Full Moon Fare (Angku Kuih)

My friend is celebrating her new born baby girl "moon yit" (full moon). For the Chinese, "full moon" is the day when a newborn turns one-month-old. On this auspicious day, a celebration is held and food in the form of "angku kuih", red eggs and preserved or pickled young ginger are distributed to relatives and friends. The words "ang" means red in Hokkien. Some even includes curry chicken and nasi kunyit. This practice is very popular among the Hokkiens, and the babas and nyonyas.

My friends are having a 'pot-luck' party in our Shaklee meeting center and also to introduce her new family member. I couldn't attend because on that day we are attending the Sepang HHH count down dinner in Sg. Pelek. I prepared 10 pieces of red eggs, some preserved ginger and 15 pieces "angku" for her. Earlier she bought some "angku" but it doesn't taste good and I jokingly said that my "angku" taste better. I made some "angku" for her to proof to her what I have said. My "angku" is not "ang" (red) because I uses sweet potatoes and if I uses pumpkin it will be yellow in color. Some prefer them to be red or green, just add a dash of red or green coloring. Her mother-in-law had ordered green "angku" from the market on the same day but it doesn't taste good.

The filling of the angku can be green beans or red beans. The filling is usually prepared by my mother-in-law. She uses 400g split, skinned mung beans (green beans), wash and soak overnight. Drain and steam beans for 30 to 40 minutes. Mash through a wire sieve or blend until fine whilst hot. Heat a non-stick saucepan with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and fry shallots till golden brown then discard the shallots, leaving the aromatic oil in the saucepan. Add 300g of sugar and a bit of water to cook until sugar dissolves and turns syrupy. Add mung beans and half teaspoon of salt and stir-fry until it does not stick to the sides of the pan. Remove and set aside to cool. Divide into small balls weight about 20g each. Prepare the filling earlier and refrigerate them.

For the "Angku" skin, uses 700ml water to boil 300g skinned sweet potatoes (or pumpkin). Take out the sweet potatoes and mashed them and set aside. Mix 140g of sugar into the above hot water to dissolve. In a big mixing bowl, mix 800g glutinous rice flour, 30g corn flour, 60g corn oil, the mashed sweet potato and the above hot water. Mix and knead into a shiny and pliable dough. Divide dough into 35g each and roll into a ball. Flatten slightly and place the filling in each of the dough. Pinch and seal the edges to form round shapes and press it into an angku mould with dusted glutinous rice flour. Knock or tap mould lightly on the surface of the table to dislodge the angku. Place angku on oiled banana leaf circles and steamed over boiling water for 4 - 5 minutes. Remove the lid from the steamer and continue to steam for a further 6 - 7 minutes or until cooked. If you do not remove the lid the angku will be out of shape. When ready brush the angku with a bit of corn oil.

Have fun and be happy! ♥