This mini soft, jiggly, and creamy kuih tako is a delight to eat. It has a great combination of sweet-salty, creamy, and crunchy water chestnuts all packed in a little pandan leaves parcel.
This traditional kueh/kue is truly one of my favorites kueh, or we called it kue basah (“wet” cake). It has that sweet-salty combination, soft-crunchy texture, which I’m totally digging. They only need 6 ingredients to make and naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. They can be a bit time-consuming to make because of the pandan boxes that we need to make, but they are pretty fun to make too. If you can’t get pandan leaves, you can always use an individual small ramekin, cup, pudding/jelly mould, or any mould you have that you think will work for this recipe instead.
Kuih tako vs kuih pelita
Are they the same thing? I was wondering about that too for a while. Kuih tako and kuih pelita may look the same but they aren’t. Kuih pelita is much softer and wobbly and made with rice flour and the boxes are made with banana leaves instead of pandan leaves.
Ingredients
1. Hunkwe flour or mung bean starch
You can use either one of them. The mung bean starch can be any brand you like. I believe in Asia, it’s also called green pea flour. Some people say you can substitute hunkwe flour with cornstarch, but I have never tried it myself so I can’t tell you exactly the result. If you do try it out, please let me know 🙂
Mung bean starch and Hun kwe flour
2. Water chestnuts
I used canned water chestnuts packed in water. They are already peeled and convenient
3. Pandan juice
You can refer to this how to make pandan juice post
4. Coconut milk
I used unsweetened canned coconut milk. Don’t use coconut milk sold as beverages, which is usually thinner in texture
5. Sugar
I use granulated sugar. You can use caster sugar too
6. Salt
The salt is for the top layer, which gives that sweet-salty combination
How to fold pandan boxes for kuih tako
1. Pick pandan leaves that are wide and nice. My leaves are actually a bit small. Fresh pandan leaves are hard to come by here and sometimes they are just small. The shiny part should be facing you
2. Cut the leaves into about 20 cm in length. Fold once, 4 cm in width, then fold again 3 more times. It’s important that they are the same width, or the boxes will have gaps later
3. Unfold and you will have 4 creases.
4. Cut halfway down on the crease
5. Fold the leaves into a box shape (refer to the video)
6. Secure with a toothpick and set aside
How to make kuih tako/taco pandan
1. Prepare two separate mixing bowls or saucepans. Mix the hunkwe flour with water. Whisk to combine and let it soak for 15 minutes. Do the same thing with the bottom layer in a separate mixing bowl. Mix the hunkwe flour with water too and soak for 15 minutes
2. Prepare the bottom layer first: Give the hunkwe solution that you soak a stir as the starch has settled at the bottom. Add pandan juice and water and whisk again to combine. Transfer to saucepan if you use a mixing bowl earlier
3. Cook this over low heat and keep stirring
4. until the mixture starts to thicken and turns translucent. Don’t be tempeted to crank up the heat. It seems like nothing is going to happen, but once it starts thicken it will happen almost instantly. So be sure to cook over low heat.
5. Turn off the heat and stir in the water chestnuts
6. Scoop this pudding mixture into the pandan boxes you prepared earlier, filling them halfway full. You can also use ramekins, or any pudding or jelly mould you have
7. Give the hunkwe solution that you soak a stir as the starch has settled at the bottom. Add coconut milk, water, and salt. Whisk again to combine. Transfer to a saucepan and cook this over low heat and keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken. Don’t be tempted to crank up the heat. It seems like nothing is going to happen, but once it starts to thicken it will happen almost instantly. So be sure to cook over low heat. Turn off the heat
8. Spoon this mixture on top of the water chestnuts layer. Filling it all the way to the top.
9. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
10. The pudding should be set when you remove the pandan leaves or if you are using individual moulds, simply push the pudding out from the mould gently. They will plop right out
How to store leftover kuih tako
Leftovers can be kept in a container with a tight-fitting lid for about 3-5 days. I do not recommend freezing them as the texture will change
Did you make this kuih tako recipe?
I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag to show me what you’ve made 🙂 Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
Kuih Tako / Kueh Taco (Water Chestnest Pandan Coconut Pudding)
Ingredients
For pandan leaves box:
- 20 blades pandan leaves
- tooth picks
Top layer:
- 30 gr hunkwe flour or mung bean starch
- 110 ml water
- 250 ml coconut milk
- ¼ tsp salt
Bottom layer:
- 30 gr hunkwe flour or mung bean starch
- 70 ml water
- 250 ml pandan juice
- 90 gr canned water chestnuts diced
- 85 gr granulated sugar
Instructions
Soak the hunkwe flour:
- Prepare two separate mixing bowls. Mix the hunkwe flour with water. Whisk to combine and let it soak for 15 minutes. Do the same thing with the bottom layer in a separate mixing bowl. Mix the hunkwe flour with water too and soak for 15 minutes
Fold the pandan leaves box (if using, skip this part if you are using other moulds):
- Pick pandan leaves that are wide and nice. My leaves are actually a bit small. Fresh pandan leaves are hard to come by here and sometimes they are just small. Cut the leaves into about 20 cm in length. Then make 5 vertical slits, about 4 cm apart, halfway down the leaves (refer to photos above and video if necessary)
- Fold the leaves into a box shape and secure with a toothpick and set aside
Prepare the bottom layer:
- Give the hunkwe solution that you soak a stir as the starch has settled at the bottom. Add pandan juice and water and whisk again to combine. Transfer to saucepan and cook this over low heat and keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken and turns translucent. Don't be tempeted to crank up the heat. It seems like nothing is going to happen, but once it starts thicken it will happen almost instantly. So be sure to cook over low heat. Turn off the heat and stir in the water chestnuts
- Scoop this pudding mixture into the pandan boxes you prepared earlier, filling them halfway full. If you are using ramekins, or any pudding or jelly mould you have, you want to prepare the top layer (white layer) first, so when you unmould them, the white part will be on the top
Prepare the top layer:
- Give the hunkwe solution that you soak a stir as the starch has settled at the bottom. Add coconut milk, water, and salt. Whisk again to combine. Transfer to saucepan and cook this over low heat and keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken. Don't be tempeted to crank up the heat. It seems like nothing is going to happen, but once it starts thicken it will happen almost instantly. So be sure to cook over low heat. Turn off the heat
Chill the pudding:
- Spoon this mixture on top of the water chestnuts layer. Filling it all the way to the top. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. The pudding should be set when you remove the pandan leaves or if you are using individual moulds, simply push the pudding out from the mould gently. They will plop right out
2 comments
Looks amazing. Where did you buy the jelly mould from?
Hi Eleanor, My mom got them in Singapore, the store is called Poon Huat.