"Cake" just doesn't describe it

My friend posted this link on Facebook showing drawings of all the different kinds of pastries that we eat here in Singapore. The drawings were so real that it made me want to eat some! Problem is, they're all full of carbohydrates and all the stuff that makes you fat.

Diet aside, what struck me was the choice of a title: "Kueh", which is the Hokkien (Fujian dialect of China) and Malay pronunciation for cake in English. Kueh can be savory or sweet, depending on what kind of kueh it is. "Kueh" is a generic term for a pastry or confection, which may or may not resemble a western cake. In fact, most kueh are not baked. They are either steamed or fried.

In Vietnamese, all "cakes" are called "banh". In Khmer, "cakes" are known as "num". In Thai, it is "khanom". Again, in all these languages, what is being described isn't really a cake in the western sense. It is a generic term for a pastry of some kind.

If you ask an Asian to describe in English what the pastry is like, he will probably start off by saying, "Well, it is some sort of cake." The problem is "cake" just doesn't describe the kind of food it really is. Lost in translation? Absolutely. Is there a better word? I can't think of any.

My solution? Either you learn the language or just enjoy eating the "cake". I opt to do both!

Have fun eating and learning!

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