Steamed Rainbow Tapioca/Cassava Kuih (Kueh Ubi Kayu)
Course: Kue
Cuisine: Indonesian, Malaysian, Singaporean
Prep Time: 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 1 hourhour
Total Time: 1 hourhour20 minutesminutes
Servings: 12servings (7 inch round or 6-inch square)
Calories: 287kcal
Author: Marvellina
Grated tapioca/cassava and coconut milk mixture are colored and steamed to give you a super easy and beautiful rainbow steamed kuih. The cake is naturally gluten-free and vegan.
I used frozen grated tapioca. Thaw before using and squeeze out excess water as much as you can
If you use fresh tapioca root, you may want to start with about 1 to 1.2 kg of the root before peeling. Grate the tapioca and then squeeze out excess water as much as you can
Mix the grated tapioca with the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. It will be a wet batter
Divide the batter into 6 equal parts and put a few drop of food gel or food coloring of your choice. For rainbow I use pink/red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The intensity of the color depends on how many drops you put. I just want a nice pastel color, nothing too intense
Layering:
Bring the water in the steamer to a boil. Oil the pan on all sides. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Spread the first layer, which is pink/red and use the back of the spoon to make it level. Gently spoon the second layer, take care not to press or pack it down, just gently spread it on top and level the surface out with the back of the spoon. Continue with the third layer up to the sixth layer
Steaming:
Put the pan in the steamer and steam over medium heat for 1 hour. The cake will appear to be very soft. Let it cools down completely in the pan. Do not attempt to cut until it has cooled down completely, which may take 3-4 hours
Serving:
Loosen the sides of the cake and then carefully remove from the pan and cut into the size you want using a plastic knife or knife rubbed with some oil to prevent sticking
Store:
The tapioca kuih can be stored in an air-tight container for 1-2 days at room temperature if it's not humid where you are. If humidity is high, keep them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to one week. They may harden after refrigeration because of the coconut milk. Simply reheat in a microwave for a few seconds until just warm
Notes
If you are using fresh tapioca root, be sure to get about 1000-1200 grams of tapioca. The 900 gr weight is for already peeled and the hard cores removed.