Monday, September 6, 2010

Angkoos Galore!

Ever since I started making angkoos a couple of weeks back, I have been busy trying out various flavours and colours using all-natural ingredients.  For the past few weekends, the steamer in my kitchen has been put to good use and by now, members of my family have gotten quite tired of tasting the angkoos I make!  Fortunately, my neighbour is still very receptive towards my kuih offers, LOL!

From the very first attempt and subsequent attempt when my purple angkoos were born, I turned green and orange in my next few testing episodes.  For the green colouring, I used the all-Malaysian favourite pandan leaves which not only imparted the most delightful refreshing greeney fragrance but also gave the kuihs a startling green hue...

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Don't you think they kinda look like those ancient jade pendants?  That's why I'm naming them my Jade Angkoos, lol!  Tired of the usual mungbean filling, I tried using coconut flakes - I cooked them with some gula melaka (palm sugar) first.  Generally, coconuts go well with pandan-flavoured kuihs.

Green Angkoos-2

Green Angkoos-4

Our local sweet potatoes come in various colours - choose the orange ones, like I did, to give your angkoos this beautiful shine ... my Orange Sunshine!

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Orange Angkoo

I tried using crushed peanuts for the filling and it turned out to be a hit! *winks at Devil!*

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Oh, I have to thank Kenny Mah and Devil for so graciously agreeing to test and taste these for me...

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I got conned at the pasar malam recently when I wanted to buy more purple sweet potatoes.  I was reassured that those were indeed the purple strain but when I steamed and mashed them, what I got was a dull greyish colour!  So what to do, what to do?!  A flash of inspiration - I rummaged through my larder and came up with a packet of black sesame!  So I toasted that, pounded the sesame and added it to my angkoo dough - all is not lost!

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Hmmm... what shall I name them?  Black Beauty? or just plain old Black Sesame Angkoo?

Black angkoo

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Last Saturday when I was strolling through the pasar pagi, I saw some organic beetroot in one of the stalls and bought a medium-sized one.  I was excited to see what the beetroot can do, in terms of colouring and flavour!

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I was totally blown away by the vibrant pink that the beetroot gave to the angkoos!  I used less than half a beetroot to get this gorgeous shade of pink...

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I have yet to name this "model" - anyone has any good ideas?

Beetroot Angkoos

Not satisfied with the last batch of so-called purple sweet potatoes which turned out grey, I bought another batch from a grocer in my neighbourhood and got these lovely lilac-hued angkoos...

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So there we have it... these are the variants that I have experimented on so far.  There are a few other fresh ingredients I want to try but meanwhile, I'll just let my poor family members have a rest from the endless trays of angkoos that had been churned out from my kitchen recently... unless there are some volunteers out there willing to be my "guinea pigs" on this Project Angkoo?!

37 comments:

Kenny Mah said...

Oh gosh. Such an honour to be your guinea pig la. They were SO GOOD. We relish our next turn at guineapigging for you, dear. :D

P.S. The vibrant pink angkoos? How about calling it The Flamingkoo? (After the pink flamingo?)

gfad said...

Gorgeous! You didn't put them all together ar? Would look like jewels, I bet!

Flamingkoo.. I was actually thinking of Flamenco when you mentioned it. Flaming red and all.. :D

J said...

Oh wow. They're all so pretty! :D
(Really sad that I missed on my chance to try! Boo hoo hoo....)

jason said...

You can open a shop and sell them already! :D

Sean said...

i never realized before that angkoos could be works of art! fabulous =)

"Joe" who is constantly craving said...

if u r sending it to melbourne, can i get a dozen of each colour pls!

Cyrene said...

the colors are so vibrant!

Barefoot said...

These looks so beautiful! I agree with Jason - you can open a shop and sell them. I really like that you have managed to use natural ingredients to give the angkoos such vibrant colors.

Ciki said...

gorgeous to look at.. even better to EAT! Your angku's are totally delicious thanks chris! xoxo

boo_licious said...

hee hee, there's also blue angkoos - bunga telang ones! Try marbling them also so they can give you dual colours.

Sorry, I was so busy yesterday to get some angkoos for you. *Wails!!* I am sure I am missing out big time.

PureGlutton said...

LFB: U r my Chief GP, hehe! And u r a genius - i luv yr "flamingkoo"! If ever Proj Angkoo takes off, Flamingkoo will be a tribute to u ;-)

PureGlutton said...

gfad: Thanks! Those kuihs were made on different days, so some had bn consumed by the time the later batches were made, so couldnt put them all togeder lor. Ya, it wld hv bn a collection of colorful gems, hehe!

PureGlutton said...

J: Dun worry, always a "next time"! :-))

PureGlutton said...

Jason: Can ah? If no biz, then how?? Chupp lupp lor!

PureGlutton said...
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PureGlutton said...

Sean: Thanks! I'm still working on your suggestion abt the nougat & caramel thingy, hehe!

PureGlutton said...

Joe: Noted ;-) But then, i doubt if the Ozzie customs will let them in?!

PureGlutton said...

Cyrene: They are, aren't they?! And all natural!

PureGlutton said...

Barefoot: Hi, thanks for dropping by! Yeah, it's amazing that natural ingredients can give so much colour, better than artificial colouring any time!

PureGlutton said...
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PureGlutton said...

Ciki: Thanks, glad u like them!

PureGlutton said...

Boo: U just read my mind on all counts! I was talking to Marian abt the bunga telang & how difficult it is to get those - blue angkoos r on my list! AND my next experiment wil be on doing multi-colors & patterning them ~ ws thinking abt this last wkend, hehe! So exciting!

qwazymonkey said...

Oh wow! You're on an Angkoo quest! Can't really call the "Ang"any more right? Haha

So when's your tortoise cake business gonna start? I'm already marking down what I wanna buy already - namely the orange and black one. The look awesome.

How about trying savoury ones?

Babe_KL said...

Can't wait to feast on some ;-)

The red ones look like glistening ruby!

PureGlutton said...

Qwazy: Yeah, it's angkoo fever now, LOL! OK, i hear ya - u r an orange & black fan, hehe! The black ones really look like lil tortoises, don't they??
Yeah, savoury fillings are in the plan ;-)

PureGlutton said...

BabeKL: Yep, this weekend ;-) So yr fave is the red la - ok, noted, hehe!

kwpang said...

these tortoise looks absolutely delicious.

Agnes Tan said...

oh.... very beautiful angkoo kueh.. looks very Christmassy too :)

Lyrical Lemongrass said...

Wow, you're amazing! (But still can't bring myself to like angkoos sighh)

Anonymous said...

i'd name the pink angkoos lady gaga. x know why, just vibrant colour reminded me of her.

Unknown said...

I love your angkoos. You have the true nyonya touch. So nice to have them in such different natural colours. Am still trying to find out where to get the bunga telang for you, for the blue ones. The ones with peanut filling were so delicious too. - Marian

PureGlutton said...

kwpang: Thanks for dropping by! Yeah, they really looked like baby tortoises, dont they?!

PureGlutton said...

Agnes: Thanks for hopping by! Ya, put the red and green ones together and we'll get some Christmassy mood!

PureGlutton said...

L.Lemongrass: Thanks :D I wonder what is it that u dont like in the angkoo - the skin? the filling? :P

PureGlutton said...

Anon: Pink Lady Gaga eh! U must be such a great fan!

PureGlutton said...

Marian: Thanks - glad u like them :) Blue angkoos wld be so cool looking! I'm trying out more different fillings!

Rebecca Saw said...

Oh my, indeed they are a beauty!
U got the right shade of colour for each too!
For 1st & 15th day of the chinese month, you'll set for biz!