Know your Kueh
Here are some interesting Kueh facts for you.
The onde-onde got its name from Indonesia’s ‘ondeh-ondeh’ meaning ‘spherical shaped foods’, like fishball. It is a Baba Nyonya delicacy made with glutinous rice flour, pandan juice, shredded coconut and gula Melaka.
It is also fondly known as ‘buah melaka’ as it looks much like the fruits of the Melacca tree.
Did you know? The curry puff owes its inception from not just one, but three pastries, namely the British Cornish pasty and the Portuguese empanada for its skin and the Indian samosa for its spicy curried potato filling.
While the original version, the epok-epok with thin crunchy skin and potato, sardine or taugeh filling, was made popular Malay ladies during and post-war, the Chinese soon adapted the popular snack by changing the pastry to one much like shortcrust pastries and adapting a curried potato pastry recipe from an Indian vendor.
Kuih ketayap, or known in some areas as kuih dadar is a much loved local delicacy. Made with a juicy palm sugar flavoured shredded coconut wrapped in thin pandan crepe, it is definitely a crowd favourite.
Seri Muka or putri salat is a two-layered dessert with steamed glutinous rice and a green custard layer made with pandan juice and eggs. Coconut milk lends its creamy taste to this kueh both in the custard and glutinous rice layers. This kuih is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Did you know? In 2009, the Malaysian Department of National Heritage declared Seri Muka as one of 100 Malaysian heritage foods and drinks.
True to its name – lapis meaning layers – Kuih Lapis is a layered cake made with rice flour and coconut milk with origins from the greater Nusantara as well as Myanmar.
While it’s still made the traditional way in the classic pink and white, the Kuih Lapis has changed so much over the years with new variations like lapis jagung, lapis coklat, lapis kacang merah popping up, and of course, the kids’ favourite, lapis pelangi!
The cucur badak is best known for its fluffy sweet potato skin and spicy grated coconut filling. It’s often eaten at breakfast or tea but is hardly ever found at roadside stalls these days.
If you sink your teeth into this decadent bite-sized treat and taste the perfect blend of sweetness from the sweet potatoes and savoury from the coconut filling cooked with chilies and dried shrimp, you’ll understand why it’s so loved!