Kuih Lapis

It is about time that mum cooks up another local favourite. This is the popular kuih lapis or layered sticky cake in the making. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to cut up the kuih for a cross-section shot as the whole tray was her contribution to a temple festival.

Kuih lapis is made of flour, sugar and coconut milk. It's sweet and sticky and looks like Christmas candy as it is layered red and white. First, mum sets up a large tray over a big wok of boiling water. A measured amount of coconut milk mixture is poured into the tray. The tray is covered then with a wok hood so that steam can solidify the mix. Then it is layer after layer of alternately red and white milk until the tray is filled. You have to always plan to end with the red layer on top or your kuih lapis would look mighty strange.