A favourite Malaysian traditional ‘kuih’, the tepung pelita is a sweet treat that may be consumed as an evening treat or an after-meal dessert. The unique appearance of the tepung pelita has two distinct layers, white and green as it is wrapped in pandan leaves or banana leaves. The top layer appears to be white as it is made out of coconut milk while the bottom layer appears to be green as it is made out of rice flour and pandan water.
When indulged, the tepung pelita has a soft texture that melts in your mouth with a truly addictive sweet flavour to it. If the tepung pelita is wrapped in pandan leaves it will give out a scent and a hint of pandan when you bite into it. Originated from Malaysia, it has since become widespread all over the country, and it has also spread across the oceans to Indonesia and Singapore.
Indulge in your sugar cravings by trying out the tepung pelita recipe below, which will leave you feeling satisfied.
Ingredients (2 servings):
(Bottom Layer)
- 1 cup of Rice Flour
- 5 cups of Pandan Water
- Sugar (to taste)
- A few drops of Green Food Colouring
(Top Layer)
- ½ cup of Rice Flour
- 5 cups of Coconut
- Salt (to taste)
Directions:
- Start by mixing all of the ingredients for the bottom layer and stir well in a mixing bowl, making sure there are no clumps in the mixture.
- Pour the ingredients into a cooking pan and cook above medium-level heat. Stir the mixture well until big bubbles form at the top of the mixture. Add sugar to taste and keep stirring. Once cooked, pour the cooked mixture into a container (or a leaves casing if you are making it the authentic way) and then set it aside.
- Repeat the process for the top layer, again making sure there are no clumps in the mixture. Add salt to taste and keep stirring. Once it is cooked, pour the mixture into the previous container or leaves casing and then place it in the refrigerator to cool.
- Once cooled, it is ready to eat.
- Directions for the banana leaves/pandan leaves casing
- Cut the leaves to the width of your palms and slightly longer than the length of your hand.
- At both ends of the leaves, fold it and cut the ends into three sections. Fold the leaves into a rectangle-case shape and staple it together. It is best to use old banana leaves as it will be easier to shape the leaves.