Kuih Seri Muka (Kueh Salat) (I)

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Kueh Salat is a 2-layer kueh. Glutinous rice is steamed with coconut milk to make a firm bottom layer. The top custard layer, made with eggs and coconut milk, is sweet, soft, smooth and rich.

Traditionally, the rice layer is coloured with blue pea flowers. The custard layer is coloured with pandan leaves, which also adds a floral fragrance.

Sadly, blue pea flowers are rarely used nowadays. And pandan leaves may be replaced with manmade pandan essence.

Homemade kueh salat is fairly straightforward. There’re just 2 points I’d like to highlight.

To get beautiful kueh salat, the rice must be hot when the custard layer is added. Otherwise, the 2 layers won’t stick together.

During the second round of steaming, the heat should be gentle. High heat would overcook the custard, making the texture rough and the surface uneven.

So long as you pay attention to these 2 points, your kueh salat will be as beautiful as it’s other name. Kueh salat is also called kuih seri muka, which means beautiful face kuih.

Kueh Salat (Kuih Seri Muka)

This recipe is adapted from "Cooking for the President" with some minor changes. The custard layer is sweet, smooth, soft and rich. The slightly salty glutinous rice layer is less rich and nicely chewy. The 2 layers complement each other perfectly in texture and taste.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Malaysia, Singapore
Servings 12
Calories 205 kcal

Ingredients
  

Rice layer

  • 250 g glutinous rice
  • 5 young pandan leaves rinse, drain, cut to fit pan
  • 125 ml water
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 125 ml undiluted freshly squeezed coconut milk
  • 50 fresh bunga telang (blue pea flowers) pound, strain, discard pulp

Custard layer

  • 5 eggs
  • 100 g young light green pandan leaves
  • 150 g undiluted fresh coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 115 g sugar
  • 90 g water

Instructions
 

Rice layer

  • Whisk eggs thoroughly. Sieve. Set aside.
    5 eggs
  • Wash pandan leaves. Cut ½ cm long. Blend with coconut milk. Strain to yield 150 g liquid. Discard pandan pulp. Add flour, salt, sugar and water to liquid to coconut milk. Set aside.
    100 g young light green pandan leaves, 150 g undiluted fresh coconut milk, 2 tbsp plain flour, 1/8 tsp salt, 115 g sugar, 90 g water
  • Wash glutinous rice. Drain thoroughly.
    250 g glutinous rice
  • Line 18 x 18 x 5 cm cake pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang. Spread half of rice in pan evenly. Top with pandan leaves, then remaining rice. Add water and sprinkle with salt. Steam 10 minutes over rapidly boiling water. Drizzle with coconut milk. Mix thoroughly. Steam 20 minutes. Discard pandan leaves. Drizzle with bunga telang juice, unevenly. Steam 5 more minutes.
    5 young pandan leaves, 125 ml water, 1/2 tsp salt, 125 ml undiluted freshly squeezed coconut milk, 50 fresh bunga telang (blue pea flowers)
  • Check that rice is cooked. If it isn't, drizzle with 1 tbsp water and steam a few minutes till it's cooked but not mushy. Toss to mix the colours slightly. Press into an even, compact layer with a wet spatula or spoon. Cover and steam another 5 minutes.
  • When rice is almost ready, cook coconut milk mixture over medium heat till gently simmering, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Pour half slowly into whisked eggs, stirring to mix eggs and coconut milk evenly. Add egg mixture to remaining coconut milk. Cook combined mixture over low heat, scraping bottom and sides of pot to prevent lumps, till slightly thickened.
  • When rice is cooked, pour custard onto rice. Reduce heat to lowest possible. Keep steaming water just below boiling point, with the steamer's cover slightly ajar if necessary. Steam till custard is just set in the middle, 35-45 minutes depending on steaming temperature and thickness of custard before steaming.
  • Test custard by inserting skewer in the middle and wriggling slightly (the skewer, not you). If skewer comes out clean, kueh is done.
  • Remove kueh to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely and set, 3 hours or so. Unmould by lifting parchment paper, onto a chopping board. Cut kueh with an oiled knife, scraping knife clean after each cut. Discard parchment paper. Serve within 2-3 hours, or refrigerate (up to 2-3 days) to keep kueh from spoiling.

Notes

Rice layer must be hot and moist when custard is added. Otherwise, the 2 layers won’t stick together.