I am a huge fan of local kuihs, particularly the sweet and savory ones. However when it comes to making the kuih myself I started to withdraw away. Why is that so? I guess it has something to do with the santan preparation (coconut milk) and the cooking method ....steaming, which, I rendered troublesome.
That was the wrong perception I held, considering the fact cakes and pastries making require more (before and after) preparation work than that of making our local steam kuihs, in general. Of course there are still some which need advance preparation of the base ingredients since most of the flavor comes from unprocessed sources of fresh vegetables, roots, leaves or raw sugar. In summary, they use simpler cooking method, usually through steaming than oven baking.
Given that the batter from the kuih can be baked with an oven instead of using steamer alone, I could end up eating a hardened, cracked or dried out cake. Or maybe not. The enjoyment of eating the local sweet and savory kuihs come from the 'Chewy Melt in the Mouth' sensation right down to the part when the cake smoothly glides down the throat. I doubt I could still get this wonderful feeling from the coarse cake like texture once the kuih come out baked from the oven.
Perhaps I might try out one day.
Right now, I am going to enjoy this batch of Three Layer Corn Cake / Kuihs and leave the issue of oven baked kuih till another time. Along with the 椰林风光 Coconut Flavor Kuih I recently posted, both of these wonderful recipes are taken from the book 'Malaysian Kuehs and Snacks 粿香满堂' by Andrew Kow 许孙祥. I am linking back this posting to Cook-Your-Books-24 hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavors.
Enjoy....
玉米三层糕
Three Layer Corn Cake
Ingredients
(A)
250g Canned Corn Kernel
(B)
100g Rice Flour
50g Tapioca Flour
20g Corn Flour
25g Custard Powder
100g Sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
250ml Fresh Coconut Milk
230ml Water
(C)
100g Rice Flour
50g Tapioca Flour
40g Corn Flour
100g Sugar
250ml Fresh Coconut Milk
230ml Water
8-10 Drops Pandan Essence
Green Coloring (Optional)
Method
- Grease and heat up (steam for 5 mins) several heat proof muffin cup moulds before using.
- Combine ingredients (B) and filter. Cook the mixture under medium low heat until slightly thickened. Stir in (A) and mix until evenly combined.
- Combine ingredients (C) and filter. Cook the mixture under medium low heat until slightly thickened.
- Fill the muffin cups with 1 to 1-1/4 Tbsp of the pandan batter (C) as the first layer and steam at medium high heat for 10 minutes.
- Fill the muffin cups with 1 to 1-1/4 Tbsp of the corn batter (B) as the second layer and steam for another 10 minutes.
- Repeat the process until you finished using the batter. Steam the last layer for 15 minutes until set.
- Remove from heat and allow to the steamed cakes to cool in the baking cups until set and cool.
- Serve.
Do link back to Coco Sweet Tooth if you have used any information as published in this blog.
This post is linked to Cook Your Books Event #24hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours
Hi Coco, this is the kuih I have been looking for to make. Sweet colours. Your kuih looks exactly like you have described it 'Chewy Melt in the Mouth'. Most steamed kuihs should have these characteristics otherwise it isn't a good kuih. I used to shy away from making local kuihs especially those using santan but these days my perception changes too cos' I do share them with others and also store bought kuihs are getting costlier.
ReplyDeleteHi Kimmy, thanks for the positive feedback. I am still very new in the kueh experimenting making stage and after trying numerous recipes out there, not all tasted as good as it seemed on prints. Then again, practice makes perfect and different people have different perception towards the type of texture they love. I will continue sharing all the recipes I have tried and hope to encourage everyone out there to experience the joy of cooking, baking as I do.
ReplyDeleteDelicious looking kuih! I do not make kuih very often too, as I dislike steaming!!! haha! But to enjoy local homemade local kuih, that cannot be avoided! I have been meaning to make some Nyonya kuih too but have been putting it off.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing with CYB!