Taylor's University, Malaysia
KUIH LOPIS
Kuih lopis is a traditional key or finger food, especially among Malaysians living along the Northern corridors of Malaysia. Kuih Lopis is basically glutinous rice cooked in pandan juice, coat with fresh slightly salted coconut shavings and drizzle with thick brown sugar syrup which is called gula melaka syrup. It is a traditional dessert of Malay. People who selling this food are usually Malay. Traditionally, making kuih was the domain of elderly grandmothers, aunts and other women-folk, for whom the only (and best) method for cooking was by "agak-agak" (approximation). They would instinctively take handfuls of ingredients and mix them without any measurements or any need of weighing scales. All is judged by its look and feel, the consistency of the batter and how it feels to the touch. Each family holds its own traditional recipe as well as each region and state.
There are 2 types of ingredients below, one is extracted from internet, and one is from a chef who is called Kaytieze.
Online Ingredients:
350g glutinous rice
400ml pandan juice extracted from 20 pandan (screw pine) leaves
Salt
1/4 teaspoon of green colour paste
Banana leaves
A kitchen string
Coconut:
1 cup freshly grated coconut
2 tablespoon of hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Actual Ingredients:
2 cups glutinous rice
2 cups white grated coconut mixed with a bit of salt
Several banana leaves width 4-5 finger
Pandan leaves (screw pine leaves), to put in the water to boil with kuih lopes
Some sharp bamboo toothpicks
To make the lopes, wash and soak glutinous rice for at least 1 hour or until the glutinous rice has expanded. Put through a strainer, wash and rise again.
Soften the banana leaves by dipping in hot water. Tear them into 3 inches strips. Then fold the banana strips into a cone by the end.
Differences between online ingredients and actual ingredients:
As compared from our actual recipe with online recipe regarding the way of making the kuih lopis. We have observed and identified that there are differences between these recipes based on these factors which are availability of ingredient, skills level, time constraints, and personal preferences.
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Due to the problem of availability of ingredients, pandan leaves usually cannot be bought from common supermarket. That is why online method is using pandan juice to replace the pandan leaves. While soaking the lopis, online method will add a few drops of green colouring in it to achieve the bright green colour typical of Malay cakes, whereas actual method put pandan leaves in and boil with lopis together.
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Due to the problem of skills level of different chefs and time constraints, some people will think that a triangular shaped kuih lopis is hard to wrap and the work is rather time-consuming. To solve this problem, online method is rolling lopes in banana leaves into a bolster like shape, and tie up both ends with kitchen strings whereas actual method is folding lopes like triangles with banana leaves and using sharp bamboo toothpick to secure it. The reason why actual method still wraps a triangular shaped kuih lopis is because that is more traditional.
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To make the coconut, online method will add some hot water as well as salt whereas actual method just mixed with a bit of salt. It is due to the different personal preferences. Some people would like to eat dry grated coconut so they will not add in hot water.
SUGAR SYRUP (online and actual are same)
Ingredients:
2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup water
Method:
Boil the above ingredients till slightly thick. Cool before serving.
Procedures (using actual ingredients):
Fill in 2 tablespoons of the glutinous rice and fold compact like you folding a samosa. Then, folding the top down snugly over the rice and using a sharp bamboo toothpick to secure the top of the folded edge with it by poking through in and out.
In a big pot, fill with 3/4 full of water and let it boil under a medium heat. Place all the lopes and let it boil for 30-40 minutes depending on the number of lopes cooked. And do not forget to put pandan leaves in it. The banana leaves will be soft and so as the rice.
Once cooked, drain and cool thoroughly.
