The word “kuih” will usually bring a smile to a child’s face in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, because it refers to goodies like snacks and desserts. (In Indonesia, the word is Kue)
But the truth is that kuihs also bring joy to adults, especially those with a sweet tooth or those who like to snack.
Kuihs are great for celebrations. We couldn’t celebrate Mother’s Day last year because of the Circuit Breaker (lockdown) measures. It’s good that we could celebrate Mother’s Day this year, but due to the restrictions on social gatherings, many people decided to celebrate at home.
Belinda, who has been following this blog from the beginning, sent a photo of the kuih pie tee which she had at home today. The pastry shells were bought, but the fillings were home-made. Kuih pie tee means “top hat snack”. It is an elegant finger food which befits the name. The main ingredient of the filling of kuih pie tee is turnip. Believe me, a crunchy kuih pie tee is a real treat.
Belinda also sent a photo of kuih dadar (coconut pancake roll) which she and Gina made. She is sharing the recipe with us.
Kuih Dadar
A. Batter
200 g plain flour
25 ml coconut or fresh milk
1 tbsp tapioca flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
1 tsp pandan essence
Mix the above and add 300 ml water
Pan fry using non-stick pan
B. Filling
250 grams of fresh grated coconut (kelapa parut asli)
Add water and sieve
2 pieces gula Melaka
Add salt to taste
Pan fry till dry
Wrap the filling with the pancake
As you can see, kuih can be savoury like kuih pie tee, or sweet like kuih dadar. Celebrations at home can be elegant occasions. The fine details and finishing touches define the occasion.
You can pay a fortune for flowers these days. Belinda’s Mother’s Day bouquet was from a sweet lady in Kovan market who arranged the flowers beautifully at a reasonable price. The movie My Fair Lady came to mind, in which Audrey Hepburn played the role of a flower seller in Covent Garden. It’s a movie most mothers will remember.
Simple elegance goes a long way and flowers speak volumes in any language.
Homskil would like to thank Belinda for her contribution and for adding beauty to this blog.
By Chayo, HomSkil Editor 1, 9 May 2021
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