Kuih Kaswi

Kuih Kaswi (Steamed Coconut Rice Cake)

A traditional Malay kuih made from rice flour and pandan-infused coconut milk, served with a fragrant palm sugar syrup. This recipe is adapted for home steaming since most kitchens lack the traditional deep-sided copper wok.

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Total

45 min

Serves

8

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •200 g (7 oz (about 1½ cups)) rice flour
• •30 g (¼ cup) tapioca flour (starch)
• •500 ml (2 cups) thin coconut milk, first press; santan cair
• •250 ml (1 cup) thick coconut milk, second press; santan pekat
• •3 g (3 leaves) pandan leaves, knotted; sub ½ tsp pandan extract if unavailable
• •1 tsp salt
• •150 g (¾ cup packed) gula melaka (palm sugar), chopped; sub dark muscovado if needed
• •60 ml (¼ cup) water
• •2 pandan (2 leaves) extra pandan leaves for syrup, knotted

Steps

1. 1 Grease a 20 cm (8 in) round steaming pan or cake tin lightly with oil and line the base with a piece of banana leaf (optional, but traditional).
2. 2 In a mixing bowl, whisk together the rice flour and tapioca flour.
3. 3 In a saucepan, combine the thin coconut milk, salt, and 3 knotted pandan leaves. Heat over medium until just steaming and small bubbles form at the edge (do not boil). Remove pandan.
4. 4 Pour the hot coconut milk slowly into the flour mixture, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Whisk until completely smooth, then strain through a fine sieve to remove any remaining lumps.
5. 5 Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Steam over rapidly boiling water, covered, for 25–30 minutes. Test with a skewer: it should come out clean or with just moist crumbs, and the surface should look translucent and spring back when pressed.
6. 6 Meanwhile, make the syrup: combine the palm sugar, 60 ml water, and 2 knotted pandan leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer 5–7 minutes until the sugar is fully dissolved and the syrup coats the back of a spoon. Remove pandan and keep warm.
7. 7 In a separate small pot, warm the thick coconut milk over low heat for 3–4 minutes until just steaming; do not let it boil or it will split. Season with a pinch of salt.
8. 8 To serve, cut the kuih into diamonds or squares. Spoon the warm palm sugar syrup generously over each piece, then drizzle with a little warm coconut cream. Traditionally eaten warm as a snack or dessert.