Traditional steamed cake/kue/kuih made with mashed pumpkin or squash with a soft yet bouncy texture coated in grated coconut and just lightly sweetened. It is naturally gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free.
You can use fresh pumpkin or canned pumpkin to make this recipe. If you use fresh pumpkin, cut them into wedges with the skin on and then steam for 20 minutes or until you can easily pierce with a fork and mash. Remove the skin
Prepare cake batter:
Bring the water in the steamer to a boil. Put the cooked pumpkin/squash and the rest of the ingredients, except for the toppings in a blender or a food processor. Process into a smooth fine consistency
Pour this into an oiled 7 or 8-inch round pan or 6 or 7-inch square pan.
Steam the cake:
Place the pan inside the steamer. Wrap the lid with a cloth to prevent water condensation from dropping on the cake surface. Steam over medium heat setting for 45 minutes or until the surface is not sticky when you touch it. A toothpick test won't be accurate as it will be sticky when it's warm
If there is a bit of liquid pooling on the surface of the cake at the end of the steaming time, simply pour off the liquid and let it cool down after that
Cool down the cake:
Let the cake cool down completely for 4-5 hours or overnight before cutting
Assembling:
Place the grated coconut and salt in a bowl and steam over medium heat for 10 minutes. Let it cool down completely
The kueh can be easily unmolded from the pan as it pulls away from the pan. Simply run a spatula around the edges to loosen and turn the pan upside down and the kueh will plop right down. Use a plastic knife or plastic bench scraper to cut into desired serving size and coat each piece in grated coconut
Serving:
Serve the kueh on the same day. Leftovers need to be kept in an air-tight container and store in the fridge for about 3 days. The texture remains soft and bouncy even after refrigeration. The kueh is usually served at room temperature, but it actually nice to eat it cold, especially in a hot summer day
Notes
If you use canned pumpkin, which is usually firmer in texture and less watery, use 250 gr of coconut milk instead