Huat Kueh (Tapai Steamed rice cupcakes) 答拜米发糕

I always see my friend Jane made Huat Kueh (steamed rice cake) using Tapai (fermented rice) , was thinking to make but every time also can't make it happen because the Tapai need few days to fermented. So to make this Huat Kueh using tapai, you need to plan at least 1 week ahead. And this Huat Kueh also has QQ texture and winery aroma like that one i made with Toddy version, so nice !! Furthermore you don't need to add yeast or baking powder to make it rise and create crack effect.

Let's see the long process of making this kueh..

I store the Tapai in the " Chai Tu" (old fashioned kitchen cabinet ) ^_^

The final cake batter is thick

Huat Kueh (Tapai Steamed rice cupcakes) 答拜米发糕

To make Tapai 答拜 (fermented rice)

1cup (140g) overnight white rice 冷饭

1pc (15g) sweet wine biscuits 甜酒饼

1. Crush wine yeast biscuit. Mix with rice. Cover with cloth or cling film, leave it in room temperature for 48 hours. Then store in the fridge for another 5 days. You can start to use after 48hrs, but keep it longer the better.

To make Huat Kueh

½ portion of Tapai (~73g)

450g water

125g sugar

6 blades pandan leaves

300g rice flour

2 sachet of plain ENO (2x4.3g)

Method

1. Bring water, sugar and pandan leaves to boil. Then leave sugar syrup to cool.
2. Blend Tapai (fermented rice) with half portion of syrup (no1) in a blender till fine. Pour into a clean mixing bowl.
3. Add in rice flour and balance syrup. Stir well and strain. Leave it overnight in room temperature (12hrs) as cake batter.
4. On the day of making this kueh. Prepare a steamer over high heat. Grease each cups with vegetable oil.
5. Add ENO into cake batter, stir well and leave it aside for 5mins. If you like to have pink kueh, then halve the cake batter (~500ml per portion), each half portion add 1 sachet of ENO, and add colour as per your preference.
6. Pour into small cups till almost full and steam over high heat for 15 mins. This cake must steam over high heat in order to get the smiling face (crack effect).
7. Leave it to cool before remove from the cups.

Recipe adapted from Jane’s corner with minor changes , recipe by Sonia a.k.a Nasi Lemak Lover