Desserts
Kuih Seri Muka (Pandan Custard Kuih)
Steam soaked glutinous rice with coconut milk, press it firmly, then pour a pandan, egg and coconut custard on top and steam gently until set; cool before cutting into 16 pieces.
Kuih seri muka is a two-layer Malaysian kuih: a firm base of glutinous rice steamed in coconut milk, topped with a smooth, bright green pandan custard. It is cut into diamonds and eaten at tea time. The trick is to press the rice firmly and steam the custard gently, so the layers stick together and the top stays smooth.
- Serves 16
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 1 hr 15 min
- Total: 6 hr 45 min
- Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients
Glutinous rice layer
- 400 g glutinous rice, soaked in water for at least 4 hours, then drained
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 pandan leaves, knotted
- 10 dried butterfly pea flowers, steeped in 3 tbsp hot water (optional, for blue patches)
Pandan custard layer
- 10 pandan leaves, cut into pieces
- 180 ml water
- 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) coconut milk
- 3 eggs
- 150 g (3/4 cup) sugar
- 40 g plain flour
- 30 g cornflour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Method
- Grease a 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 in) square tin. Mix the drained rice with the coconut milk, water and salt, pour it into the tin, tuck in the pandan leaves and steam over high heat for 30 minutes until the rice is soft.
- Remove the pandan leaves and stir the rice. For blue patches, drizzle the butterfly pea water over a few spots and fold lightly. Press the hot rice down very firmly with an oiled spoon or a small bowl into a flat, compact layer. Keep it hot.
- Blend the pandan leaves with the water and squeeze through a fine sieve or muslin. Measure 150 ml of pandan juice.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the flour, cornflour and salt, then the pandan juice and coconut milk until smooth. Strain the mixture.
- Cook the custard over low heat, stirring all the time, for 4–5 minutes until it is warm and just starting to thicken, like thin pouring cream. Do not let it boil.
- Prick the surface of the rice lightly with a fork. Pour the custard over and wrap the steamer lid in a cloth so water does not drip on the top.
- Steam over medium-low heat for 30–35 minutes until the custard is set and a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool completely for at least 4 hours before cutting with an oiled knife into 16 diamonds or squares.
Tips
- Layers sliding apart: the rice was not pressed firmly enough, or it cooled before the custard went on. Keep the rice hot and pressed flat.
- Smooth top: low heat and a cloth-wrapped lid stop bubbles and pockmarks in the custard.
- Pandan paste: if you have no fresh leaves, use 150 ml water with 1 tsp pandan paste, checking that it is alcohol-free.
- Storage: best eaten the same day at room temperature. It keeps for 2 days covered in the refrigerator; steam for 5 minutes to soften the rice again.
Questions
Why does the custard layer separate from the rice?
The rice was not pressed firmly enough or it had cooled. Press the hot rice into a flat, compact layer, prick it lightly and pour the custard on straight away.
How do I get a smooth top on seri muka?
Steam over medium-low heat and wrap the lid in a cloth so condensation does not drip on the custard.
Can I use pandan paste instead of fresh pandan leaves?
Yes. Mix 1 tsp pandan paste with 150 ml water, and check that the paste is alcohol-free.
How long does kuih seri muka keep?
It is best on the day it is made. It keeps for 2 days covered in the refrigerator; steam it for 5 minutes to soften the rice before eating.
Is this kuih seri muka halal?
The recipe is pork-free and lists no alcohol. It is not halal-certified: check that the coconut milk and any pandan paste carry halal certification and are alcohol-free.
A Dada Cooking original recipe. Quantities are metric first, with US amounts in brackets.