This Malaysian steamed kuih has a fragrant green pandan layer and a soft white coconut milk layer. A touch of sweetness and a pinch of salt keep the flavors bright; once completely cool, cut the cake into neat squares.
Kuih talam is a Malaysian steamed kuih with two distinct layers: pandan on the bottom and coconut on top. It isn’t an oven-baked cake, but a compact, soft treat that gets its structure from rice flour and tapioca starch. Rice flour gives it firmness; tapioca makes the bite a little springier. The pandan layer is fresh and aromatic, while the coconut layer has a milder flavor and a little salt keeps it from tasting flat. Together, they make a subtly sweet dessert, not an intensely sugary one.
Fresh pandan leaves give a gentle, herbaceous aroma and a natural green color. Blend them with water and strain the mixture well so no fibers remain in the layer. Pandan is available year-round at many Asian grocery stores, fresh or frozen; thawed leaves work too. If you can’t find fresh pandan, use pandan extract according to the instructions on the bottle and top it up with water to 250 milliliters. The color may be brighter and the flavor more concentrated, so add the extract gradually.
Steaming over steady, moderate heat matters more than boiling vigorously. Wrapping a cloth around the lid catches condensation so water droplets don’t fall onto the surface. The green layer should be cooked and firm enough to support the top layer, but still warm when you pour on the coconut layer. Stir both bowls of batter again just before filling the pan: the rice flour and tapioca can settle to the bottom. Pour the second layer gently over a spoon so you don’t break through the first.
Use full-fat canned coconut milk for a creamy, even top layer; stir or shake the can well first, as the fat may have separated. Light coconut milk can make the layer less rich and softer. It’s best to keep the ratio of rice flour to tapioca as written: rice flour alone gives a less elastic bite, while too much tapioca makes the kuih sticky. A square pan about twenty centimeters across makes squares with two clearly visible layers.
Let the kuih cool completely before cutting; the center is still soft while warm, and the layers may shift. Use a thin, lightly greased knife and wipe it clean between cuts for neat edges. Serve the squares for dessert or with tea, optionally alongside fresh fruit without added sweetness. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and let them come briefly to room temperature before serving so the texture softens again.
Lightly grease a square pan about 20 cm across with oil. Set up a steamer with enough water and bring it to a boil. Wrap a clean tea towel around the lid so condensation doesn’t drip onto the kuih.
Cut the pandan leaves into pieces and blend them with 300 ml water. Strain the mixture and measure out 250 ml pandan water.
For the green layer, whisk the rice flour, tapioca starch and sugar into the pandan water, 100 ml coconut milk and salt until smooth. Strain the batter if needed and stir again just before using. Pour it into the pan.
Place the pan in the steamer. Steam the green layer, covered, over moderate heat for 18–20 minutes, until the surface feels firm and is no longer liquid.
Meanwhile, for the coconut layer, whisk the rice flour, tapioca starch and sugar into the 350 ml coconut milk and salt until smooth. Stir again just before using.
Carefully pour the coconut layer over the green layer, using the back of a spoon if needed. Steam, covered, for another 20–25 minutes, until the top layer is opaque and firm all over.
Remove the pan from the steamer and let the kuih cool completely in the pan. Cut into 16 squares with a thin, lightly greased knife.
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