Sunday, April 6, 2008
Putu Bambu = Putu Piring?
I never really liked Malay kuehs when I was younger but I'm beginning to, under my mom's influence. She especially likes those that Bengawan Solo offers. Just the other day, I was at a Pasar Malam and these wooden bamboo sticks caught me immediately. And I'm quite certain I've not seen these in any Pasar Malam before because if so, I'd then have been very kaypoh and would have wanted to find out what they were selling. After googling online, I found out that this is an Indonesian kueh, made with rice flour and has a filling of gula melaka (brown sugar). After steaming, they are then being served with grated coconut all over.

I was really dying to taste it so I ordered 3 pieces ($1.70) and was told by the Malay lady that I might have to wait a little while because there were two aunties ahead of me. I was fine with it and took out my camera and started snapping away as I was very fascinated by how the kuehs actually get cooked in those bamboo casings.

The lady reaches out for a bamboo casing and starts to fill it up with rice flour and gula melaka:

After filling up the bamboo casing, she then looks for an empty "slot" on the steamer to place the casing to start steaming it. If you guys are wondering, there are holes right under the bamboo casings whereby heat comes through and steams the kuehs, hence getting them cooked.

After about 15 minutes, my Putu Bambus were finally ready. It was quite a long wait but time passed quickly as I was busy playing with my camera. And here they are, with grated coconut strewn all over them:

Look at the interior with the slightly oozy gula melaka:

I fell in love with this Indonesian kueh after the first bite. The lady was really generous with the gula melaka and I could taste it oozing out as I bite into it. The exterior was very moist and soft and it just melts in my mouth almost instantly.

I realised that it is somehow quite similar to the common Putu Piring we see in Singapore. Putu Piring is also made of rice flour with gula melaka as its filling. The only difference might be their shapes: Putu Bambu is cylindrical while Putu Piring is flatter. Anyway, after that day I've been wanting to consume more Putu Bambus but the Pasar Malam isn't there anymore. If anyone knows where I can get more of these yummy Putu Bambus, do let me know. :)

posted by An Economist Baker at 12:14 PM -
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Name: An Economist Baker
About Me: I'm a full-time Economics undergraduate and an avid baker who bakes as and when I feel like it. It is my dream to integrate these two important aspects of my life together, and I hope to have my own bakery cafe in the future.
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