steam extra rolls for freezing
  5. Pat dry bean curd sheets well to prevent oil splatter
  6. Rest 5 minutes before cutting to maintain shape

 

Nutrition

Calories: 376kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 24gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 1123mgPotassium: 241mgFiber: 3gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 92IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 3mg
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