Kueh Salat (Kuih Seri Muka)

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This must be an all-time favourite kueh among the Perankans (Nyonya) – Kueh Salat or Kuih Seri Muka by another name.

Those that you get from shops are usually made with artificial green colouring to enhance the top layer. As for this recipe, I’ve used a lot of pandan (screwpine) leaves to get a deep rich green colour without any artificial food dye, as you will see in my YouTube video.

The blue colour that you also see in the bottom layer of this kueh is from the Bunga Telang (Blue Pea flower). This blue colour is another natural colouring commonly used in nyonya kueh and desserts. The pandan and blue pea flower extracts also enhance the flavour of the kueh and give it a delightful and aromatic fragrance.

In the video below, I will show you how to obtain a smooth top layer for this kueh and how to cut it neatly. Hope that you will give this recipe a try.

To make this very popular kueh, click on the video tutorial and print out the recipe below.

Thank you

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/PCCf39cF7uE

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Kueh Salat (Kuih Seri Muka)
Course: Snack
Author: Shiokman Eddie
Ingredients
BOTTOM LAYER
  • 400 g glutinous rice
  • 40-50 blue pea flowers bunga telang (soak in 100 ml water)
  • 250 ml santan (150 ml thick coconut milk with 100 ml water)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Pandan leaves optional
TOP LAYER
  • 3 large eggs 70 g
  • 150 g sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 400 ml thin santan (200 ml thick coconut milk with 200 ml water)
  • 100 ml pandan water (from 30 pandan leaves with 100 ml water)
  • 90 g plain flour
  • 45 g tapioca flour
Instructions
BOTTOM LAYER
  1. Wash glutinous rice to remove excess starch and soak for at least 2 hrs
  2. Wash about 40-50 dried flowers and boil in 100 ml of water
  3. After water has turned dark blue, let it stand for an hour before squeezing out 100 ml dark blue water
  4. Add 100 ml water to 150 ml thick coconut milk to make 250 ml thin santan
  5. Add 1 tsp salt to thin santan and mix well
  6. Drain out the water from the soaked glutinous rice
  7. Lightly spray a 24 cm round pan with oil
  8. Transfer drained glutinous rice into pan
  9. Arrange some pandan leaves (optional)
  10. Pour the thin santan (coconut milk) all over
  11. Ensure the rice is thoroughly covered by the thin santan
  12. Place pan of rice in a steamer and steam for 20 mins.
  13. Thereafter, remove pandan leaves
  14. Fluff up the rice; and pour blue pea flower water (in patches) over it
  15. Fluff up the rice again and steam for another 10 mins
  16. Remove pan from steamer and press the rice flat until it is well compressed.
  17. Set it aside
TOP LAYER
  1. Cut 30 pandan leaves into small pieces and blend in water.
  2. Sieve out pandan juice and set it aside.
  3. When measuring 100 ml of pandan juice, pour off diluted layer and use the thicker pandan paste/juice to obtain darker green colour for the kueh.
  4. If possible, this step should be done 1 or 2 days earlier.
  5. Add 1/4 tsp salt to 400 ml thin santan (i.e. 200 ml thick coconut milk with 200 ml water)
  6. Add 150 g sugar to 3 Large eggs and mix well
  7. Add 400 ml thin santan and mix well
  8. Add 100 ml pandan juice a little at a time (checking colour) and mix well
  9. Sieve 90 g plain flour and 45 g tapioca flour into pandan mixture and mix well
  10. Sieve out the mixture to ensure smooth consistency
  11. Stir sieved mixture over low heat until it thickens slightly
  12. Once mixture sticks to back of spoon, it’s ready
FINAL STEPS
  1. Heat up the compressed glutinous rice in the steamer
  2. Slowly pour the pandan mixture over it
  3. Wrap steamer lid with cloth and leave the lid slightly ajar by placing a chopstick in between lid and steamer (to achieve a smooth surface for the kueh)
  4. Steam over medium heat for 30 to 45 mins
  5. The kueh is ready once top layer firms up; and skewer inserted into centre of top layer comes out clean
  6. Remove pan from steamer and let it cool for at least 4 hrs before cutting
  7. Use a plastic scraper or plastic knife to get a smooth cut
Recipe Notes
  1. Kueh Salat is best eaten within 1 or 2 days.
  2. If kept in fridge, steam kueh to soften it before eating.

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