Kuih
Encyclopedia
Kuih are bite-sized snack or dessert foods found in the Malay Archipelago
as well as the Southern China
provinces of Fujian
and Canton. Kuih is a fairly broad term which may include items that would be called cake
s, cookie
s, dumpling
s, pudding
, biscuit
, or pastries
in English and are usually made from rice
or glutinous rice
.
Kuih are more often steamed than baked, and thus very different in texture, flavour and appearance from Western cakes or puff pastries. Many kuihs are sweet, but some are savoury.
or Chinese New Year
, however many others are consumed as main meals or snack on a daily basis. Example of these kuih include:
Many Chinese kuih require the use of a Kuih mold similar to that use in mooncake
s, which is either carved out of wood or made of plastics. Kuih molds with turtles are ubiquitous, though molds of peach
es are usually quite common. Red coloured turtle kuih are known especially as "Ang ku kueh"/"Red Tortoise Cake
" (紅龜粿). Since many Chinese no long make kuih at home, these molds have become less common in many kitchens.
an festivities such as Hari Raya and Chinese New Year
, which is known as Tahun Baru Cina in Malay among the Peranakan
.
In the Northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan, kuih (plural kueh-mueh or kuih-muih in Malay
) are usually sweet. In the Southeast Peninsular states of Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Selangor, savory kuih can be found. This is largely due to the large population of ethnic Chinese and Indians which held much cultural influence in these states.
In almost all Malay and Peranakan kuih, the most common flavouring ingredients are grated coconut
(plain or flavoured), coconut cream
(thick or thin), pandan (screwpine) leaves and gula melaka (palm sugar, fresh or aged). While those make the flavour of kuih, their base and texture are built on a group of starches – rice flour
, glutinous rice flour, glutinous rice and tapioca
. Two other common ingredients are tapioca flour and green bean (mung bean
) flour (sometimes called "green pea flour" in certain recipes). They play a most important part in giving kuihs their distinctive soft, almost pudding
-like, yet firm texture. Wheat flour is rarely used in Southeast Asian cakes and pastries.
For most kuih there is no single "original" or "authentic" recipe. Traditionally, making kuih was the domain of elderly grandmothers, aunts and other women-folk, for whom the only (and best) method for cooking was by "agak agak" (approximation). They would instinctively take handfuls of ingredients and mix them without any measurements or any need of weighing scales. All is judged by its look and feel, the consistency of the batter and how it feels to the touch. Each family holds its own traditional recipe as well as each region and state.
Though called by other names, one is likely to find various similar versions of kuih in neighbouring countries, such as Vietnam
, Thailand
, Myanmar, and Indonesia. For example, the colourful steamed Kuih Lapis and the rich Kuih Bingka Ubi are also available in Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam.
and due to its historical colonial ties
also in the Netherlands
. Examples of Indonesian kueh are Spekkoek (or Lapis Legit); Kue lapis; Wajik (or wajit); and Kelepon.
Malay Archipelago
The Malay Archipelago refers to the archipelago between mainland Southeastern Asia and Australia. The name was derived from the anachronistic concept of a Malay race....
as well as the Southern China
Northern and southern China
Northern China and southern China are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions has never been precisely defined...
provinces of Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
and Canton. Kuih is a fairly broad term which may include items that would be called cake
Cake
Cake is a form of bread or bread-like food. In its modern forms, it is typically a sweet and enriched baked dessert. In its oldest forms, cakes were normally fried breads or cheesecakes, and normally had a disk shape...
s, cookie
Cookie
In the United States and Canada, a cookie is a small, flat, baked treat, usually containing fat, flour, eggs and sugar. In most English-speaking countries outside North America, the most common word for this is biscuit; in many regions both terms are used, while in others the two words have...
s, dumpling
Dumpling
Dumplings are cooked balls of dough. They are based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may...
s, pudding
Pudding
Pudding most often refers to a dessert, but it can also be a savory dish.In the United States, pudding characteristically denotes a sweet milk-based dessert similar in consistency to egg-based custards, though it may also refer to other types such as bread and rice pudding.In the United Kingdom and...
, biscuit
Biscuit
A biscuit is a baked, edible, and commonly flour-based product. The term is used to apply to two distinctly different products in North America and the Commonwealth Nations....
, or pastries
Pastry
Pastry is the name given to various kinds of baked products made from ingredients such as flour, sugar, milk, butter, shortening, baking powder and/or eggs. Small cakes, tarts and other sweet baked products are called "pastries."...
in English and are usually made from rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
or glutinous rice
Glutinous rice
Glutinous rice is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, and pearl rice, and pulut) is a...
.
Kuih are more often steamed than baked, and thus very different in texture, flavour and appearance from Western cakes or puff pastries. Many kuihs are sweet, but some are savoury.
Chinese kuih
Chinese kuih, written as "guo" (粿) or sometimes as "gao" (糕), are usually made from ground rice flours. Many of the kuihs are made especially for important festivities such as the Qingming FestivalQingming Festival
The Qingming Festival , Pure Brightness Festival or Clear Bright Festival, Ancestors Day or Tomb Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival on the 104th day after the winter solstice , usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar...
or Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
, however many others are consumed as main meals or snack on a daily basis. Example of these kuih include:
- Nian gaoNian gaoNiángāo, Year cake or Chinese New Year's cake is a food prepared from glutinous rice and consumed in Chinese cuisine. It is available in Asian supermarkets and from health food stores. While it can be eaten all year round, traditionally it is most popular during Chinese New Year...
(年糕): Known in the HokkienHokkienHokkien is a Hokkien word corresponding to Standard Chinese "Fujian". It may refer to:* Hokkien dialect, a dialect of Min Nan Chinese spoken in Southern Fujian , Taiwan, South-east Asia, and elsewhere....
language as "Ti Kueh" (甜粿) - Caozai GuoCaozai GuoCaozai guo , or shuchu guo is a type of kuih with a sweet dough made with glutinous rice flour, sugar, and a ground cooked paste of Gnaphalium affine or Mugwort . The herbs give the dough and the finished kuih a unique flavor and brownish green color...
(草仔粿): Pronounced in Hokkien as "Tsao wa kueh" (chháu-á-ké). Also known as "Tsukak kueh" (鼠麴粿, chhú-khak-ké) from the herb it is made from. - Turnip cakeTurnip cakeTurnip cake is a Chinese dim sum dish made of shredded radish and plain rice flour. The less commonly-used daikon cake is a more accurate name, in that Western-style turnips are not used in the dish; it is sometimes also referred to as radish cake...
(菜頭粿, 菜頭糕): Eaten straight, panfried, or stir-fried with egg as Chai tow kwayChai tow kwayChai tao kway is a common dish or dim sum of Teochew cuisine in Chaoshan , Singapore and Malaysia, consisting of stir-fried cubes of radish cake.-Names:...
. - Taro cakeTaro cakeTaro cake is a Chinese dish made from the vegetable taro. While it is denser in texture than radish cakes, both these savory cakes made in a similar ways, with rice flour as the main ingredient. When served in dim sum cuisine, it is cut into square-shaped slices and pan-fried before serving. It is...
(芋粿, 芋糕) - Chwee kuehChwee kuehChwee kueh is a type of steamed rice cake, a cuisine of Singapore and Johor.To make chwee kueh, rice flour and water are mixed together to form a slightly viscous mixture. They are then placed in small cup-shaped containers that look like saucers and steamed, forming a characteristic bowl-like...
(水粿) - Fun guoFun guoFun guo, or Chaozhou fun guo sometimes spelled fun quor, fun gor, fen guo, Chiu Chow dumpling or Teochew dumpling is a variety of steamed dumpling from the Chaoshan area of coastal eastern Guangdong, a province in Southern China.-Ingredients:They are typically filled with chopped peanuts, garlic...
(粉粿) - Red Tortoise CakeRed Tortoise CakeRed tortoise cake, translated in Hokkien as "Ang Ku Kueh, 红龟糕" , is a small round or oval shaped Chinese pastry with soft sticky glutinous rice flour skin wrapped around a sweet filling in the centre....
(紅龜粿)
Many Chinese kuih require the use of a Kuih mold similar to that use in mooncake
Mooncake
Mooncake is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival / Zhongqiu Festival. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching; mooncakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy on this occasion. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings...
s, which is either carved out of wood or made of plastics. Kuih molds with turtles are ubiquitous, though molds of peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
es are usually quite common. Red coloured turtle kuih are known especially as "Ang ku kueh"/"Red Tortoise Cake
Red Tortoise Cake
Red tortoise cake, translated in Hokkien as "Ang Ku Kueh, 红龟糕" , is a small round or oval shaped Chinese pastry with soft sticky glutinous rice flour skin wrapped around a sweet filling in the centre....
" (紅龜粿). Since many Chinese no long make kuih at home, these molds have become less common in many kitchens.
Styles
Kuihs are not confined to a certain meal but can be eaten throughout the day. They are an integral part of Malaysian and SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
an festivities such as Hari Raya and Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
, which is known as Tahun Baru Cina in Malay among the Peranakan
Peranakan
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era....
.
In the Northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan, kuih (plural kueh-mueh or kuih-muih in Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
) are usually sweet. In the Southeast Peninsular states of Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Selangor, savory kuih can be found. This is largely due to the large population of ethnic Chinese and Indians which held much cultural influence in these states.
In almost all Malay and Peranakan kuih, the most common flavouring ingredients are grated coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
(plain or flavoured), coconut cream
Coconut cream
Coconut cream is very similar to coconut milk but contains less water. The difference is mainly consistency. It has a thicker, more paste-like consistency, while coconut milk is generally a liquid...
(thick or thin), pandan (screwpine) leaves and gula melaka (palm sugar, fresh or aged). While those make the flavour of kuih, their base and texture are built on a group of starches – rice flour
Rice flour
Rice flour is a form of flour made from finely milled rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye....
, glutinous rice flour, glutinous rice and tapioca
Tapioca
Tapioca is a starch extracted Manihot esculenta. This species, native to the Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and most of the West Indies, is now cultivated worldwide and has many names, including cassava, manioc, aipim,...
. Two other common ingredients are tapioca flour and green bean (mung bean
Mung bean
The mung bean is the seed of Vigna radiata. It is native to the Indian subcontinent.-Description:They are small, ovoid in shape, and green in color...
) flour (sometimes called "green pea flour" in certain recipes). They play a most important part in giving kuihs their distinctive soft, almost pudding
Pudding
Pudding most often refers to a dessert, but it can also be a savory dish.In the United States, pudding characteristically denotes a sweet milk-based dessert similar in consistency to egg-based custards, though it may also refer to other types such as bread and rice pudding.In the United Kingdom and...
-like, yet firm texture. Wheat flour is rarely used in Southeast Asian cakes and pastries.
For most kuih there is no single "original" or "authentic" recipe. Traditionally, making kuih was the domain of elderly grandmothers, aunts and other women-folk, for whom the only (and best) method for cooking was by "agak agak" (approximation). They would instinctively take handfuls of ingredients and mix them without any measurements or any need of weighing scales. All is judged by its look and feel, the consistency of the batter and how it feels to the touch. Each family holds its own traditional recipe as well as each region and state.
Names
Nyonya (Peranakan) and Malay kuih should not be distinguished since Peranakans have settled in the Malay Peninsula. They have adapted to Malay culinary and cultural heritage. Therefore there are many kuih native to Malay culture which have been improvised and retained by the Peranakans. The term Kuih/Kue/Kueh is widely used in the region of Malaysia and Indonesia to refer to sweet or savoury desserts. It is almost impossible to distinguish between Malay, Peranakan or Indonesian kuih as not many kuih history or recipe have been documented.Though called by other names, one is likely to find various similar versions of kuih in neighbouring countries, such as Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Myanmar, and Indonesia. For example, the colourful steamed Kuih Lapis and the rich Kuih Bingka Ubi are also available in Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Types
Nonya kuih come in different shapes, colours, texture and designs. Some examples are filled, coated, wrapped, sliced and layered kuih. Also, as mentioned earlier, most kuih are steamed, with some being boiled or baked. They can also be deep-fried and sometimes even grilled.Indonesian kueh
Indonesian kueh are popular in IndonesiaIndonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and due to its historical colonial ties
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
also in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Examples of Indonesian kueh are Spekkoek (or Lapis Legit); Kue lapis; Wajik (or wajit); and Kelepon.
List
Some of the more well known types of kuih include the following:- Bingka ubi is a baked kuih of tapioca mixed in sweet pandan-flavoured custard. The kuih is yellow in colour but has a dark brown crust at the top caused by the baking process.
- Kuih apam is made up of soft and tender beef
- Kuih cara berlauk is made up of flour, egg, coconut milk and turmeric. The mixture is mixed thoroughly before being cooked in a special mold until it hardens. Before it hardens, a filling made up either spiced beef or chicken is added. This kuih is very popular in the month of Ramadhan.
- Kuih ketayap is a cylindrical shaped kuih with caramelised grated coconut flesh inside and a green pancake skin wrapping it. This is done first by rolling the pancakes around the coconut filling, then folding the sides and finally rolling it again to form cylindrical parcels.
- Kuih karipapCurry puffCurry puff is a Malaysian, Singaporean, and Thai snack. It is a small pie consisting of specialised curry with chicken and potatoes in a deep-fried or baked pastry shell...
is a small pie consisting of specialised curry with chicken and potatoes in a deep-fried pastry shell. The curry is especially thick and rich to prevent itself from running. - Kuih keria (a.k.a Kuih gelang) are sweet potato doughnutPotato doughnutThe potato doughnut, sometimes called a Spudnut, is a doughnut, typically sweet, made with either mashed potatoes or potato starch instead of flour, the most common ingredient used for doughnut dough. Potato doughnuts were introduced in the mid-1900s, and a recipe was published in 1938...
s. They resemble just like the regular ones except that they are made with sweet potato. Each doughnut is rolled in caster sugar. This is usually eaten in Malaysia during breakfast or in the morning tea hours of the day, along with other cakes such as apam or the more savory pratha. - Kuih kaswi are rice cakes made with palm sugar. The ingredients are mixed into a batter and poured into small cups (traditionally, it is done with Chinese tea cups). When served, the cup is removed and the rice cake is topped with grated coconut flesh.
- Kuih koci is a pyramid of glutinuous rice flour filled with a sweet peanut paste.
- Kuih lapis Batavia or spekkoekSpekkoekSpekkoek or more popularly called lapis legit in Indonesia is a Dutch-Indonesian layered cake...
(layer cake) is a rich kuih consisting of thin alternating layers made of butter, eggs and sugar, piled on top of each other. Each layer is laid down and then grilled separately, making the creation of a kueh lapis an extremely laborious and time-consuming process. - Kuih talam (tray cake) is a kueh consisting of two layers. The top white layer is made from rice flour and coconut milk, while the bottom green layer is made from green pea flour and extract of pandan leaf.
- Kuih serimukaSeri MukaSeri Muka is a two-layered dessert with steamed glutinous rice forming the bottom half and a green custard layer made with pandan juice . Coconut milk is a key ingredient in making this kuih...
is a two-layered dessert with steamed glutinous rice forming the bottom half and a green custard layer made with pandan juice (hence the green colour). Coconut milk is a key ingredient in making this kuih. It is used as a substitute for water when cooking the glutinous rice and making the custard layer. - Lapis Sagu (a.k.a 9-layers Kueh) is a steamed multicoloured and multilayered firm kueh made from tapiocaTapiocaTapioca is a starch extracted Manihot esculenta. This species, native to the Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and most of the West Indies, is now cultivated worldwide and has many names, including cassava, manioc, aipim,...
flour, coconut milk, and flavoured with pandan. The layers are separately steamed. - Pulut inti is glutinous rice topped with caramelised grated coconut flesh and wrapped in a cut banana leaf to resemble a square pyramid.
- Pulut tekan is just a plain glutinous rice cake. It is served with kayaKaya-Music:*Kaya , singer and creator of Seggae*Kaya , real name Francis Martin Lavergne*Kaya , former member of Schwarz Stein*Kaya , based in Liverpool...
(jam from pandan leaves) coconut jam. The glutinous rice cakes are coloured with bunga telangClitoria ternateaClitoria ternatea is a plant species belonging to the Fabaceae family.- Distribution :This plant is native to tropical equatorial Asia, but has been introduced to Africa, Australia and America....
. Half-cooked glutinous rice is divided into two portions. Both are them added with coconut milk but one of them is added with the bunga telang juice. This gives the rice cake a very bright blueish-indigo colour which is appealing to children. The half-cooked glutinous rice is then scooped in alternating fashion into the original tray to give it a marble effect of blue and white. The rice is then cooked some more and when it is cooked and cooled, it is cut into tall rectangles. - "Onde-Onde"