SWEET POTATO KUEH LAPIS

This Kueh lapis is springy and 

has a lovely colour depending on the colour of the sweet potato.

Recipe by Doris Ong Guek Eng

Sweet Potato Kueh Lapis

8" pan

White Layer

190g tapioca flour

40g rice flour

250g coconut milk

70g sugar

120g water

Sweet Potato Layer

190g tapioca flour
40g rice flour
250g coconut milk
60g sugar
150g water
230g sweet potato, steamed & blend with water

Method:
1. boil water with pandan leaves & divide accordingly
2. mix the ingredients in white & sweet potato layer separately, strain the batter
3. divide batter: white 4 parts; coloured 5 parts
4. in a steamer, heat an oiled pan for 5min
5. pour in 1st layer (coloured), cover & steam for 5min
6. pour the next layer (white), cover & steam for 5min
7. repeat by alternating the colour, make sure to stir the batter everytime
8. at the last layer, steam for 15min
9. cool completely (3-4hrs) before cutting.

PULUT PANGGANG

Pulut Panggang

is a favourite among both the 

Chinese Community and our Malay friends.

These are either made with sambal (spicy) or kunyit.

My late mom liked these non-spicy type

but they may be hard to come by

because the spicy ones are more popular.

My brother Richard started to plant bananas recently

and 

I managed to get some banana leaves from his farm.

And, I was told that I must not use the leaves from pisang emas 

because it makes the kuih bitter!

Try, if you want to prove my friend wrong!

Pulut Panggang

(A) 1 cup glutinous rice, soaked for 4 hours)

       100 ml water

       50ml coconut milk

       3/4 tsp salt

(B) 3/4 cup shredded coconut
       1/2 tsp kunyit powder
       3 shallots
       1/2 old ginger
       1 lemongrass
       2 Tbsp dried shrimp, washed, soaked & keep the soaking water
       2-3 Tbsp cooking oil
       salt & sugar to taste

(C) 1-2 banana leaves for wrapping
             a) soften by heating over the griddle
             b) cut into 5" or 6" squares
       few tooth picks for securing
                         

Method:
1) steam (A) until glutinous rice is cooked
2) slice shallots, ginger and lemongrass thinly
3) blend them together until fine, add kunyit powder
4) blend the soaked dried shrimp
5) Heat up the oil & add the blended ingredients and fry
6) add dried shrimp & continue frying until fragrant
7) add shredded coconut, soaking water and salt & sugar to taste.
8) remove from heat when the ingredients bind together. Let cool
9) wrap as shown in the photo below & secure the ends with tooth picks
10) heat the griddle with a little oil & arrange the kuih on it to 'char'
11) serve warm is nicer

SWEET POTATO ONDE ONDE

Sweet Potato Onde Onde

is shared by Zoe Liu @zoebakeforhappykids

I have to agree with Zoe Liu 

that these onde onde are better 

than those made traditionally with tapioca flour and glutinous rice flour.

Besides rich in fibre,

they remain soft & chewy a long time.

They get their natural colour from the sweet potato,

orange, yellow or purple

the choice is yours.

Sweet Potato Onde Onde

makes 20 pieces

Dough: combine & knead to form a pliable, non-sticky dough:

             160g warm freshly steamed potato, mashed

             50g glutinous rice flour

Filling: 80g chopped gula melaka

Coating: mix and steam together, leave aside to cool:

              100g freshly grated coconut

               pinch of salt

Method:

1. divide dough into 20 parts & shape into balls

2. flatten dough & wrap adequate amount of filling inside, dorm into a ball

3. cook these balls in a pot of boiling water

4. once these balls float, remove and drop into the bowl of coconut to coat

5. set aside to cool completely

6. enjoy

STEAMED NIAN GAO

Nian gao
can be eaten deep fried or steamed.

My mom has a third way of eating nian gao
by cooking it in a sweet dessert.

This fuss free method of steaming;

1/2 piece nian gao, sliced

100g shredded coconut, mix with salt to taste 

1. Steam nian  gao and coconut in different container

2. Remove from heat when the nian gao is soft

3. Use chopstick to take out some nian gao

4. Coat the nian gao with the steamed coconut

5. Serve warm. 

STEAMED PUMPKIN KUIH

Pumpkin is versatile.

It can be used in cooking and baking.

The bright yellow of pumpkin adds colour to whatever you cook.

It can be a tray of yellow kuih,

some steamed yellow buns or crusty baked loaves.

I have adapted this recipe from

Rebacca Tan's post in the Facebook

Steamed Pumpkin Kuih

125g pumpkin without skin, shredded

190g water

80g rice flour

30g tapioca flour

20-25g dried shrimp, soaked & coarsely diced

1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced

salt & pepper to taste

1 Tbsp cooking oil

1. combine in a bowl, water, rice flour & tapioca flour

2. oil the bottom & sides of a steaming pan (5.5")

3. pour remaining oil into a hot pan & fry the minced garlic

4. add dried shrimp, continue frying until fragrant before adding shredded pumpkin

5. lastly, add in batter to cook until thicken

6. dish into the oiled steaming pan, level with a wet palm

7. steam for 30min, until cooked

8. Cool well before cutting

9. serve with cut chilli, fried shallots & cut spring onions

    or pan fried plain

TAPIOCA CAKE WITH EGG

Tapioca Cake
is made from 3 main ingredients,
namely, tapioca, sugar & coconut milk.

You can very well make a Tapioca cake with just the 3 ingredients mentioned.

Other ingredients are added
to improve its texture &
to enhance the flavour.

I have been experimenting with various methods & ingredients
and
I have come out with this recipe
which I gladly share with you.

Tapioca Cake With Egg

800g tapioca (blend with 2 cups water, until fine)

175g sugar

250g santan

50g water

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp fresh pandan juice

20-30g butter (to oil the baking tray & balance added to main batter)

1. chop tapioca into pieces & blend with 2 cups water, until fine

2. squeeze out all the water & leave the liquid to settle

3. After 15-20min, pour away the water & add the starch back to the tapioca

4. Combine all ingredients & mix well

5. pour batter into oiled baking tin

6. bake in preheated oven 180'C for 60min

7. and another 10-15min @200'C for browning.

Baked by Facebook friend
Connie Lim:
Soft and fragrant tapiaca kuih👍👍
Thks toKatie Foong for the lovely recipe

TRADITIONAL TAPIOCA CAKE

A relatively simple recipe 

with only 4 ingredients

 Some like crispy top

(can still be more crispy)

spread a little melted butter on top will add more flavour & crisp

 My mom likes soft top

and less sugar like this

The top 2 photos show pandan flavour 

while this one below is made from yellow tapioca

Ingredients:

1 kg tapioca (1) grated or blended FINELY,
                     (2) squeeze out the juice and left aside to settle,

                     (3) bring the settled starch back to the lot & throw away the bitter water

220g sugar

300g santan

1/2 tsp salt
some melted butter, for added flavour (optional)

Method:

1) mix all ingredients & pour into oiled baking pan

2) bake @ 175'C for 1 hour 15min until cooked

Note:
1) The mixture should be wet
2) you can also steam on High for 45min to 1 hour until cooked
3) alternatively, you can steam 30min & bake another 30min @180'C

Variation:

1) grease pan with butter will give aroma of butter when baked

2) if tapioca is white, add pandan juice will give colour & pandan smell.

FRIED NIAN GAO

It is the time of the year

when Chinese are preparing for the coming Chinese New Year

Among the many goodies
年糕

Sticky Kuih

is a popular one

It is made with 2 simple ingredients glutinous rice flour & sugar

Simply steam for long hours

to get the shinning brown colour

It is not so popular among the younger generations

as these are only carbohydrates

whereas

to the older generations

it is a must have for such an auspicious occasion

It signifies every year getting better

and 

going to new heights
年年高

You can either steam the Nian Gao &
coat it with freshly shredded coconut
or
deep fried plain
or
with sweet potato or yam
or
combination of both yam & sweet potato

There is a saying in Foochow dialect:

My late mother-in-law used to say that,
"siak huan-nu, huan-nu gong
siak oor-lonn, oor lonn-mon"

Fried Nian Gao

1 nian gao, sliced into 1/4" thick

slices of sweet potato & yam (optional)

200g self raising flour
1/2 tsp double action baking powder, optional
2 eggs

1/4 cup water, if necessary, to adjust consistency

1) slice nian gao 1/4" thick

2) prepare batter with self raising flour & beaten egg. Add water if necessary

3) mix until moderate consistency, whereby the batter will coat the nian gao

4) deep fry until golden, serve warm

Note:

1. if using sweet potato or yam, put nian gao in the middle,
    sweet potato & yam on each site. dip into the batter to coat & drop into oil.

2. to make sure that the yam & sweet potato is cooked,
    prick the gao (through 3 layers) with a chopstick. If can go through, it is done.

STEAMED PAK TONG KOH

When I was small

I love to eat Pak Tong Koh.

It is a sweet white rice kuih

called Pak Tong Koh in Cantonese.

Suppose to be a Nonya Kuih but what is the Hockien name?

I think it is more appropriate to call it Honey Comb Kuih

because of the honey comb apprearance.

When Gula Melaka is used to replace the sugar

it becomes 

'Wong Tong Koh' in Cantonese

meaning yellow colour kuih. Haha!

I have adapted this recipe from:  Rose Kitchen

Pak Tong Koh
90g sugar
4 pandan leaves, knotted
1/4 tsp salt
300g water (divide into 2 portions of 150g each)
140g rice flour
1/2 tsp instant yeast, mix with 1 tsp water
1 tsp oil (I forgot to add in before steaming)

1. In a pot boil sugar, 150g water, salt & pandan leaves until sugar dissolves
2. In another pot, combine flour & 150g water. stir until no lump
3. add sugar solution (when cooled) to batter, mix well
4. mix yeast with 1 tsp wate, stir into the flour batter as well
5. cover with a wet towel & leave aside for 2 hours
6. after 2 hours, bubbles appear on the batter.
7. pour batter into an oiled 6" square pan & steam on HIGH heat for 25min

TRADITIONAL STEAMED QI DAN KAU

During the olden days

Traditional 

Qi Dan Kau

is 

made in every household

This is either steamed in one big bamboo tray

or 

in individual cups

The light & soft texture
together with its unique flavour
has brought back many  childhood memories


My hubby said

when he was a kid

he dread to help beating the eggs 

because it was really very tiring
and
every child in the family must take turn to beat

so

when they saw the eldest sister

took out the utensils

he & and the younger ones

would quietly sneak out of the house!

Following the traditional ratio
of 1 : 1 : 1
to steam
Qi Dan Kou
I was never successful 

I have adapted this recipe from
 Melissa Ho Lee Cheen's

Thank you Melissa

Traditional Steamed Qi Dan Kou

2 eggs AA

70g sugar

150g self raising flour

50ml 100PLUS
1/4 tsp vanilla essence

1. beat eggs and sugar until pale & fluffy using mixer

2. add 100PLUS slowly while the mixer is still beating (can add last)

3. fold in carefully the sifted flour in batches, do not over mix

4. pour into lined bamboo tray or lined muffin cups

5. put some coarse sugar on batter to make a cross if you want the cake to crack at the top after steaming

6. steam on HIGH for 20 min (cupcake), 35-40 min (tray) from boiling water

7. check with a skewer if it is cooked

NONYA LAYER KUEH

Original Nonya Kueh

is difficult to get nowadays

As such

I like to try my hands on these traditional kueh

Nonya 9 Layer Kueh

is my childhood favourite

because of its attractive colour:

layers of multi-colour with RED top

so

instead of holding the kueh and biting into it

I like to eat layer by layer

this way I can have more bites

Kelly Yip has this recipe to share with us

Nonya 9 Layer Kueh

A. 350g Tapioca flour

     100g rice flour

B. 500 ml water

     260g sugar

     1 pandan leaf

     500 ml coconut milk with a pinch of salt

C. colouring

1. mix together A & leave aside

2. In a pot boil water, sugar & pandan leaves until sugar dissolved. 

3. Turn off heat, remove pandan leaf & stir in coconut milk & leave aside to cool

4. when cooled, blend in dry ingredients A with a whisk, strain the mixture

5. divide batter into 3 portions & add desired colouring, leaving 1 portion white

6. grease a 7" square pan and heat in steamer for few minutes on HIGH heat

7. pour about 100 ml colour batter into heated pan, make sure the batter fully cover the base. Cover & steam for 4 min or until cooked

8. repeat procedure, alternating the colour until completed 9 layers

9. after pour in the last layer, steam for 8-12 min 

10. leave kueh to cool completely before cutting with greased knife.

Note:

1. always add boiling water to steamer while adding a new layer. Do not add water           when the layer is half way cooking

2. set 4 min timing with a timer. Each layer must be cooked or set before adding the         next.
3. I find that the kuih can be removed from its pan more easily when I line the pan           with parchment & oil the parchment paper.

Instead of the colourful

 9 layer kueh

I have used pandan juice as colouring

alternating green & white

making some adjustments to the recipe as follows

I divided the recipe in half

& prepare separately 2 colours

white: same method
green: pandan juice to replace water

STEAMED MA LAI KOH

Ma Lai Koh

is a common dish 

served in a Dim Sum restaurant

Many people like its spongy texture

Others like its unique colour and fragrant from Gula Melaka

It is the Gula Melaka 

that makes it different from the traditional steamed cakes

Special thanks 

to Miss Jess Ooi 

who gladly shared this recipe with us


so fluffy the texture inside

STEAMED MA LAI KOH

A. 150g Gula Melaka, chopped

     100g hot water

     3 eggs, whisk until light

     65g cooking oil

B. sifted together

     150g self raising flour

     1/2 tsp baking powder

     1/2 tsp baking soda

C.Topping: toasted kuaci

1) pour hot water over chopped Gula Melaka, stir until sugar is dissolved. 

    Sieve & leave aside to cool

2) when cooled, add whisked egg & oil, mix well

3) add flour & mix until combined

4) strain the batter, cover & leave aside for 30-40 min

5) line muffin cups with paper & pour in batter to 90% full

6) decorate top with some toasted kuaci

7) steam for 15min on high flame

NONYA KUIH KOSUI PANDAN

Nowadays, Traditional Nonya Kuih

is not easy to get.

Many, so called Nonya kuih today, 

does not taste or look like one,

both in texture or colour!

I like Nonya kuih,

only the traditional ones

Kuih Kosui

is in the shape of a small bowl or cup

filled with juicy shredded young coconut

in a tint of salt

I tried this recipe from Butter, Flour & Me

Kuih:

70g rice flour

30g tapioca flour

100g caster sugar

300g water

1/2 tsp alkali water

8-10 pieces pandan leaves+200g water (squeeze out juice)

Topping:

200g shredded coconut

pinch of salt

Method:

1) strain juice from pandan leaves+ water

2) steam topping ingredients for 5min, leave to cool

3) dissolve sugar in water for kuih, let cool

4) combine alkali water, pandan juice and sugar solution

5) steam cups empty for 5min

6) sieve flours & stir in liquids until well combined

7) cook over medium heat until mixture slightly thickens

8) pour into hot cups and steam for 15min

9) remove and let cool before add topping to serve

NONYA BEE KOH

Bee Koh

Nonya Kuih made with glutinous rice

I like the snow white colour

and the sweet and chewy texture

I have referred to Bumble Bee for the recipe

Nonya Bee Koh

250g glutinous rice

250g coconut milk

pinch of salt

100g caster sugar

2 pandan leaves, knotted

1) rinse glutinous rice & soak 2 hours or overnight

2) drain water from glutinous rice & place rice in lined bamboo steamer

3) put knotted pandan leaves on top of the rice

4) cover & steam for 45min

5) 1/2 time, stir the rice and sprinkle some water on the rice

6) continue steaming until times up

7) in a kuali, combine coconut milk, sugar and salt

8) cook over low heat until sugar dissolves

9) mix in cooked rice, stirring and cook and until liquid dries up

10) pour into a shallow plate, press with a spoon to compact, let cool

11) cut when completely cooled

Note:
caster sugar can be replaced with gula melaka for colour

RICE HUAT KUIH

Another Nonya Kuih

HUAT KUIH

with simple ingredients but needs lots of patience

It takes 3 days to prepare

A) 75g cooked rice                     )
      1/2 pc ragi yeast,crushed )
      1/2 Tbsp sugar                      )combine all in a bowl, cover with cling wrap & 
      1/2 Tbsp water                      )prick holes on surface, leave aside for 2 days

B) 75g sugar            )
      150g rice flour  ) after 2 days, blend A until smooth
      250g water         ) add B & mix well, leave aside for 8 hours

C) 1 tsp double action baking powder
      3/4 tsp Eno fruit salt
    
Method:
1) after 8 hours, mix C to mixture
2) leave aside until half of the bubble disappear
3) pour into separate cups & steam at high heat for 15min

Note:
1) if prefer coffee flavour, add coffee granules and more sugar

STEAMED SAGO KELAPA

This is the easiest Nonyo Kuih

If you like sago

you will like this dessert

250g sago, soaked 1 hour, drained

200g grated coconut

120g sugar

30g santan

1) combine all 4 ingredients and divide into 3 portions

2) steam the 1st portion in a geased 7" pan for 10min

3) add 2 drops of colouring & 1/4 tsp salt to 2nd portion

    (can use pandan juice for colour & flavour but the colour is not as bright)

4) pour over bottom layer & steam 10min

5) 3rd portion remain white to give contrast in colour

6) when 2nd layer is ready, pour 3rd layer on top & steam 10min to cook

7) leave to cool completely before cutting

NONYA KUIH TALAM CENGDOL

This is another typical Nonya Kuih

made with santan and gula melaka

The texture is like Kuih Talam

but it has a stronger taste 

of Gula Melaka

Bottom Layer:

100g Gula Melaka

50g caster sugar

350g water & 2 knotted pandan leaves

60g rice flour

25g green pea flour

1.5 Tbsp tapioca flour

100g thick coconut milk

1/4 tsp lye water (kan sui)

Top Layer:

1.5 Tbsp tapioca flour

30g rice flour

15g green pea flour

150g thick coconut milk (sieved)

200g water

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

200g cengdol, drained

Method:

For bottom layer

1) cook sugar, gula melaka, water & pandan leaves until sugar dissolves, strain the syrup into a pot

2) combine the rest of the dry ingredients & sieve into the pot

3) cook over low heat until mixture thickens slightly

4) pour into a greased 8" pan, steam over boiling water 15min

For Top Layer

1) sieve flours into the mixture of water & coconut milk

2) add sugar & salt

3) cook over low heat until sugar dissolves & mixture thickens

4) off heat & add cengdol, do not stir too vigorously or else cengdol will break

5) pour over brown layer & steam another 15min

6) remove & cool for 5 hours before cutting

    I cut mine too early so did not get a nice cut!

Recipe adapted from:'hungrygowhere.com'