HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Kuih'' ( Indonesian: '' kue''; derived from the
Hokkien The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages ...
and Teochew ''kueh'' – ) are bite-sized
snack A snack is a small portion of food generally eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including packaged snack foods and other processed foods, as well as items made from fresh ingredients at home. Traditionally, snacks are ...
or dessert foods commonly found in
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
and
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
. It is a fairly broad term which may include items that would be called cakes,
cookie A cookie is a baked or cooked snack or dessert that is typically small, flat and sweet. It usually contains flour, sugar, egg, and some type of oil, fat, or butter. It may include other ingredients such as raisins, oats, chocolate chips, nu ...
s,
dumpling Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of dough (made from a variety of starch sources), oftentimes wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, flour, buckwheat or potatoes, and may be filled with meat, ...
s,
pudding Pudding is a type of food. It can be either a dessert or a savoury (salty or spicy) dish served as part of the main meal. In the United States, ''pudding'' means a sweet, milk-based dessert similar in consistency to egg-based custards, inst ...
, biscuits, or
pastries Pastry is baked food made with a dough of flour, water and shortening (solid fats, including butter or lard) that may be savoury or sweetened. Sweetened pastries are often described as '' bakers' confectionery''. The word "pastries" suggest ...
in English and are usually made from rice or
glutinous rice Glutinous rice ('' Oryza sativa var. glutinosa''; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, and the northeastern regions of South Asia, which has opaque grains, very low amyl ...
. In China, where the term originates from, ''kueh'' or ''koé'' () in the Min Nan languages (known as "guo" in Mandarin) refers to snacks which are typically made from rice but can occasionally be made from other grains such as wheat. The term ''kuih'' is widely used in
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...
,
Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by th ...
, and
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
, ''kueh'' is used in Singapore and
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, ''kue'' is used in Indonesia only, all three refer to sweet or savoury desserts. Though called by other names, one is likely to find various similar versions of kuih in neighbouring countries, such as Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar. For example, the colourful steamed ''kue lapis'' and the rich ''kuih bingka ubi'' are also available in Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. In the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
, ''kuih'' are referred to in
Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Taga ...
as ''
kakanin A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten and are particularly preval ...
''. Kuihs are not confined to a certain meal but can be eaten throughout the day. They are an integral part of Malaysian, Indonesian, Bruneian and Singaporean festivities such as
Hari Raya , nickname = Festival of Breaking the Fast, Lesser Eid, Sweet Eid, Sugar Feast , observedby = Muslims , type = Islamic , longtype = Islamic , significance = Commemoration to mark the end of fasting in Ramadan , date ...
and
Chinese New Year Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar and solar Chinese calendar. In Chinese and other East Asian cultures, the festival is commonly referred to as the Spring Festival () a ...
. Many kuih are sweet, but some are savoury. In the northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Perak, and Kelantan, kuih (kuih-muih in Malay) are usually sweet. In the Southeast Peninsular states of Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Selangor, savoury kuih can be found. Kuih are more often
steamed Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. This is often done with a food steamer, a kitchen appliance made specifically to cook food with steam, but food can also be steamed in a wok. In the American southwest, steam pits used for cooking hav ...
than baked, and are thus very different in texture, flavour and appearance from Western cakes or puff pastries.


Description

In almost all Malay kuih, the most common flavouring ingredients are grated
coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the f ...
(plain or flavoured),
coconut cream Coconut milk is an opaque, milky-white liquid extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food in ...
(thick or thin), pandan (
screwpine ''Pandanus'' is a genus of monocots with some 750 accepted species. They are palm-like, dioecious trees and shrubs native to the Old World tropics and subtropics. The greatest number of species are found in Madagascar and Malaysia. Common names ...
) leaves and
gula melaka Palm sugar is a sweetener derived from any variety of palm tree. Palm sugar is sometimes qualified by the type of palm, as in coconut palm sugar. While sugars from different palms may have slightly different compositions, all are processed s ...
(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 (also rice powder) 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. Rice flour is a common substitute for wheat flour. It is also used as a thickening ...
, glutinous rice flour, glutinous rice and
tapioca Tapioca (; ) is a starch extracted from the storage roots of the cassava plant (''Manihot esculenta,'' also known as manioc), a species native to the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, but whose use is now spread throughout South America ...
. Two other common ingredients are tapioca flour and green bean (
mung bean The mung bean (''Vigna radiata''), alternatively known as the green gram, maash ( fa, ماش٫ )٫ mūng (), monggo, or munggo (Philippines), is a plant species in the Fabaceae, legume family.Brief Introduction of Mung Bean. Vigna Radiata ...
) flour (sometimes called "green pea flour" in certain recipes). They play the most important part in giving kuihs their distinctive soft, almost pudding-like, yet firm texture. Wheat flour is rarely used in
Southeast Asian Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
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 take handfuls of ingredients and mix them without any measurements or any need of weighing scales. The end product 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. Nyonya (Peranakan) kuih are sometimes represented as distinct from Malay and Indonesian kuih, but many Nyonya kuih are fundamentally the same as Malay or Indonesian kuih. For some Nyonya kuih, there are minor changes to Malay kuih to suit Peranakan eating habits and tastes.


Malay and Peranakan kuih

* Apam balik – a turnover pancake with a texture similar to a crumpet with crisp edges, made from a flour based batter with raising agent. It is typically cooked on a griddle and topped with caster sugar, ground peanut, creamed corn, and grated coconut in the middle, and then turned over. Many different takes on this dish exist as part of the culinary repertoire of the Malay, Chinese, Peranakan, Indonesian, and ethnic Bornean communities; all under different names. * Bahulu – tiny crusty sponge cakes which come in distinctive shapes like button and goldfish, acquired from being baked in moulded pans. Bahulu is usually baked and served for festive occasions. * Borasa – Similar to Bahulu, with added
palm sugar Palm sugar is a sweetener derived from any variety of palm tree. Palm sugar is sometimes qualified by the type of palm, as in coconut palm sugar. While sugars from different palms may have slightly different compositions, all are processed ...
and sesame seeds. * Cucur – deep-fried fritters, sometimes known as ''jemput-jemput''. Typical varieties include ''cucur udang'' (fritters studded with a whole unshelled prawn), ''cucur badak'' (sweet potato fritters), and '' cucur kodok'' (banana fritters). *
Curry puff A curry puff ( ms, Karipap, Epok-epok; ; th, กะหรี่ปั๊บ, , ) is a snack of Maritime Southeast Asian origin. It is a small pie consisting of curry with chicken and potatoes in a deep-fried or baked pastry shell. The con ...
– a small pie filled with a curried filling, usually chicken or potatoes, in a deep-fried or baked pastry shell. * Kuih akok – a rich confection made with liberal quantities of eggs, coconut milk, flour and brown sugar, akok have a distinctive sweet caramel taste. It is popular in the states of Kelantan and Terengganu. * Kuih cara ( ms) – a pandan-flavored Malay kuih made from eggs, sugar, coconut milk and flour which is baked in specialised moulds to give it its distinctive shape. * Kuih cincin – a deep fried dough pastry-based snack popular with East Malaysia's Muslim communities. * Kuih gulung, kuih ketayap or kuih lenggang – mini crepes rolled up with a palm sugar-sweetened coconut filling. The crepes are coloured and flavoured with pandan essence. * Kuih jala – a type of traditional fried confection in the eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak. A rice flour batter is ladled into an emptied coconut shell bearing many small holes underneath, which is then held over hot oil and moved in a circular motion. The mixture will drip into the oil like thread, and forms a lattice-like layer on the oil as it fries to a solid crisp. * Kuih jelurut – also known as kuih selorot in Sarawak, this kuih is made from a mixture of gula apong and rice flour, then rolled with palm leaves into cones and steam cooked. * Kuih kapit, sapit or sepi – these crispy folded wafer biscuits are colloquially known as "love letters". * Kuih keria – fried doughnuts made with a sweet potato batter and rolled in caster sugar. * Kuih kochi – glutinous rice dumplings filled with a sweet paste, shaped into a pyramid-like shape and wrapped with banana leaves. * Kuih lapis – a sweet steamed cake made from rice flour, coconut milk, sugar and various shades of edible food colouring done with many individual layers. * Kuih lidah – (lidah literally means "tongue") hails from the Bruneian Malay community of
Papar The Papar (; from Latin ''papa'', via Old Irish, meaning "father" or "pope") were, according to early Icelandic sagas, Irish monks who took eremitic residence in parts of what is now Iceland before that island's habitation by the Norsemen ...
, specifically Kampung Berundong, in Sabah and possesses designated GI status. * Kuih makmur – a traditional Malay kuih made from butter,
ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from ...
and flour. Served during special occasion of Eid al-Fitr and identified with its white colour and usually in a round shape. * Kuih modak – a rice flour dumpling filled with sweet coconut and jaggery. * Kuih pie tee – this Nyonya speciality is a thin and crispy pastry tart shell filled with a spicy, sweet mixture of thinly sliced vegetables and prawns. * Kuih pinjaram – a saucer-shaped deep fried fritter with crisp edges and a dense, chewy texture towards the centre. It is widely sold by street food vendors in the open air markets of East Malaysia. * Kuih serimuka – a two-layered kuih with steamed glutinous rice forming the bottom half and a green custard layer made with pandan juice. * Kuih talam – this kuih has two layers. The top consists of a white layer made from coconut milk and rice flour, whereas the bottom layer is green and is made from green pea flour flavoured with pandan. * Kuih wajid or wajik – a compressed Malay confection made of glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk and gula melaka. * Onde onde – small round balls made from glutinous rice flour coloured and flavoured with pandan, filled with palm sugar syrup and rolled in freshly grated coconut. * Pulut inti – wrapped in banana leaf in the shape of a pyramid, this kuih consists of glutinous rice with a covering of grated coconut candied with palm sugar. * Pulut panggang – glutinous rice parcels stuffed with a spiced filling, then wrapped in banana leaves and char grilled. Depending on regional tradition, the spiced filling may include pulverised dried prawns, caramelised coconut paste or beef floss. In the state of Sarawak, the local pulut panggang contains no fillings and are wrapped in pandan leaves instead. * Putu piring – a round steamed cake made of rice flour dough, with a palm sugar sweetened peanut or coconut filling. File:Giant_Apam_Balik.jpg, Apam balik File:Khairul_Izwan_Wedding_@_Bukit_Jelutong.jpg, Kuih bahulu File:Kuih cincin.JPG, Kuih cincin File:Makmur.png, Kuih makmur File:Seri Muka1.JPG, Kuih serimuka File:Kueh tutu.jpg, Kueh tutu (or putu piring) File:YosriKuihLapis.jpg, Kuih lapis


Chinese kuih

* Chwee kueh (Chinese: 水粿) or wah kueh (Chinese: 碗粿)– Teochew-style steamed bowl-shaped rice cakes topped with diced preserved radish and chilli relish. Popular in Taiwan and within Chinese communities in South East Asia. * Ang koo kueh (Chinese: 紅龜粿) – a small round or oval shaped Chinese pastry with red-coloured soft sticky glutinous rice flour skin wrapped around a sweet filling in the center. * Ku chai kueh (Chinese: 韭菜粿) - Teochew-style savoury steamed dumpling stuffed with
chives Chives, scientific name ''Allium schoenoprasum'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae that produces edible leaves and flowers. Their close relatives include the common onions, garlic, shallot, leek, scallion, and ...
. *
Niangao ''Nian gao'' (年糕; also ''niangao''; ''nin4 gou1'' in Cantonese), sometimes translated as year cake or New Year cake or Chinese New Year's cake, is a food prepared from glutinous rice flour and consumed in Chinese cuisine. It is also simply ...
(Chinese : 年糕) or kuih bakul – a brown sticky and sweet rice cake customarily associated with Chinese New Year festivities. It is also available year-round as a popular street food treat, made with pieces of ''niangao'' sandwiched between slices of taro and sweet potato, dipped in batter and deep-fried. * Or Kuih (Chinese : 芋粿) – a steamed savoury cake made from pieces of taro (commonly known as "yam" in Malaysia), dried prawns and rice flour. It is then topped with deep fried shallots, spring onions, sliced chilli and dried prawns, and usually served with a chilli dipping sauce. * Red peach cake (Chinese: 飯粿, ''png kueh'') - Teochew-style savoury steamed dumpling stuffed with
glutinous rice Glutinous rice ('' Oryza sativa var. glutinosa''; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, and the northeastern regions of South Asia, which has opaque grains, very low amyl ...
. Often dyed pink. *
Soon kueh ''Soon kueh'' (), also spelt ''soon kway'' is a type of steaming, steamed dumpling in Teochew cuisine. The dumpling is stuffed with julienned jicama, bamboo shoots, and dried shrimp, and is then wrapped in a skin made of rice and tapioca flour bef ...
(Chinese: 笋粿) - Teochew-style savoury steamed dumpling of glutinous rice dough stuffed with
jicama ''Pachyrhizus erosus'', commonly known as jícama ( or ; Spanish ''jícama'' ; from Nahuatl ''xīcamatl'', ) Mexican turnip, is the name of a native Mexican vine, although the name most commonly refers to the plant's edible tuberous root. Jícam ...
,
bamboo shoot Bamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the edible shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground) of many bamboo species including ''Bambusa vulgaris'' and ''Phyllostachys edulis''. They are used as vegetables in numerous Asian dishes and ...
and dried shrimp. * Yi buah/buak (Chinese : 意粑) – a Hainanese steamed dumpling made of glutinous rice flour dough. Also known as Kuih E-Pua, it is filled with a palm sugar sweetened mixture of grated coconut, toasted sesame seeds and crushed roasted peanuts, wrapped with sheets of banana leaves pressed into a fluted cup shape, and customarily marked with a dab of red food colouring. This kuih is traditionally served during a wedding and a baby's full-moon celebration. File:Assorted Teochew kueh.jpg, alt=A selection of Teochew-style kueh. Clockwise from top left, two png kueh in pink and white, soon kueh and ku chai kueh., A selection of Teochew-style kueh. Clockwise from top right, two ''png kueh'' in pink and white, ''soon kueh'' and ''ku chai kueh''. File:Chwee Kueh - Shantou - 20170302.jpg, Chwee kueh


See also

* Cucur * Dodol *
Ketupat ''Kupat'' (in Javanese and Sundanese), ''ketupat'' (in Indonesian and Malay), or ''tipat'' (in Balinese) is a Javanese rice cake packed inside a diamond-shaped container of woven palm leaf pouch, Originating in Indonesia, it is also fou ...
*
Lamban Lamban is a traditional dessert for the Bruneian Malay people, Kedayan in Labuan and in the states of Sabah, Malaysia. The taste of Lamban is almost like the Malays ketupat ''Kupat'' (in Javanese and Sundanese), ''ketupat'' (in Indones ...
* Lemang *
List of steamed foods This is a list of steamed foods and dishes that are typically or commonly prepared by the cooking method of steaming. Steamed foods * Ada – a food item from Kerala, usually made of rice flour with sweet filling inside. * Bánh – in Hanoi ...
* Kue nagasari


References


External links


Different Types Of Singaporean Kueh In Singapore
{{Malaysian cuisine Chinese cuisine Indonesian cuisine Malaysian cuisine Malay cuisine Singaporean cuisine Chinese New Year foods Steamed foods Burmese cuisine