This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.
Over the Thansgiving holidays, Siew Loon (the long-time contributor of Nyonya Food) came to visit me in Southern California. It was fun and we had a great time chatting about Nyonya food and heritage, not mentioning eating out and shopping to our heart’s content.
Please check out Siew Loon’s recipe for Angku, or literally red tortoise cake, which is an iconic Nyonya Kuih, especially in Penang.
Happy New Year to all the wondeful readers. The craving for good Nyonya Kuih has prompted me to make some Angku and Kuih Kochi over the New Year holidays.
It turned out so well that I thought I should share it with our Nyonya Food readers and maybe you can try making it for the coming Lunar New Year as Angku is widely used in Chinese prayers.
Angku is a small dark orange oval nyonya delicacy which is made with glutinous rice flour wrapped with green bean filling. Angku has a high ritual value and it is commonly used for Chinese prayers and served during baby full moon parties.
Angku has a sticky sweet texture but it is really nice if you eat it with a cup of Chinese tea. It’s even better overnight as you can pan-fry the leftover until the skin of the angku becomes golden brown.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 402 calories per serving.
What to Serve with This Recipe?
There are many types of kuih in Malaysia. If you wish to try making kuih at home, I recommend the following recipes.
For more great recipes like this, sign up for our newsletter. We’ll send daily recipes you’ll love!
Sign up for our newsletter!
Angku Kuih (Red Tortoise Cake)
Ingredients
Green Bean Filling
- 300 g split green bean, washed and soaked for 6 hours
- 200 g fine sugar
- 4 tablespoons oil
Angku skin
- 1/8 teaspoon Wilton orange coloring
- 200 g wheat starch, Tung Mein Fun
- 150 g water
- 500 g boiling water
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 500 g glutinous rice flour
- 100 g mashed orange color sweet potato
- 250 g water
- 120 g cooking oil
To Make Angku
- 1 banana leaf (cut into rectangle to fit the angku mould)
- 3 tablespoons oil
Instructions
Green Bean Filling
- Steam green bean over boiling water for 30-40 minutes till soft.
- Blend or mashed green bean till become a paste.
- In a wok, combine green bean paste, sugar and oil. Stir on low medium heat till thick and do not stick to your hands.
- Cool it and shaped into 30 balls of about 20 g. (The size of filling will depend on the size of your mould).
Angku skin
- Mix coloring, wheat starch and water. Stir till blended.
- Add in boiling water and mix till smooth and become translucent.
- Add in sugar, glutinous rice flour, sweet potatoes and water gradually. Knead till combined.
- Slowly add in oil and keep on kneading till smooth and do not stick onto your hands.
To Make Angku
- Lightly grease the cut banana leaves with oil.
- Divide skin dough into 30 pieces. Flatten each dough into 1/4 inch thick and wrap the filling inside. Roll into a ball.
- Lightly dust the Angku mould with glutinous rice flour. Press the dough ball into the mould and lightly knock it out.
- Place Angku on the banana leaf.
- Steam over boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Brush the surface of the cooked Angku with oil to give it a glossy look.
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! They are so good! My family and I loved them! Would definitely make them again ?
Hi Bee, may I ask where you got your moulds from? Thank you!
You can buy the mould in Malaysia.
Thank you so much . It turned out well at the first try itself
Hi there,
I do not have orange color, can I skip it?
And what if I want mine in green? Do I still need to use the 100g mashed sweet potatoes or there is something I need to use to substitute it?
Thanks
Yes, just change color.
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! They are so good! My family and I loved them! Would definitely make them again ?
Awesome! Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Just asking, sure the amount of oil used is 120ml?
Yes, just follow the instructions.
Hi Bee, I have been looking for Angku recipe for a while. Thank you! Do you know where can I order the mold?
Thanks,
Hera
I am sharing My light bulb moment after my afternoon hot beverage drink.
Changed of new method of preparation of 4 new Flavours Ang Ku Kueh Ingredients.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGJ4oOIHwDc/?igshid=1vehqeawexia1
Thanks please try more recipes!