Serikaya
by ~ April 29th, 2005. Filed under: Food.
Serikaya is probably the tastiest spread for toast. Imagine a thick slice of toasted bread, spread with serikaya and some butter. Yummy!
However, only a few people can make serikaya the traditional way. I.e. by double-boiling over very low fire for several hours, stirring all the time. The ingredients used are eggs, sugar, coconut milk and pandan leaves. At the end of cooking time, my mom would take several spoonful of granulated sugar, cook it over low fire to caramelise it and add to the serikaya for the brown colour. Serikaya made this way will turn out lumpy like what is shown in the photo above.
As I don’t the have the patience to make serikaya like how it should be done, I have to make do with small tubs bought from hawkers. Sadly, not many people get the serikaya consistency, sweetness and fragrance right.
Anyway, another great kueh to go with serikaya is the pulut taitai. Glutinous rice steamed and coloured with bunga telang, a blue colour flower like the morning glory.
I don’t have a very appetising photo of pulut taitai. This will do for the moment.
I found someone’s blog about serikaya. Do read it, a very heart-warming blog, recalling memories about foods.
April 30th, 2005 at 7:37 am
I’ve cooked serikaya in the microwave - about 10 mins on lowest setting, stir, then another 5- 10 mins.
May 1st, 2005 at 10:09 am
I missed the pulut tai tai!! I remembered that my uncle used to drive me on his motorbike to the market near Penang Free School (I think? There’s a market near there right?) and there’s a fence behind the school with lots of Bunga Telang and we would have to collect a whole plastic bag full of it for my grandma to make the pulut tai tai. Ever been there? I wonder if the bunga telang bushes are still there and if it’s still blooming.
May 2nd, 2005 at 9:03 pm
i82much - Does it taste nice? I read about the recipe but dare not try.
hush4m3 - Let me ronda-ronda one of these days and see if the plant is still there?