Kueh Lapis

As a little girl, I loved kueh lapis. I grew up with the rainbow coloured sticky version as a breakfast or tea time treat.  It was a game to me, peeling layer after layer of the soft, stretchy sweet dessert, folding each layer to bite holes in the centre creating patterns. Yeah, I played with my food more than I ate it as a kid.

As I grew older, the nonya version appealed more to my tastes. Each in typical, elaborate nonya style comprised of fine layers of cake baked one on top of the other. The composite cake is sliced to expose the thin yellow and brown layers of cake.

At a reunion dinner, an old friend brought the nonya version of kueh lapis. Tried it, loved it.

Ondeh ondeh

Sitting outside Bengawan Solo, enjoying chilled ondeh.

They're usually hulk green but today, they are a tad more like the thing.

I'm happily reading marvel comics while savouring the chewy nonya kueh with that intensely sweet liquid gula melaka center that oozes out with each bite.

A little like an Asian take on mini lave cakes.

Nonya kueh

The one nonya kueh I don't buy because the ones sold outside always disappoint is kueh kosui. Or kuih kosui. It's made with Gula Melaka, Pandan leaves, tapioca flour, and grated coconut.

Everytime i bought it and bit into it, I was sorely disappointed . It was hard compared to the soft yummy ones my mom used to make.

Growing up in my parents home, kuih kosui was a favourite mom would make. She's steam it, cut it up, roll it in grated coconut with a pinch of salt. We'd eat it right away, while still warm. That was heavenly. So soft, just the right texture and sweetness. How I miss mom's cooking.

I do buy nonya kuehs now and then, like ondeh ondeh.

I love how the sweet liquid gula melaka oozes out with every bite. The ones from bengawan solo are good.

Though I'm a nonya by birth, I hardly make kueh since I married out of the nonya clan. I buy my kuih instead :p

But I can make a mean chocolate truffle ;)