Red Glutinous 'Turtle' (Ang Koo Kuih) Recipe
Full Moon (Month) Recipes

A Straits-born Chinese Specialty for an infant's full moon (month) celebration

Ingredients

Main:
1
455 g/1 lb
455 g/1 lb
225 ml/8 fl oz



1


Filling:
455 g/1 lb
1.2 L/4 fl oz
225 g/8 oz
115 g/4 oz

large sweet potato
glutinous rice flour
grated coconut
water
pinch of salt
red coloring
coconut oil at hand
large bananas leaf
extra glutinous rice flour at hand
wooden "turtle" mounds

green beans
water
sugar
margarine

Method

1. For convenience, prepare filling first, as follows
   (a) Soak beans overnight. Cook in 1.2 L/40 fl oz water in pressure cooker for 25 minutes over medium fire. Discard skins which float on top.
   (b) Use blender and blend beans into a smooth paste. Place in muslin or voile and squeeze out excess water. Bean paste must be very dry.
   (c) Mix in sugar and margarine and cook over medium fire stirring all the time until bean paste is thick and smooth. Put aside.

2. Peel sweet potato and boil until very soft. Mash into smooth paste and discard  fibers. Mix with glutinous rice flour and leave in large mixing bowl.

3. Prepare grated coconut to obtain thick coconut milk and 225 ml (8 fl oz) thin coconut milk. Add pinch of salt to both.

4. Boil thin coconut milk. Remove and mix with flour/sweet potato mixture. Add enough red coloring to obtain the shade of fresh red chili. Knead into smooth dough.

5. add thick coconut milk a little at a time and knead further.

6. Divide dough into equal portions, each the size of a ping-pong ball.

7. Take 1 portion, grease palm with coconut oil and roll into smooth ball. Flatten a little and place in centre 1 tbsp filling. Close dough over filling and roll back into smooth ball. Repeat until all dough and filling are used up.

8. Cut banana leaf into circles to fit the base of "turtle" mould.

9. Sprinkle glutinous rice flour into wooden moulds for "turtle" shape and fill 1 ball into each mould. Press in firmly and flatten base. Knock out "turtle" from moulds and place on round banana leaves. Repeat until all balls are moulded.

10. Steam "turtle" for 10 minutes over medium fire. Place terrycloth under lid to absorb steam. When ready, brush with a little coconut oil for shiny look. Serve hot or cold.

Note :

1. The "turtle" design symbolizes longevity which is the wish for the infant.

2. Overnight Red Glutinous "turtle" can be fried with a little oil over medium fire. use a spatula to flatten it completely. Fry and turn several times and serve when brown and crispy.