Learn how to make this popular steamed rice cake or known as kueh tutu in Singapore and Malaysia without the tutu mold. The soft and fluffy kueh tutu are filled with coconut and gula Melaka.
80grgula Melakashaved/grated, you can use coconut sugar too
50grfresh grated coconutthaw if you use frozen
¼tspsalt
1bladepandan leaves
Instructions
Cut banana leaves into 8-10 pieces of 3 x 3 inches square
Prepare the rice flour:
Put the rice flour on a steaming plate or you can line your steamer with banana leaves and put the flour on top. Cut pandan leaves into smaller pieces and tuck them inside the flour to impart some flavor. Wrap the lid of your steamer with a cloth so no water will drop on the flour. Steam over medium heat for 25 minutes
Remove from the steamer and let it cools down completely. The steaming process add some hydration to the flour and also to get rid of the "raw" taste of the rice flour
Prepare the filling:
Prepare the topping by mixing the grated coconut, pandan leaf and salt and steam for 5 minutes over medium heat. Let it cool down while you prepare other thing
Prepare the rice mixture:
Get the steamer ready with some water on high heat. Place the cooled-down steamed rice flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Adding the water a little bit at a time. I can't stress enough the importance of not dumping the water all at once. Continue until you use up most of the water (or all). The flour mixture should feel "damp" and you will see some large and small lumps
Use a strainer to strain the mixture and you will get fine granules. They should feel airy and powdery. DO NOT press on this mixture
Shaping:
Since I don't have any special kueh tutu mold, I use the egg tart molds (the ones used to make Chinese egg tarts). If you don't have that, you can use any small bowl or cup
Use a spoon to lightly scoop some rice flour mixture into the mold, about 1/2 filled. Again, do not press on this mixture. Lightly scoop some gula Melaka and grated coconut. Lightly scoop more rice flour mixture to cover. Use your finger to gently level off any excess flour without pressing on it. It is very important not to press on the flour mixture at any time. This will make a dense rubbery steamed rice cake
Cover the top with one piece of banana leave square you cut earlier and gently invert with the mold still on top, put this directly in the steamer. Then gently remove the mold. This lessens the chance of the rice flour mixture from falling apart or getting out of shape because the mixture is "loose". Repeat with the rest
Steaming:
Wrap the lid of your steamer with a cloth to prevent water condensation from dripping into the cake. I can put in 4-5 pieces of kueh tutu in the steamer at one go. Turn on the stove to high heat and start counting the time when the water in the steamer comes to a boil and lower the heat to medium. You can also cover all the kueh tutu with a piece of muslin cloth or cheesecloth over them. This helps to prevent the cake from drying out during steaming. Steam for 10 minutes over medium heat (if you make larger thicker cake, it may take longer to steam). Do not overcook or the kueh tutu will turn dry and will crack on top
Remove from the steamer and serve them when they are still warm. They are the best right out from the steamer. The texture is very light and airy
I do not recommend storing these cakes for the next day as the texture of the cake tends to be drier even after reheating