Kueh Pisang

Chilled Mung Bean Flour Pudding with Banana

This is a refreshing dessert, especially after a spicy meal. Each kueh is individually wrapped in
banana leaf. It is also portable and can be packed off for a picnic. My family never fails to remind
me that I missed their golden era of the 1960s when Changi still meant the beach, not the
airport. My parents would often cart the whole family off for a weekend outing there at Loyang.

makes 12 servings

20 banana leaves, trimmed into
squares of 8 cm or 3 inches wide

150 g or 5 ounces sugar
4 pandan leaves, tied into a knot

3 cups water, divided into 2 cups
and 1 cup

100 g or 3½ ounces mung bean
flour (tepong hoen kueh)

2 cups coconut milk

4 to 6 bananas, peeled and sliced
into 0.5 cm or ¼ inch pieces

1.   Pour boiling water over banana leaves to soften.
Wipe and leave aside.

2.   Combine the sugar, pandan leaves and 2 cups of
the water in a saucepan and bring to boil for 5 minutes.
Turn off heat. Let cool. Remove the pandan leaves.

3.   Place the mung bean flour in a separate saucepan
and make a well in the centre. Pour in the remaining 1 cup
of water. Stir well to remove lumps. Add in the coconut
milk, followed by the warm sugar mixture, again stirring
to remove lumps. Bring the entire mixture to a boil over
low heat for a minute until it makes bubbles, making sure
that it does not boil over. Remove from heat.

4.   Scoop one tablespoon of the mixture and dab on one
cut sheet of banana leaf. Place a slice of banana on top,
followed by another tablespoon of the mixture. Fold the
two edges over each other, and then fold the left and
right sides over to form a little packet.

5.   Chill all the little packets in the refrigerator for at
least 2 hours before serving.

286  Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen ~ Sweet Rewards