Desserts
Kuih Kosui (Palm Sugar Steamed Kuih)
Whisk tapioca flour and rice flour into a pandan-scented palm sugar syrup with a little alkaline water, steam in a tin for 35-40 minutes, cool completely, then cut into diamonds and roll in salted steamed coconut; makes 16.
Kuih kosui is a soft, bouncy steamed kuih with the deep caramel flavour of gula melaka (palm sugar). The dark amber cake is cut into diamonds and rolled in lightly salted fresh coconut, which balances the sweetness. A mix of tapioca flour and rice flour gives the springy, slightly translucent texture, and a few drops of alkaline water (air abu) make it extra chewy. It needs very little work, but it must cool completely before cutting.
- Serves 16
- Prep: 20 min + cooling
- Cook: 45 min
- Total: 1 hr 5 min + cooling
- Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients
Kuih
- 150 g palm sugar (gula melaka), chopped
- 50 g brown sugar
- 500 ml water
- 3 pandan leaves, tied in a knot
- 100 g tapioca flour
- 50 g rice flour
- 1/2 tsp alkaline water (air abu)
- 1 tsp cooking oil, for the tin
Coconut coating
- 150 g fresh grated coconut, white part only
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 pandan leaf
Method
- Put the palm sugar, brown sugar, 250 ml of the water and the pandan leaves in a pot and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Strain and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Oil an 18 cm (7 in) square cake tin and put it in the steamer to heat for 5 minutes.
- Whisk the tapioca flour and rice flour with the other 250 ml water until smooth. Whisk in the warm palm sugar syrup and the alkaline water, then strain the batter.
- Stir the batter well, as the flour settles, and pour it into the hot tin.
- Cover the steamer lid with a cloth so water does not drip onto the kuih. Steam over medium heat for 35–40 minutes, until the kuih is set, glossy and slightly translucent all the way through.
- Leave it to cool completely, at least 3 hours, or it will not cut cleanly.
- Meanwhile, mix the grated coconut and salt, put it on a plate with the pandan leaf and steam for 5 minutes. Let it cool.
- Cut the kuih with an oiled knife into 16 diamonds or squares and roll each piece in the coconut.
Tips
- Alkaline water: it gives the classic bounce. Without it the kuih is softer and less chewy, but still good.
- Small cups: steam the batter in 16 small greased kuih cups for 15–20 minutes, then turn out and top with coconut.
- Storage: eat on the day, as fresh coconut spoils quickly. Uncoated kuih keeps for 1 day at room temperature, covered.
Questions
What is kuih kosui?
A soft, bouncy Malaysian steamed kuih flavoured with palm sugar (gula melaka), cut into pieces and coated in lightly salted grated coconut.
What does alkaline water do in kuih kosui?
Alkaline water (air abu) gives the kuih its springy, chewy texture. Without it the kuih is softer but still tasty.
Why is my kuih kosui hard to cut?
It has not cooled enough. Leave it for at least 3 hours and cut it with an oiled knife.
How long does kuih kosui keep?
Eat it on the day, since fresh coconut spoils quickly. Uncoated kuih keeps covered at room temperature for 1 day.
Is this kuih kosui halal?
The recipe is pork-free and lists no alcohol, and it uses only plant ingredients. It is not halal-certified, so check the labels on the palm sugar and alkaline water if that matters to you.
A Dada Cooking original recipe. Quantities are metric first, with US amounts in brackets.