Kuih

Kuih (Jawi: کوءيه; Indonesian: kue; derived from Southern Minkoé) are bite-sized snack or dessert foods commonly found in Southeast Asia (particularly in the Malay Archipelago) and China. It is a fairly broad term which may include items that would be called cakes, cookies, dumplings, pudding, biscuits, or pastries in English and are usually made from rice or glutinous rice. In China, where the term originates, koé in Hokkien and kué in Teochew (known as guǒ in Mandarin) refer 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, Brunei, and Singapore; kueh (the pre-1972 spelling of kuih) is used in Singapore and Indonesia; kue is used in Indonesia only; and all three refer to sweet or savoury desserts.

Similar snacks are found throughout Southeast Asia, including the Burmese mont, Filipino kakanin, Thai khanom and Vietnamese bánh. For example, the colourful steamed kue lapis and the rich kuih bingka ubi are also available in Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam albeit with each country localised name and ingredients.

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 and Chinese New Year. Many kuih are sweet, but some are savoury.