Green Tea Seri Muka A Luscious Kuih That Will Have You Writing Poetry

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Oh for that sweet umami bite and chewy texture, we will do anything!  
Do you love Seri Muka Kuih? If you are reading this recipe, this confirms the depth of your devotion. In the Malay language, seri muka translates to “pretty face”.  This classic dessert has graced the tables of Malaysian families for centuries. The tender texture of glutinous rice and reliable richness of the pandan green custard is a staple for many. Here at Butterkicap, we like to take the occasional break to sample a slice of something indulgent – and this dessert is a firm and absolute favourite.
Popping a little green tea powder into your Seri Muka may sound new-fangled – what’s wrong with pandan juice, we hear you cry? Well, green tea powder is the surprising new best friend you never knew you had. Although its roots lie in Japan, like so many once little-known Asian ingredients, this humble hero had a slow path to prominence. Today, green tea is classified as one of the world’s best superfood for optimal health.
Our own version of Seri Muka kuih harks back to this dessert’s Malaysian roots.  Accordingly, we hope to add a dash of excitement to this classic recipe by blending some green tea powder into this popular favourite, typically made from santan, eggs, salt, sugar, pandan, kaya, flour and pulut rice. After some experimentation, we are pleased to say, it worked beautifully! Naysayers and non-believers, you can rest easy, this kuih will rise to meet your expectations. Selamat menjamu selera!
 
Ingredients Green Custard The secret ingredients for that addictive green custard.  
3 1/4 (100g) flour 3 teaspoons of Fulleaf Tea green tea powder (6 grams) 3 1/4 cups of sugar (135 grams) 2 1/4 cup of santan (288 grams) 3 small eggs 1 teaspoon kaya (topping)  
 
Pulut Rice (aka Glutinous Rice) Sticky rice made tasty with just a few ingredients.  
1 1/4 glutinous rice (1 measuring cup) – soak for one hour 1 teaspoon of salt for glutinous rice 1 cup of santan (230 grams) 8-inch tray (21 cm deep)  
Method 1. Spread pulut rice in a tray.
Pour the rice in and spread it out evenly.  
2. Add 1 1/2 salt to santan and stir.
Add 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt to santan and stir.  
 
3. Pour santan mix over rice. Level of santan should be just over the surface of the rice.
Fill up the tray with salty santan, make sure to cover all of the pulut rice.  
4. Steam pulut rice for 25 – 30 minutes. Remember to close the lid of your steamer.
Pop it into a steamer for 25 – 30 minutes.  
5. Take the tray out of the steamer. Press down the sticky pulut rice (so that the green custard will not seep through).
Wear gloves and use a spatula to gently press the pulut rice so that it becomes compact.  
6. Add 1 tablespoon hot water to the green tea powder and mix.
Green tea powder is easy to prepare.  
7. In a bowl, add flour, sugar, egg, salt, tea and santan.
Throw in the flour, sugar, egg, salt, green tea and santan.  
8. Mix well.
Use a whisk to mix everything in.  
9. Sieve mixture to remove any lumps of flour.
Use a sieve and a spoon to even out any flour lumps.  
10. Pour it all over steamed pulut rice.
Pour green custard mix to cover all of the pulut rice.  
11. Let it steam again for 25 minutes.
Put the lid back on and let it steam.  
12. Take it out of the steamer. Let it sit for 1 hour.
Does that look like green tea leaves on the surface?  
13. Cut into diamond shapes.
Use a knife to cut it into classic diamond or rectangle shapes.  
14. Serve. It tastes best when eaten fresh!
Serve it for tea or have it as a dessert.  
Extra Tips If you buy one box of santan, you would need to add in 2 cups of warm water. If you live abroad and can only get santan in a can, just add 1 cup of water to 3 cups of santan. 2 1/2 cups of coconut cream makes 3 cups of santan. If there are water droplets on the surface of the kuih, use tissue to dab away the water. Or if you have deep steamer, you can wrap the cloth around the kuih so that it absorbs water from the steamer. Get good quality green tea powder. We got ours from Fulleaf Tea Store. Best consumed fresh. Store in an airtight container if you must. Forget refrigeration, it will make the pulut rice hard, and it will not taste as nice.  
Did you take a bite? We did, and we felt like we needed to write poetry to celebrate this lovely heritage kuih for its richness and the ease with which it was made. So here is our little malay pantun for all of you here in Malaysia:
 
“Seri Muka dijamu waktu petang,
kalau nak menikmatinya jemputlah datang!”
 
If you have not devoured your masterpiece, do snap a picture and share it on Instagram and Facebook. Don’t forget to use the #butterkicap hashtag to let us know what you think!
 
The post Green Tea Seri Muka: A Luscious Kuih That Will Have You Writing Poetry appeared first on Butterkicap.

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