Ang ku kueh

Ângkukóe, Ang Ku Kueh or Kue Ku
Red Tortoise Cake
Alternative namesAng Ku Kueh
TypePastry
CourseSnack
Place of originChina
Region or stateChina and Southeast Asia
Main ingredientsGlutinous rice flour

Ang ku kueh (Chinese: 紅龜粿; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Âng-ku-kóe; Tailo: Âng-ku-kué), also known as red tortoise cake, is a small round or oval-shaped Chinese sweet dumpling with soft, sticky glutinous rice flour skin wrapped around a sweet central filling.[1][2] It is molded to resemble a tortoise shell and is presented resting on a square piece of banana leaf. As suggested by its name, red tortoise cakes are traditionally red in color and has a sticky, chewy texture when eaten.[3] Red tortoise cakes are shaped like tortoise shells because the Chinese traditionally believed that eating tortoises would bring longevity to those who are eating it and bring about good fortune and prosperity.[4][5] Considered to be auspicious items, these sweet pastries are especially prepared during important festivals such as Chinese New Year as offerings to the Chinese deities.

Red tortoise cakes are also prepared for occasions that are culturally important to the Chinese such as a newborn baby's first month or birthdays of the elderly. Eating red tortoise cakes during these times is meant to represent blessings for the child and longevity for the elderly.[4][6] Aside from China, in modern times, red tortoise cakes continue to be important food items during Chinese festivals in many countries with significant Sinophone communities especially in Southeast Asia. However, eating red tortoise cakes in these countries is no longer restricted to special occasions for red tortoise cakes are also commercially available in many pastry shops and bakeries.

There are two main components in red tortoise cakes: skin and filling. The skin is made mostly from glutinous rice flour and sweet potato whereas the fillings are made from precooked ingredients such as mung bean or ground peanuts and sugar. After kneading and molding the ingredients together, the red tortoise cakes are steamed on a piece of banana leaf. In countries such as Singapore, these pastries are popular snack items and are especially popular with children because of their sweet and savory taste. In fact, many bakeries in Singapore have created red tortoise cakes in a variety of assorted flavors, including jelly and red bean, to cater to all tastes and preferences. In Vietnam, ang ku kueh was called bánh Quy, it is sold in almost every Chinese market, especially in Ho Chi Minh City (Cho Lon area). The word "quy" (龜) is the Sino-Vietnamese word for "tortoise."

  1. ^ "Ang Ku Kueh 红龟糕". Chinatownology. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  2. ^ "Kuih Ang Koo". ThisIsDiversity. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
  3. ^ "Traditional Ang Ku Kueh". Singapore's Lifestylepedia to the World. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Steamed Glutinous Rice Cake with Sweet Filling". My Kitchen Snippets. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
  5. ^ "年節飲食文化與紅龜粿 (Occasions for Red Tortoise Cakes)". Taiwan Library Schoolnet. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
  6. ^ "紅龜粿(Red Tortoise Cakes in Chinese Culture)". Encyclopedia of Taiwan. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2011.