KUIH BAKUL: BELOVED TRADITIONAL TREAT SYMBOLISING PROSPERITY

ALOR SETAR, Feb 17 (Bernama) -- Despite the rise of contemporary treats, kuih baku, commonly known as nian gao, remains the dessert of choice for Chinese New Year, treasured for its flavour and the cultural values it carries.

Its authentic flavour, chewy texture, and irresistible taste ensure the round-shaped cake remains a favourite, even in the age of modernisation.

For 53-year-old Sim Beng Ai, last-minute orders from family and friends are proof that the beloved traditional cake has stood the test of time.

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According to the mother of three, making kuih bakul is no simple task, it demands patience, care, and attention to detail.

Sharing her method of making kuih bakul, the housewife said she uses only glutinous rice flour and sugar, but the process is painstaking, taking three days to achieve the perfect, beautiful, and delicious result.

“Steaming slowly and wrapped in banana leaves, the cake gives off a delightful fragrance. But making it isn’t easy, if you get it wrong the cake won’t turn out well.

“We soak, grind and dry the rice first, then make the mixture and steam it for 24 hours. You really have to keep the heat steady,” she told Bernama.

Sim said that for now, she could not take on large orders because her husband, Saw Beng Hup, 58, was only able to help on weekends, but she added that they made every kuih bakul with care despite their busy weekdays.

Meanwhile, Saw said that kuih bakul, remained one of the most important traditional dishes during Chinese New Year, as it symbolised prosperity, abundance, and close family ties within the Chinese community.

“I learned the recipe and way of making traditional kuih bakul from my mother, and she learned it from her grandmother. It’s a family tradition that has been passed down for generations,” he said.

Saw, who is the principal of a secondary school here, said that he intended to take over the entire kuih bakul business after he retires, as his other siblings have shown little interest in inheriting it.

He said that in the three weeks before Chinese New Year, they prepared over 1,000 kuih bakul in different sizes, with prices ranging from RM6 to RM12 based on the size.

--BERNAMA