12 Kuehs to Malaysian-ised Your Christmas

Malaysia is a country known as the melting pot of cultures. Therefore, it is no wonder that we are always on holiday most of the year. Festivals are the best excuse to miss school and work, am I right or am I right?

Anyways, of all the festivals that we Malaysians have, Christmas is the most magical of them all. You got to admit, the colours, the food…mmm, definitely something magical there.

It’s a Malaysian Christmas!

As I’ve stated earlier, Christmas is all about magic and miracles. The reason why it is so is because of all the colourful, mouthwatering food associated with it!

Thus, to make it a magical Malaysian Christmas, let’s switch the pies, puddings and eggnog with some of our very own delicious and colourful traditional Malaysian kuehs.

Try the recipes below to taste the magic!

1. Kueh Talam

2. Lompang

Lompang or kueh kosui is, you can say, a gooey Malaysian cupcake. Why I say so? Well, it’s because the kueh is made by using tiny teacups as moulds. To make it even cuter, a tiny crate is made on the surface of the kueh in order to cradle fresh shavings of salted coconut. Yum!

Ingredients

• 3 cups of rice flour
• 2 tablespoons of tapioca flour
• 2 teaspoons of alkaline water
• 1 1/2 cups of sugar
• 4 cups of water
• 16 pandan leaves, cut into little pieces
• 1 cup of fresh grated coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Method

1. Cut the screwpine leaves into small pieces. Blend leaves with 1 cup of water. Strain. In another bowl, pour sugar into 1 1/2 cups of hot water. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add pandan liquid into the syrup. Add in the alkaline water.
2. Combine rice flour and tapioca flour. Pour flour into the pandan syrup. Combine well. Strain to ensure there are no lumps
3. Heat up steamer. Brush mini tea cups with a little bit of oil and put it into steamer for a while. Pour batter into each individual cups. Steam for 15 mins over medium high heat. Remove from fire and set aside to cool.
4. Add salt to grated coconut. Steam dessicated coconut briefly.
5. Once cooled, remove kueh from the cups using the back of a spoon. Serve with dessicated coconut on top.

3. Kueh Lapis

If you asked me which among the many local kuehs that are the most beautiful, my answer would be the kueh lapis.

Kueh lapis or multi-layered steamed cake is made using a combination of rice-tapioca flour and each layer is usually coloured differently in order to create a rainbow effect. But, if you feel kind of lazy, you can just stick to ol’ pink and white kueh lapis.

4. Ondeh-Ondeh

Ondeh-ondeh is a traditional Malaysian treat suitable for dessert, tea time or breaking fast. It’s always green and covered with a layer of freshly grated coconut and filled with a sweet explosion of liquid coconut sugar. They’re irresistible and addictive, and it’s difficult to stop with just one.

The chewy outer layer of this kuih is not unlike the Japanese mochi. Made with a combination of glutinous rice flour and rice flour, this yummy sweet treat is also gluten-free and vegan. If you swap store-bought pandan extract for one you make your own, it’s possible to make this a clean-eating delicacy. Delicious without the guilt? We’re in!

Get the delicious recipe here!

5. Angku

Angku or tortoise shell kueh is a Chinese delicacy popular in both Malaysia and Singapore. Usually made into an orange-coloured oval kueh, the angku is typically served as offerings after prayers in temples. Made with glutinous rice flour and green bean filling, angku is perfect to eat with a cup of steaming hot teh’o, kopi’o or hot cocoa.

Ingredients

A) Angku skin

• 350g sweet potatoes, cut into medium-sized chunks
• 230g glutinous rice flour
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of rice flour
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 3 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 50ml water

B) Mung bean filling

• 300g mung beans/green beans, wash and soak overnight in cold water
• 180g sugar
• 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil

C) Angku Kueh Prep

• Some banana leaves – cut into round shape
• A bit of oil for brushing

Method

A) Angku skin

1. Steam sweet potatoes till soft, takes about 20 minutes.
2. Use a potato masher or a fork, mashed the cooked sweet potatoes, add in glutinous rice flour, rice flour, sugar, and oil, slowly add in water bit by bit to form a soft dough, cover and set it aside and rest for 30mins.
3. Shape into 30g small ball (depend on the size of your mould)

B) Mung bean filling

1. Drain dry the mung beans, place the beans on a steaming tray and steam over medium heat until soft. It should take about half an hour.
2.  While beans still hot, place beans, sugar and oil in a food processor, process till fine and become a paste.
3. Shape into 10-12g balls (depend on the size of your mould) and set it aside.

C) To make the angku kueh

1. Grease the angku kueh mould by brushing on some vegetable oil.
2. Flatten the sweet potato ball, place a mung bean ball to the center and shape it into a round ball
3. Place the ball in the mould, press evenly, then knock to relased the dough and place on greased banana leaf.
4. Arrange on a steaming tray and steam for 10 minutes over high flame. Take it out from the steamer and brush it lightly with some oil.

6. Kueh Sago

When I was a child, kueh sago is one my favourite kueh to have. Be it breakfast, lunch or dinner, I couldn’t say no to just a taste of the sweet, soft sago. In addition,  the vibrant red colour is enough to entice anyone, young and old to eat it, especially during parties and celebrations.

Ingredients

• 200g sago
• 4 pandan leaves
• 100g sugar
• 2 teaspoons of rose colouring
• 800ml of water
• banana leaves
• coconut (desiccated or grated)

Method

1. Boil water and once it begins boiling, add pandan leaves, sago, sugar or rose paste extract until sago is almost fully cooked/translucent.
2. Place boiled sago into a mould lined with banana leaf. Steam for at least 20 minutes or until translucent.
3. Set aside and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 40 minutes. Use saran wrap to cover the mould to prevent the surface of sago from hardening.
4. Remove sago from the mould and cut into the bite-sized pieces. Coat sago pieces with shredded coconut that had been mixed with a pinch of salt.

7. Apam

Another kid’s favourite would be the Apam. Apam is like a fluffy cupcake that is so airy and delicious to eat. The best thing about apam is it can be made using any colouring and flavouring but of course, the original is always the best!

Ingredients

• 360g of brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 500g wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 300ml of soda water
• Colouring (optional)

Method

1. Prepare the mould for the apam by lining it with paper cupcake cups. Heat up the steamer on high heat until steam is formed.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix for about 10 minutes til batter becomes fluffy
3. If you are using colouring, divide the batter to two parts. Put colouring in one while the other left it as it is.
4. Pour in the batter alternately between the coloured and the non-coloured one to the lined moulds. If you aren’t using any colouring, just pour in the batter as it is. Fill in 3/4 of the cup so your batter won’t overflow.
5. Steam for 20 minutes under high heat. Don’t forget to cover the lid with a cloth to absorb the moisture.

8. Kueh Cara Berlauk

Kueh cara berlauk or savoury cups may look like hors d’oeuvres but its taste, man! once you try it, you’ll be chucking those hors d’oeuvres out the window.

Shaped like takoyakis, kueh cara can be made both sweet and savoury but the latter is better to serve during big celebrations such as for Christmas parties.

Ingredients

A) Ingredients for filling

• 400g minced beef
• 2 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, diced
• 4 tablespoons of curry powder
• salt and sugar to taste
• cilantro, for garnishing

B) Ingredients for batter

• 4 cups of flour
• Water and coconut milk, 1:1 ratio
• 2 egg
• a bit of salt to taste

Method

1. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil and add n the diced onion and garlic. Sauté until soft.
2. Add in the curry powder and just a bit of water to make a paste, fry until the curry is aromatic.
3. To this, add in the minced beef and season with salt and sugar.
4. Take off the heat and set aside the filling.
5. Make the batter by adding all the ingredients in (B) into a bowl. Make sure the consistency is of a pancake batter; not heavy but light.
6. Now heat up your takoyaki pan if you have one, if not improvise. You can pour the batter on a flat pan and make them into tiny pancakes. Make sure your heat is at medium and not high or else you will burn the batter.
7. When the batter is ¼ set, spoon in the ready-made filling and just wait till it sets. Ready to serve and eat immediately.

9. Kueh Bakar

Picture these pretty flower shaped dessert still piping hot from the oven with edges slightly burnt and a centre that is a soft creamy custard. I’m salivating just thinking about it! If you love the flavour of creamy custard, coconut and pandan, you’re going to love Kuih Bakar

Some may know this dessert as Bingka Bakar or Kuih Kemboja but in my house, it’s Kuih Bakar. It is easy to make and a sure hit on any occasion.

11.  Pulut Tai-Tai

Pulut Tai Tai or  ‘pulut tekan’ is a Nyonya kuih made of fluffy glutinous rice steamed in coconut milk. It is usually served together with delicious, thick kaya.

Although it seems like a simple dessert to make but it actually requires alot of technique and practice to make it perfect.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of glutinous rice
• 250ml water for soaking
• 500ml coconut milk
• 8 screwpine leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 25 frozen or dried butterfly pea flowers
• Kaya

Method

1. Wash the glutinous rice thoroughly and soak in water for at least 4 hours.
2. After soaking, drain away the water and pour rice into a steaming container.
3. Add about ¾ of the coconut milk, all the screwpine leaves and salt, and steam over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
4. While the glutinous rice is steaming, make the blue coloring.  In a small saucepan, place the butterfly pea flowers and add about ¼ cup water.  Bring to boil.  You will see the blue coloring being extracted.
5. After 20 minutes or so of steaming, remove the container of glutinous rice from the steamer, and remove the screwpine leaves.
6. Fluff the rice with a fork or a pair of chopsticks, then pour in the rest of the coconut milk.
7. Discard the butterfly pea flowers from the blue colored liquid, and sprinkle the blue colored liquid all over the glutinous rice mixture.
8. Mix it again to ensure even distribution, and return to steamer.
9. Steam for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until rice is soft and done.
10. Pour the hot rice into a separate moulding container if necessary, then using a spoon, lightly press the rice into the container.  This is to make it easier to cut out the pulut tai tai  pieces when serving.
11. Leave it to cool and set completely.
12. When cool, slice and serve with your favourite kaya.

12. Bingka Ubi

Finally, on the 12th list is the bingka ubi!

Bingka ubi or cassava cake is a very traditional kueh that is common in countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. The best thing about this kueh is that it is naturally gluten-free. So, to those who are unable to enjoy most of the kuehs above, this is your go-to sweetmeat especially during celebrations!

Ingredients

• 250ml water
• 240g sugar
• 40g coconut oil or cooking oil of your choice
• 2 large eggs
• 200 ml coconut cream
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 900g grated cassava 

Method

A) Preparing the batter

B) Baking the bingka

C) Browning the top

1. Turn the broiler to low and put the cake back into the oven and let it brown. Do not walk away and let it brown until it has that nice golden brown. Remove from the oven completely and let it rest for 10 minutes
2. Carefully remove from the baking dish to cooling rack and let it cool down completely before cutting. It may take about 1 hour or longer to cool down.

Let the Christmas Feast Begins