: Gently pour the next color over the cooked layer. Repeat this process until all layers are used.
In a quiet corner of a bustling Singaporean heartland estate, nestled between a kopitiam and a provision shop, stood Grandma Ah Ma’s shophouse. To anyone passing by, it was just another narrow, weathered building with green shutters. But to young Mei, it was a palace of scent and memory.
Indigo is the bridge between blue and violet. In the kueh world, indigo appears in Kuih Seri Muka — a two-layered steamed cake with a glutinous rice bottom (dyed with butterfly pea, but left longer to become darker) and a silky pandan custard top.
The book breaks down the core mechanics of kueh creation into digestible chapters:
SGD $30-$40 (approximately USD $22-$28)
In Southeast Asian food culture, particularly within Peranakan, Malay, and Eurasian communities, kueh (or kuih ) represents far more than just dessert. These colorful, often steamed delicacies are central to festival celebrations, family gatherings, and daily ritual. Traditionally, making kueh was a communal labor of love, requiring hours of manual pounding, straining, and precise layering.
The preparation of this dessert is an art form. The batter is poured in thin layers, each colored with natural or artificial dyes, and steamed one at a time. The top layer is traditionally red, the bottom white, and the middle layers form a spectrum of rainbow colors. This meticulous process results in a cake that is not only delicious but also highly Instagrammable. The most intriguing part of this dessert is that you can peel off each layer and eat them individually, adding an element of interactive fun to the eating experience.
The text breaks down notoriously difficult, multi-layered treats. It offers foolproof, step-by-step instructions for classics like:
"The Rainbow Kueh Book" is more than just a recipe book – it's a love letter to the rich cultural heritage of Singapore's kueh-making traditions. Authored by a renowned food writer and enthusiast, this book is the culmination of years of research, experimentation, and passion for these iconic desserts. With its stunning photographs and easy-to-follow recipes, "The Rainbow Kueh Book" has become an indispensable guide for anyone looking to explore the world of kueh. the rainbow kueh book
A two-layered masterpiece consisting of a compressed, salted glutinous rice base marbled with blue pea flower, topped with a smooth, sweet, fragrant pandan coconut custard.
If you are looking to purchase a copy, The Rainbow Kueh Book is available here. If you're interested in more, I can: Share a simple recipe from the book Explain the difference between Nyonya and Malay kueh Recommend tools for making kueh
The Rainbow Kueh Book: Preserving Culture Through Colors published by Singapore’s Ministry of Education. Written by Lee-Ling Ho and illustrated by Kowling Lee, it was released in 2017 as part of the K1 Big Book series. The educational book introduces young children to local heritage, colors, and multi-ethnic flavors through kueh —traditional bite-sized snacks popular in Southeast Asia. What is a Rainbow Kueh?
Tortoise-shaped glutinous rice pastries filled with sweet mung bean paste. : Gently pour the next color over the cooked layer
Mei thought of her classmates. Her cheeks flushed. She added the red layer over the white without a word.
Lee-Ling Ho. Curriculum Planning & Development Division, Ministry of Education, 2017 - Big books - 16 pages. Google Books The rainbow kueh, Ho, Lee-Ling - Singapore - NLB Catalogue
Mei poured the blue carefully. The rainbow was growing.
: Kueh is a shared culinary language spanning Malay, Indonesian, Peranakan, and Eurasian communities across Southeast Asia. To anyone passing by, it was just another