Kuih talam is a popular vegan Malaysian dessert. It’s creamy, chewy, flavoured with pandan and topped with a savoury coconut layer.
In Malaysia, you’ll find many stalls by the roadside selling different kinds of kuih. A classic example is kuih talam!
Kuih talam is made by steaming it twice (because of the two different layers) in a large tray. The bottom layer is sweet, creamy and flavoured with pandan. The top layer is slightly salty and rich in coconut. It’s such a delicious combination!
“Talam” means tray in Indonesian, and “kuih” is a term used to call these bite-sized snacks or desserts.
What you’ll need to make vegan kuih talam
- rice flour
- tapioca starch
- sugar
- coconut milk
- pandan juice
- salt
Many traditional kuih contain eggs, but kuih talam is naturally vegan.
I also explained how to make your own pandan juice in my Ondeh-Ondeh Cake blog post.
Tips to make this kuih perfectly
- If possible, use fresh santan! That will bring this kuih to a whole new level, but coconut milk from a carton/can will work too.
- When steaming the second layer, leave a small gap between the lid. Otherwise, water may fall on the kuih and the top layer will not be smooth.
- Scratch the surface of the first layer with a fork before pouring over the second layer. This creates an uneven surface for both layers to stick together.
- After steaming, let the kuih rest for at least 1 hour so that it has time to set! If you cut in too early, it will still be mushy and wet.
Because this kuih is rich in coconut milk, it’s best consumed the day it’s made, especially if the weather is hot. Otherwise, vegan kuih talam is really easy and simple to make. If you’re craving some traditional kuih, try out this recipe!
If you liked this traditional dessert, here are a few you might like:
- Gulab Jamun (Vegan | Gluten-Free)
- Snow Skin Mooncake With Purple Sweet Potato Filling/紫薯冰皮月饼
- Chinese Pumpkin Cakes/南瓜饼 (Vegan | Gluten-Free)
- Onde-Onde/Klepon (Pandan Glutinous Rice Balls with Coconut Palm Sugar)
If you made this recipe, do leave a comment and rating below because I love hearing your feedback. Make sure to tag me on Instagram @eatwkriss so that I can see your recreations!
Vegan Kuih Talam (GF | OF)
Ingredients
Pandan layer
- 45 g rice flour sifted
- 15 g tapioca starch sifted
- 45 g sugar
- 45 ml coconut milk
- 120 ml pandan juice*
Coconut layer
- 30 g rice flour sifted
- ¼ tsp salt
- 100 ml coconut milk
- 30 ml water
Instructions
Pandan layer
- Prepare your steamer. Line a 6 x 3 inch loaf tin with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small pot over medium-low heat, whisk together sifted flours, sugar, coconut milk and pandan juice. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes, until lumps start to form in the mixture.
- Pour into the loaf tin, and steam for 20 minutes.
Coconut layer
- In a small pot over medium-low heat, whisk together sifted rice flour, salt, coconut milk and water. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until lumps start to form in the mixture.
- Gently scratch the surface of the first layer with a fork, then pour in the coconut layer. Steam with the lid slightly open for 15 minutes.
- After that, remove the tin from the steamer and let cool for at least 1 hour.
- Slice with a plastic/oiled knife and serve.
Notes
