Turtle-shaped Rice Cakes/Ang Ku Kuih

Ang Ku Kuih is a Malay word for small bite-sized sweet tea cakes or snacks. They are usually made by hand using molds of intricate designs or roll and wrapped with banana leaves. Ang Ku Kuih (红龟糕) is a small red oval shaped Chinese steamed cake with soft mung bean fillings in the center. The oval shaped Ang ku kuih, (红龟糕) is designed to resemble a tortoise shell which signifies longevity to the Chinese tradition. They are usually served during religious events, birthdays, and the birth of a child. You can easily buy these molds in Malaysia, or simply roll it into an oval or round shape and create your own design. This is a tribute to my late mother who had made this and other kuih everyday for years to sell in the market as another source of income to feed her large family.
Skin ingredients: (makes about 1/ 1/2 dozens)
300 gms glutinous rice flour
200 gms potato flour/starch (or same amount of sweet potato, steamed and mashed)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
¾ cup warm water
2 tsp. pandan essense
2 tsp. red coloring
1 tsp. sugar
1 sheet banana leaf, cut into several oval shapes
Ang Ku mold
Steamer
Fillings ingredients:
1 packet (14 oz) split mung beans (without skin)
150 gm sugar
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Method:
1. Wash and soak mung beans overnight to soften. Drain well and steam mung beans with pandan leaf for about 20-30 minutes or until soft. Mash finely and set aside.
2. In a pot, mix mashed beans, sugar and oil and cook over medium heat. Stir continuously until mixture is thick and almost dry. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, rub some oil in your palm and roll them into small golf sized balls. (You can also use a teaspoon to spoon the filling into the dough).

3. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients, mashed potato (if used), and sugar together. Mix the pandan essense, oil, red coloring and 1/2 of the water together in a small bowl. Add this to the flour mixture. Mix and knead the mixture to form pliable dough, by adding little water at a time if necessary. Cover with cloth and set aside.

4. Brush the mold with some oil and dust with some rice flour. Shake off excess flour. Take a small amount of dough and flatten to a round, put a ball of the filing in the center. Wrap skin over and close back to a ball making sure the filling is concealed. Press it into the mold and lightly tap it on the table to remove. Place it on a banana leaf. Do the same with the rest of the dough and fillings. Trim around the raw dough before steaming.

5. Fill a steamer with water and steam the kuih on the top rack for 10-15 minutes. Set aside and brush lightly with some oil on top.

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