Seri Muka — pandan custard over coconut sticky rice

i. Origin & history

Seri muka is part of the large family of Malay kuih — the small cakes, sweets and snacks made from rice, coconut, palm sugar and pandan that are eaten at tea time, sold at markets and served at festivals. It is one of the most common kuih in Malaysia and Singapore, found in every market kuih tray alongside kuih lapis and onde-onde, and it is a standard on the table for Hari Raya, weddings and other celebrations.

The name is usually translated as 'radiant face' or 'glowing face'. Seri means radiance or splendour, often in the sense of beauty, and muka means face. It describes the smooth, shining green surface of a well-made seri muka; a top that is pitted, cracked or uneven is considered a fault precisely because the face should be flawless. There is no well-documented legend behind the name — the descriptive reading is the accepted one.

In Peranakan (Straits Chinese) households of Melaka, Penang and Singapore the same kuih is known as kueh salat, and it is one of the classic nyonya kueh. Peranakan versions are often richer, with more eggs in the custard, and the base is sometimes speckled blue with butterfly-pea flower. In Indonesia a very similar cake is called ketan srikaya or kue talam ketan, pairing sticky rice with a custard (srikaya, the Indonesian name for sankaya-style coconut custard).

Its origins are not documented in detail, but every element belongs to the old Malay kitchen: glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk (pulut) is an ancient festive food, and steamed egg-and-coconut custards such as kaya are long-established across the region. Seri muka sets one on top of the other.

ii. How to keep the two layers clean and the top smooth

Seri muka is judged on two things: a clean line between the layers and a smooth, unbroken green top. Both depend on how the base and custard are prepared.

The rice base has to be compact. Glutinous rice is steamed, then mixed with salted coconut milk and steamed again, and pressed hard into the tin while it is hot. Pressed loosely, it has gaps through which the custard seeps, blurring the line. Many cooks scratch the surface lightly with a fork before adding the custard, which helps the two layers bond so the custard does not slide off when cut.

The custard is often partly cooked before it goes onto the rice. Stirring it over a pan of simmering water, or over very low heat, until it has thickened slightly to the consistency of thin pouring custard, means it is heavy enough to sit on top of the rice rather than sinking into it. Raw, thin custard tends to soak into the base.

Gentle steam gives the smooth face. Custard is an egg and starch mixture: at too high a heat the eggs overcook and puff, forming bubbles, a cracked surface and a spongy texture. Steaming over a low to medium heat, with the lid wrapped in a cloth so that condensation does not drip on the surface, produces the glossy, even top that gives the dessert its name.

iii. Ingredients

Makes 16 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 300 g glutinous rice, soaked at least 4 hours
• 200 ml coconut milk, for the rice
• ¾ tsp salt, for the rice
• 2 pandan leaves, knotted
• 10 pandan leaves, cut, for the juice
• 120 ml water, for the juice
• 4 eggs
• 160 g caster sugar
• 350 ml coconut milk, for the custard
• 50 g plain flour
• 20 g cornflour
• ¼ tsp salt, for the custard

Use glutinous rice (also sold as sticky or sweet rice); ordinary rice will not bind into a firm base. Soak it well, or the grains steam unevenly and stay hard. Fresh pandan juice, from blended leaves, gives the most natural green and the best scent; many market versions add a drop of green colouring or pandan paste for a stronger colour. The flour and cornflour in the custard help it set firmly enough to cut; some recipes use only cornflour or add a little rice flour. Salt in the rice is essential: the base should taste clearly savoury against the sweet custard.

iv. Method

1. Drain the rice and spread it in a heatproof dish or a steamer lined with muslin. Steam over high heat for 20 minutes, until the grains are just tender.
2. Warm the 200 ml coconut milk with the ¾ tsp salt and knotted pandan leaves. Pour over the rice, stir to coat every grain, cover and steam for another 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
3. Oil a 20 cm square tin. Press the hot rice into it in an even layer, using an oiled spoon or a banana leaf to pack it down hard. Scratch the surface lightly with a fork. Keep the tin warm in the steamer.
4. Blend the cut pandan leaves with the 120 ml water and squeeze through a fine sieve to get about 100 ml of juice.
5. Whisk the eggs and sugar until the sugar dissolves, without beating in air. Whisk in the 350 ml coconut milk, pandan juice, flour, cornflour and ¼ tsp salt. Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl.
6. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir constantly for 5–8 minutes, until the custard thickens slightly and coats a spoon. Pour it gently over the rice base.
7. Wrap the steamer lid in a cloth. Steam over low to medium heat for 25–30 minutes, until the custard is set and springs back when pressed lightly, with no liquid at the centre.
8. Cool completely, at least 4 hours, before cutting into squares or diamonds with an oiled knife or a plastic knife.

v. Tips & common mistakes

• Pack the base hard while hot. Warm glutinous rice binds as it is pressed; cold rice will not, and a loose base lets the custard seep through.
• Pre-thicken the custard. A few minutes over simmering water keeps it on top of the rice and gives a sharp line between the layers.
• Whisk gently. Air beaten into the eggs rises to the surface during steaming and leaves pits in the 'face'. Strain the custard and skim off any foam.
• Keep the steam gentle. High heat makes the custard puff, crack and turn spongy.
• Cover the lid with a cloth. Drips of condensation leave marks on the custard top.
• Cool fully before cutting. Warm seri muka is soft and smears; once cool, it cuts into clean pieces.

vi. Variations

Kueh salat, the Peranakan version, is often richer in eggs and may use rice speckled or streaked with blue from butterfly-pea flower. Indonesian ketan srikaya tops sticky rice with a darker custard, sometimes made with palm sugar. Modern bakers make durian seri muka, or swap the pandan for a gula Melaka custard. Some versions use a mix of black and white glutinous rice in the base.

The pairing of salty coconut rice and sweet custard turns up throughout Southeast Asia: Thai khao niao sankaya serves sticky rice with coconut custard (see sankaya), and the Filipino sapin-sapin and Thai khanom chan are other layered rice cakes. Sticky rice in coconut milk is also the base of sticky rice with durian.

vii. Serving & storage

Serve seri muka at room temperature as a tea-time kuih, cut into small squares or diamonds, with tea or coffee. It is a standard part of a kuih platter for Hari Raya, open houses and festive gatherings.

It keeps for a day at room temperature, covered. Refrigerate it after that for up to 3 days, but the cold makes the rice hard, so steam slices for 5 minutes or warm them gently before serving. It does not freeze well; the custard weeps when it thaws.

ix. More from Indonesian & Malaysian

• Kue Lapis — steamed layered rice cake
• Kue Lumpur — potato coconut cakes
• Klepon — pandan palm-sugar balls
• Sankaya — Thai coconut custard
• Sapin-Sapin — Filipino layered rice cake
• Sticky Rice with Durian — coconut rice and durian sauce