Ang Ku Recipe

(makes 24 medium-size pieces)

Filling:

250 g

160 g

1/2 teaspoon

8 - 10 teaspoons

Starter Dough

50 g 

30 g

4 oz

Orange red colouring

Dough

250 g

6 - 8 oz

2.5 - 3 oz

Bottom Layer

Banana leave

Skinless green bean

Sugar

salt

Oil

Rice flour 

Sugar

Water

Glutinous rice flour

Water

Oil

Cut into rectangles to fit mould

Wooden Ang Ku mould

Extra oil for brushing

1. To make filling, wash and soak green beans for at least 2 hours and steam over boiling water for 30 minutes until beans are soft. 
2. Process green beans into a fine paste.
3. Transfer bean paste to a pot and cook over low flame, stirring continuously while adding sugar, salt and oil until filling binds together.
4. Cool before shaping into lime-sized balls and set aside.
5. For starter dough, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook about 5 minutes over a low flame, stirring continuously until dough comes together.
6. Combine the dough, glutinous rice flour and water in a mixing bowl and work the ingredients until they bind together.
7. Knead in the oil gradually to form a smooth dough.
8. Shape the dough into lime-sized balls and cover with a towel to prevent a skin from forming on the dough.
9. To mould, flatten dough ball and place a filling ball in the centre.
10. Wrap the dough evenly around the filling and shape back into a ball.
11. Press the ball into a lightly floured Ang Ku mould. Knock gently to dislodge the Ang Ku.
12. Lightly oil on a piece of banana leaf and place the Ang Ku on it. Repeat to use up the dough.
13. Fill a bamboo steamer with Ang Ku and steam them covered, over medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
14. Lift the steam cover every 3-4 minutes to de-pressurise, to prevent the Ang Ku from over-expanding and erasing the design on the Ang Ku.
15. Remove from the streamer and brush top with oil.
16. When cool, trim the banana leaf neatly round the Ang Ku.