Pandan Angku Kuih

I've never thought of making Angku Kuih or Red Tortoise Cake simply because it's so readily available in my daily market place.  But there have been so many posts of this traditional kuih by my fellow food bloggers and  they look so cute and beautiful that I just cannot resist the temptation of not trying my hands at it.

I must admit that making this kuih can be rather tedious and the amount of work can really make your head spin.  But if you prepare the mung bean filling a day ahead, then it does help to lighten your work quite a fair bit.  For all the  effort, these Pandan Angku Kuih came out beautifully.  To see how the kuih will be like the next day, I kept some in a container at room temperature.  To my surprise the skin of the kuih stayed soft till late the next day.  I didn't have to steam them again.  All I can say is that my efforts paid off handsomely and I'm so pleased.  Now, I've no qualms  experimenting this Angku Kuih with different flavours :)

 

Recipe for Pandan Angku Kuih

Ingredients for the Filling

• 160 gm split mung beans
• 100 gm sugar
• 3  Tbsp vegetable oil
• Pandan/Screwpine leaves
Method   (This can be prepared a day ahead.  Keep refrigerated till ready for use)

1. Soak mung beans for about 4 hours.  Drain, wash, drain again.
2. Steam soaked mung beans with 2 pieces of Pandan leaves for 20 mins. or till soft.
3. Mash the beans, add in sugar, oil, mix well and blend till smooth.
4. Fry in a non-stick pan, stirring continously, till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and can hold its shape.  Leave to cool.  Divide and roll into balls.
Ingredients for Skin
(A)  Pre-prepared dough

• 150 gm glutinous rice flour
• 125 ml water
Mix the above till it forms into a ball of dough.  Keep covered and refrigerate overnight.
 (B)

• 50 to 60 gm of Pandan/Screwpine leaves, cut to small pieces
• 100 ml water
• 2.1/4 tsp rice flour
• 40 gm glutinous rice flour
• 1  Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2  tsp caster sugar
• 100 gm mashed sweet potatoes
• Banana leaves to cut into pieces slightly bigger than the shape of the mould.
Method

1. Blend the Pandan leaves with the 100ml water to get 60 ml pandan juice.
2. Mix Pandan juice with rice flour, oil and sugar.  Mix till smooth.  Cook over low heat, stirring to make a smooth paste.
3. Peel, cut and steam 150 gm sweet potatoes for about  15  mins.  or  till soft.  Mash to yield 100 gm.sweet potato paste.
4. Add the green Pandan paste and continue mashing till the paste is smooth.  Add the glutinous rice flour dough made the day before.  Mix in 40 gm of glutinous rice flour and knead thoroughly till well combined and doesn't stick to the hand.  (Add this sparingly, you may not need the whole amount).
5. Weigh and roll the dough into balls.
To assemble the Angku Kuih

1. Lightly dust the mould with rice flour, flatten the ball of dough, place a piece of filling.  Wrap up and roll gently till round, dusting with rice flour if too damp.  Press into the mould and knock out the kuih.
2. Place the kuih onto a piece of lightly greased Banana leaf.
3. Heat up a steamer and steam the kuih on medium heat, 3 mins. for the mini  kuih and 6 mins. for the normal size kuih.  Remove from steamer and immediately brush the kuih with some oil.
4. Yield :  8 mini kuih - 15 gm dough + 15 gm filling.  8 normal size kuih - 50 gm dough + 50 gm filling.







I'm linking this post to the Little Thumbs Up "Pandan' event organised by 
Bake for Happy Kids, my little favourite DIY and hosted by  Butter, Flour & Me.





I'm also taking this opportuniy to wish all my readers and friends a wonderful and joyous Mid-Autumn Mooncake Festival!