Kuih Ang Koo(Tortoise Shaped Rice Cakes Filled With Sweet Mung Bean)

Photo: Sudha

Ingredients

Filling:

250 grams skinless green bean/mung bean

200 grams sugar

A pinch of salt

5 tablespoons oil

Started dough

50 gm flour

30 grams sugar

4 oz water

Orange red colouring

Dough

250 grams glutinous flour

6 ounces water

2 tablespoons oil

Banana leaf, cut into rectangles to place the ang koo

Extra oil for brushing

Preparation

To make filling:

Prepare a day ahead:

Wash and soak the green bean for 2 hours.

Steam over rapidly boiling water for 20-30mins.

When cool, make into a paste with your hand.

The bean will be easy to handle after steaming and breaks easily with your hands.

Transfer the paste into a pot, add in salt,sugar and oil and stir continuously in low heat until the filling comes together.

Cool before shaping into marble size balls.

Refrigerate to use the next day.

Starter dough

Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and cook (for about 5mins)over low flame.

Stirring at all times. In between take the saucepan from heat and keep stirring and place back on heat to cook further.

This method prevents the dough from burning or cuddling up fast .

Work until the dough comes together.

Cool.

Combine the starter dough with glutinous flour, orange colouring ,add in oil and mix with hand to combine the ingredients.

Slowly pour in water to combine the dough until they bind together.

You will get a smooth dough.

Cover with a towel to prevent skin forming on the dough.

To mould, flatten dough ball and place filling in the center.

Wrap the dough evenly and shape into a ball again.

Press the dough into a lightly floured mould .

Knock gently to dislodge the ang koo.

Flour the mould each time before placing the dough to make into shape.

Lightly oil a piece of banana leaf and place the ang koo on it.

Repeat until you use up the dough.

Steam the ang koo kuihs in medium heat for 4 to 5mins in rapid boiling water.

Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to prevent the steam to fall on the kuihs.

Lift the lid every 2 mins or so to de pressurise ,this is to prevent the kuihs from expanding and erasing the design on the kuihs.

Remove from the steamer and brush each kuihs with oil to have a glossy look and also to prevent it from sticking .

When cool, trim the banana leaf neatly around the kuihs.

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About

Ang koo kuih,, is a small round or oval shaped Chinese pastry with soft sticky skin and fillings in the centre. The oval shaped Ang ku kuih, is designed to resemble a tortoise shell. Oval or round, the Ang ku kuih, rests on a square piece of banana leaf.
Ang koo kuih, is usually red in color as suggested by its name literally translated as “red tortoise cake” Despite the color definition in the name, other common colors include yellow, grey, and green. The colors indicate the type of fillings inside the pastry. Traditional filings include bean paste, sesame, pandan and peanut. New flavors like durian have emerged reflecting manufacturer’s continuous innovation to incorporate popular tastes.
Tortoise symbolizes longevity and when the Ang koo kuih is shaped like a tortoise shell, it creates a high symbolic and ritual value.
Stained with a bright red/orange ,this is a sweet prepared on auspicious occasion.It is especially made for celebrations such as birthdays and baby’s full moon.It is also popular as an altar table offering.The bean filled kuih is common to all the Chinese dialect groups,but is especially linked to the hokkiens .They are formed in wooden moulds to resemble the shell of a tortoise(koo) ,the Chinese symbol of longevity and prosperity.Nowadayz the moulds can be bought plastic made and has different type of design.The fillings also varies to suit the taste of the people.