Thursday, January 12, 2012


Kikiam is a Filipino dish with Chinese influence. Made with ground pork and vegetable, rolled in bean curd sheets also called tofu skin or tawpeh then deep fried.


1 lb ground pork
½ C minced carrots
½ C minced sweet onions
1 T minced garlic
3 T soy sauce
1 T oyster sauce
1 ½ T brown sugar
pinch of ground black pepper
1 egg beaten
1 T cornstarch
4-5 sheets of dried bean curd sheets (Tofu skin)
1 T cornstarch and 3 T water mix to make a paste (to be used to seal the roll)*
Cooking oil for frying.

* Microwave the cornstarch mix for few seconds to make a paste.

Mix the first ten ingredients..
Take a small piece of the meat mixture and fry to taste the seasoning.
Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Set  aside.

Rehydrate the tofu skin by soaking them in luke warm water for few seconds or until pliable.
Pat dry with kitchen towel or paper towel.

Put at least 2 T of the meat mixture at the bottom center of the tofu skin.
Spread the meat and roll tightly to form into a log.
Seal ends of the tofu skin w/ the cornstarch paste.
Repeat the process until you have used all the meat.

Heat cooking oil in a wok or skillet until hot.
Slowly drop the roll, about 3 rolls at a time to achieve crispy kikiam.
Overcrowded skillet will turn your kikiam soggy.
Turn down heat and keep cooking, turning the rolls until crispy and brown.

Place cooked rolls on a cookie rack to drain out grease.

Cut on a bias and serve with sweet and sour sauce or soy sauce and lemon juice mix.
I love these with steamed Jasmine rice.

These are available at Asian stores.

They are thin and dry, that is why you have to handle them gingerly as you soak them into the lukewarm water to re-hydrate.

Soak for few seconds or until they become pliable.

Roll them tightly and roll like a log.

These are ready for frying.

One of my favorite snack but i sometimes serve them for dinner served w/ steamed rice and sweet and sour sauce.

The bean curd sheets (tofu skin) does not have a distinct taste or smell. It taste just like the tofu we have been used to, they take on what ever flavor you mix them with. For this dish i love the taste of the tofu skin with the meat mixture and how crispy they are.


  1. Oh wow, I didn't think kikiam was so easy to make, thanks for sharing the recipe Pia!

  2. My goodness, I haven't had kikiam in a long time. Yours looks delicious, wow! Thank you for sharing the recipe.

  3. You're so welcome, Dahlia. Love, Kikiam..i make more and freeze them and fry some when ever i crave for one. There's one that i used to love, not sure if it's only in Cebu tho''s called Ngo Hiong. It's similar to kikiam but it did have a distinct flavor that i can't remember, i love that too but i haven't had them in sooo long that i can't remember that wonderful distinct ingredient that made it different from kikiam. Well, aside from the vegies.

  4. Hi, Ray!! Thank you so much. I just bought some tofu skin getting ready to make more and freeze them ;) I was talking about Ngo Hiong w/ Dahlia. Do you happened to have a recipe of it?

  5. The wonderful aroma is 5-Spice Powder. That's what is missing from your recipe.

    1. I think you're talking about ngo Hiong. Thank you, now i can make/experiment on my ngohiong version i believe it's the 5 spice that gives the distinct flavor.

    2. Ngo Hiong is the Chinese term for 5-Spice. Ngo is 5, Hiong means flavor. Ngo Hiong or 5-Spice t is an essential ingredient in making Quekiam.

    3. Ngo Hiong is the Chinese term for 5-Spice. "Ngo" means "five". "Hiong" means "flavor or aroma". Ngo Hiong is an essential ingredient in making Quekiam.

    4. Ngo Hiong is the Chinese term for 5-Spice. Ngo means Five, Hiong means "flavor" or "Aroma:. Ngo Hiong is an essential ingredient in making Quekiam.