Nyonya Kuih - Kuih Talam

Kuih Talam is one popular nyonya kuih in Malaysia and Singapore.

When something is rare, it becomes precious (物以稀為貴). I am totally agree! Before moving to Canada, I never appreciate nyonya desserts. Now, I started to miss those colorful desserts, not only you can't find it here, even if you find it, it's so expensive.

One way to ease my craving is DIY!

This recipe is modified from Patricia Lee - Delicious Nyonya Kueh & Desserts

Ingredients:

(A)  Green Bottom Layer

50g      rice flour

120g    cornflour

150g    sugar

400ml  coconut milk

350ml  water

350ml  pandan water

(B)  White Top Layer

30g     mung bean flour

120g   cornflour

150g   sugar 

400ml coconut milk

900ml water

a pinch of salt

You will need:

8" square tray and steamer

Steps:

Bottom layer:

1.  Heat sugar and water in a saucepan until sugar dissolves completely. 

2.  Mix coconut milk with cornflour and rice flour. Add pandan water and stir well. Pour this coconut mixture into the sugar syrup (1). Cook over low heat until batter thickens slightly.

3.  Pour into the square tray and steam for 15 minutes. Open steamer lid half way through.

Top layer:

1.  Heat sugar, salt and water in a saucepan until sugar dissolves completely. 

2.  Mix coconut milk, cornflour, mung bean flour together and stir well. Pour this coconut mixture into the sugar syrup (1). Cook over low heat until batter starts to thicken. Stir continously while heating. 

3.  Pour the batter over to the green layer. Steam with the lid covered for 20 minutes. Open the steamer lid half way through.

4.  Set aside to cool. Chill in the fridge for 4-5 hours. 

Happy Baking!

Note:  I try to avoid using artificial food colouring as much as possible. If I can get natural color from plants or fruits, I would stay away from food colouring. The green layer is pandan leaves juice, no color enhancement added. 

Bak Kwa (肉干)

Everytime I went back home, I will brought over some favourite local stuff. Bak Kwa is one of my favourite, especially the one in KL. My sister knows where to get me the good stuff, and I will wrap them will layers of plastic bag and put them in between my clothes deep inside my luggage. Bringing back bak kwa is illegal because custome will not allow meat product. I don't want to take any chances, therefore, I went google bak kwa recipe... many recipes out there! And it wasn't hard at all.

For those of us who live aboard, DIY is the only way to ease our craving.

Happy Baking!!


Bak Kwa

Ingredients:

500g minced pork
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp thick dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
2 tbsp shaoxing wine
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp five spice powder
1 tsp oil

Steps:

1.  Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl, use a pair of chopsticks and stir vigorously in one direction until a gluey paste is formed.

2.  Cover and leave it overnight in the fridge.

The next day:

3.  Pre-heat over to 260F.

4.  Line a parchment paper on a baking sheet, place half the meat on top.

5.  Cover the meat with clingfilm and roll into a thin sheet.

6.  Bake for 20 minutes.

7.  Increase temperature to 360F and bake for another 30 minutes until the sides are charred.

8.  Cool and cut into pieces.

9.  (optional) Place the bak kwa on the grill, keep a close eye, don't overcooked (or place it on the wire tray and put it in the oven for 15 minutes at 300F).

A cure for homesickness - Kuih Bangkit

Moving halfway across the globe only to find that I'm homesick for many nyonya foods and desserts that I don't usually eat when I was there. Though we can still find Malaysian restaurant here, but there is a serious lack of decent nyonya kuih.

After moving here, I have learned to make some of my favourite nyonya kuih - angku kuih, kuih talam, kuih ubi kayu (cassarva), kuih dadar. DIY is the only way to ease my craving. If I were still in Malaysia, I don't think I even bother to learn, because we are surrounded with authentic nyonya foods and desserts.


If you are Malaysian or Singaporean who has been here for many years, you may not remember the name of this cookie, but I'm sure you won't forget the taste of this cookie. Many of our friends who have been here for many decades recall this cookie as one of the Chinese New Year cookies. Kuih Bangkit is known with its light, crispy and melt in the mouth texture. You sure will find it in every house that you visit. There are many Chinese New Year cookies that I like, one of my favourite is this one.

Kuih Bangkit


350g Tapiaco flour
350g Sago flour
3 egg yolks
200g icing sugar
6-8 pandan leaf
extra tapioca flour for dusting and kneading

1. Fry tapiaco flour and sago flour together with pandan leaves on low heat until light. Let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until thick. Add in the flour.
4. Slowly add the coconut milk, knead until smooth but not sticky dough formed.
5. Roll dough into a thin sheet. shape thin sheet with a cutter.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.

  

 

If store in an airtight container, these cookies will last for at least 2 months. Mine didn't last that long, for our guest who tried it for the first time love it very much, so I doggy bag some for them to take home, and Tony finish up the rest while watching hockey games.  

Kuih Salat

Yes, it's the time of year, the tree is up the light is aglow. It's time to celebrate the holiday with folks we know! 

Tony invites all his staff over to our house tonight for pot-luck dinner and karaoke. Since most of his staff are Vietnamese and one from Johor, I can't serve without some Nyonya (Malaysian style) desserts.

Kuih (cake or dessert) Talam is a dessert consisting of two layers. The top green layer is the custard with extract of pandan leaf (screwpine leaf), while the bottom layer is made from the glutinous rice.

Kuih Salat

For the rice layer:

1 1/2 c glutinous rice, washed and soaked overnight
200ml coconut milk
1tsp salt
2 pandan leaf, tied into a knot

1. Wash rice in several changes of water until water runs clear. Cover with fresh water and soak overnight or at least 3 hours. Rinse and drain rice.
2. Place in a 8" round or square cake pan (at least 3" height). Combine the coconut milk and salt, then add to the rice. Bury the pandan leaf in the rice and steam over rapidly boiling water for 30 minutes until the grains will no longer have any opaque bits.
3. Remove the pandan leaves and fluff rice up with a fork. Then, using a aluminium foil, press the rice down to form an even, compact layer. Steam for another 15 minutes.

For the pandan juice:

6-8 large pandan leaves
1/2 c water

1. Under the running water, rub and rinse pandan leaves.
2. Cut the leaves into 1" length.
3. Place the leaves and water in an electric blender and process until pulverized.
4. Pour through a find strainer and discard solids.
5. Measure out the required amout of juice as required.

For the custard layer:

3 large eggs
200ml coconut milk
1/2 granular sugar
1/2 c pandan juice
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp all purpose flour

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, coconut milk and sugar. Add in the pandan juice, cornstarch, flour and whisk until smooth.
2. Strain the mixture into a heatproof bowl and sit the bowl over a simmering water. Whisk until custard just begins to thicken. Do not overcook.
3. Pour the custard over the rice layer. Steam over low heat until set, about 20 minutes. Avoid opening the steamer.
4. Allow to cool completely before cutting.