Friday, September 18, 2009

Ang Ku Kueh

My first attempt on making nyonya kuih which I never think of doing it before as I could easily get a better texture kuih from Bangawan Solo. Anway, all because I've leftover some coconot fillings for the honey coconut buns, so I was struggling how to finished it until I've got the idea from some of the bloggers.

At first, I would like to make Ang Ku Kueh, but I don't have the mold so I used a mooncake mold. Secondly, I found out that coconut fillings actually is use for Kueh Koh Chi. Finally, I came out with a combination with three different things. Chinese said "不三不四" or "四不像". The first glance look like snow skin mooncake, but the real skin actually is Ang Ku Kueh then the fillings is Kueh Koh Chi fillings hahaha... very confuse. Anyway, when I eat it, it's more like Ang Ku Kueh.
I couldn't believe that is my first kueh making and the skin turn out so soft and stayed soft on the next day. The orange color from the sweet potato is quite pretty for me.
That's nice when we could get the natural color in baking. The fillings of course go so well with the skin, it's yummy! All thanks to Florence sharing the fantastic recipe. I can't wait to make more for my friends and family.After the first attempt, I tried the second batch using plain color sweet potato with pandan juice for the green color. It's turn out as nice as the first batch. Very satisfy!


Recipe for 10 small pieces (4.6cm diameter)
Sweet Potato Skin: 50 g sweet potatoes /75 g glutinous rice flour / 1 tsp oil / 40 ml water
Gula Melaka Coconut Fillings: 1 tbsp cooking oil / 60g raw sugar / 100g gula melaka / 100g coconut water / 2 tbsp plain flour / 4 tbsp water / 300g shredded coconut (half the portions of these ingredient to yield 10 kueh)

  1. For the fillings. Heat the oil in a wok at low heat, add in raw sugar, coconut sugar until it nearly melted then add the coconut water to prevent sticking. Add three or four pandan leaves. Cook until everything melt then add shredded coconut. Make sure the shredded coconut coated with the melted sugar. Keep stirring to prevent it burn. Mix the water with flour then add into the coconut mixture. Keep stirring until everything well combine and you could smell the fragrant of coconut mixture. It'll start become dry and you'll know it has done. Discard the pandan leaves. Let it cool down on a plate before use.
  2. For the skin. Steam the sweet potatoes until soft. In a bowl, mash the sweet potatoes with a fork. Add glutinous rice, oil and water and mix well to obtain a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave aside. You can add a little more water if the dough is too dry.
  3. Brush the ang ku kueh mould with a little oil to ease removal of the kueh from the mould.
  4. Take a small lump of sweet potato dough about 20g for my 4.6cm mold and using your palm or a rolling pin, flatten it, into a round shape with the centre thicker than the sides.
  5. Spoon some filling approximately 20g into the dough, pinch the sides of the dough together, and using the palm of your hand, roll it into a balls.
  6. Press the ball into the mould firmly, to obtain the design and shape of the mould. Tap the mould gently on the table to remove the ang koo kueh from the mould. Place the ang ku kueh on a square piece of oiled banana leaf.
  7. When all the ang ku kuehs are shaped, steam them in a wok over high fire for 3 minutes covered. After 3 minutes, remove the cover to release steam, then re-cover and steam for another 3 minutes over a medium fire, until the kuehs are cooked. Remove the kuehs from the wok and brush them with a little oil to prevent them from sticking to each other. Serve when cool.