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Seri Muka is an amazing Malaysian kuih (sweet cake) made of glutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar and pandan leaves. Seri Muka is a dainty and yummy dessert.
Seri Muka Recipe
It’s been a while since I posted Malaysian recipes. Malaysia is a small country and when it comes to a country’s cuisine, there is a limit to the number of recipes available.
Unfortunately Malaysia is not China, which has unlimited list of regional Chinese recipes that will probably take a very long time to cover.
I still cook Malaysian food and my ultimate food love will always be Malaysian food, nothing will ever change that.
However, I have to save some Malaysian recipes for the future, if and when I publish a Malaysian cookbook. So for now, please bear with me with fewer Malaysian recipes on the site.
One of my favorite Malaysian food is the wide array of local sweet cakes or desserts called “kuih” (click the link to view all kuih recipes).
My late grandmother was a legendary kuih maker and I grew up watching her and my late aunt making trays upon trays of different types of kuih.
They were always colorful, dainty, delightful and absolutely delicious.
I have to be honest, it wasn’t until much older than I learned to appreciate my family’s kuih and the sweet cakes from our culture.
Today I have my contributor Siew Loon back with a popular kuih recipe: Seri Muka.
Seri Muka is a Malay and Nyonya kuih made of glutinous rice and pandan leaves.
They are so pretty, with natural green color and cut into small pieces.
More importantly, seri muka is absolutely delightful—sweet, laden with coconut milk, with a nice sticky texture.
They go extremely well with a cup of coffee in the morning, or as an afternoon snack.
Siew Loon learned this seri muka recipe from her friend Helen, who selflessly taught her to make this ever tasty sweet cake.
It takes about an hour to make seri muka but the end result is rewarding.
If you love kuih, you have to try this easy and amazing recipe.
Looking for more Nyonya kuih recipes? Check out my Kuih Dadar (Kuih Ketayap) recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is only 115 calories per piece.
What To Serve With Seri Muka
Serve this dish with a cup of coffee or tea. For a Malaysian or Nyonya-themed afternoon tea, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Seri Muka
Ingredients
For Bottom Layer:
- 300 g glutinous rice, soak for 30 minutes in water
- 200 ml thin coconut milk, 100 ml coconut milk plus 100 ml water
- 2 pandan leaves, optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
For Top Layer:
- 200 ml thick coconut milk , or coconut cream
- 2 large eggs , plus 2 egg yolks
- 170 g sugar
- 100 ml pandan juice, from 8-10 pandan leaves
- 5 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the bottom layer and steam on high heat for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the top layer by mixing the eggs, coconut milk, sugar, pandan juice, and flour together. Stir until smooth. Cook over boiling water using the double boiler method until the mixture thickens slightly but remains runny enough to pour.
- After 20 minutes, take out the glutinous rice mixture, stir it, and flatten it with a spoon or your hands to ensure it is compact. Use a sieve to pour the egg mixture over the rice mixture.
- Steam on medium heat for 30 minutes. Let cool before cutting the Seri Muka into diamond-shaped or rectangular pieces
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
i love this Kuih Seri Muka… will make this very soon! Btw, your Kuih looks so beautiful and yummy!
I love this food in Malaysia and was excited to try it at home in the UK. I couldn’t find any pandan leaves but used pandan paste and mixed it up to 100ml as per the bottles instructions. The recipe worked well with the pandan paste instead of leaves. I’m looking forward to making it again. Thank you! :)
Worked first time for us. My wife is from Singapore, and she knows how to make SERI MUKA now!
Yum.
In the UK, we now can buy most things in ‘Asian Supermarket’ but specialist foods from home in Malaysia and Singapore and Thailand, can be found at this online store. Excellent service, and wwe have used them recently to buy pandan leaves and other goods.
Abu Bakar
http://www.malaysianfoodsupermarket.uk/
I just made the Sri Muka and it was fantastic. Thank you for the right measurements. In Switzerland you can’t go round the corner and buy a Malaysian dessert for tea.
Even though I used gluten free flour it turned out perfect.
Thanks for trying the seri muka recipe Esther!
Hey what could I use to replace the coconut due to allergies?
Hmm there is none.
Try liquid heavy cream with appropriate dilution. It does not taste like that made with coconut cream though. However, if you have an allergy to coconut, this would be better than nothing. The coconut cream provides the traditional flavor but if you have never had the original flavor than this will be a new gastronomic adventure.
Hi. I couldn’t get a smooth nice surface after steaming. Is there anything I can do to make the surface smooth and shiny like urs?
wow very beautiful design..
can U give this dish recipe?
As others have asked, can you explain the steaming method please? Is this a ban Marie in the oven? I’ve just got back from a visit to Penang and have fallen in love with pandan and nasi lemak. My friend (also called Bee!) recommended your website for all my Malaysian cravings!
Hi, can i know what is the purpose of adding extra 2 egg yolk? will it be too eggy taste? Thanks
No it won’t.
I’ll definitely will try this one…can I substitute ube instead of pandan ( I’m not actually a huge fan of pandan, ube is my favorite) ?
You can.