7/27/2023 0 Comments Tapioca conji![]() It is then kneaded to form a soft pliable dough that is not too moist or dry. The egg and sugar mixture is hand whipped with a spring beater until light and frothy before the cooked flour and freshly squeezed coconut milk are added to the mix. The tapioca flour has to be pan fried with pandan leaves until light and fluffy. To get that light, airy texture is no small feat. Kuih Bangkit, a powdery sweet cookie seemed very easy to make but is in fact very challenging. Also, having moved to different lands, the different types of flour needed may not be exactly what was once available. Hence, the difficulty in bringing these recipes to the modern audience. Many of us left home without knowing the full details of the exact mixes. This is the reason why every family has its version of what makes a successful Kuih Bangkit or Kuih Kapit. One has to work one’s way through years of apprenticeship with them before learning some of the inner secrets on the exact dough mix. These formidable women would not simply divulge their hard earned secrets to casual inquiry. Secret Recipes of Kuih Bangkit and Kuih Kapit When asked, they would use the famous expression agak-agak, which is Malay for “guesstimate”. They could tell whether the mixture was correct by the feel of their hands. These women, namely Ah-Mah (Grandma) and Ah-Poh (Grand Aunt), put together the ingredients using only hand measurements. This task was reserved for the most senior matriarchs of the clan. The real secrets to making these confections were at the beginning of the process during the mixing of the dough. I started my unofficial apprenticeship by taking on simple tasks like putting little red dots on freshly baked Kuih Bangkit, folding Kuih Kapit into fan-shaped triangles, and filling tart shells with pineapple jam. When I was younger, I pretty much played with my cousins but as I got older, I began to take an interest in the kitchen going-ons. ![]() ![]() The children pretty much shuttled between the two groups, playing and hoping for some early treats from the kitchen. The rattle of tiles provided a back drop while we cooked in the kitchen. There was a festive air about it as the women worked and gossiped about the latest family news.īanned from the kitchen, the men played mahjong. My aunts and other relatives will converge upon Grandma’s house for the annual molding and baking of Kuih Bangkit (Tapioca Cookies), Kuih Kapit (Love Letter Crepes), and Pineapple Jam Tarts. One of my most enduring childhood memories of Chinese New Year in Malaysia was the “kuih-making” party among the women in the clan. Light, airy, and fragrant Kuih Bangkit (Tapioca Cookies) are a Chinese New Year favorite. ![]()
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