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Pandan leaves and coconut milk are the undeniable power duo in Nyonya or Peranakan food, prevalently used in the kuihs, small bite-sized snacks that are often eaten as breakfast, snack or dessert. I just made the kuih bingka ubi kayu last week and have another cassava (tapioca) left, and I thought why not try a different flavour? That is, my usual favourite and a regular item in my kitchen – the aromatic pandan leaves and tropical coconut cream.

What is pandan coconut kuih bingka ubi kayu

Simply kuih bingka ubi kayu, but with the added pandan to the coconut cream, the pandan flavour intensifies the taste and aroma of the kuih. This is a one-bowl mixing recipe that’s extremely easy to make, and a very forgiving recipe too. You don’t have to worry about over-mixing or over-baking the kuih, though you do have to be careful not to over-burn the surface of the kuih surface. I think mine (in the pictures) turned out a bit too brown, though the kuih still tastes good.

This pandan coconut kuih bingka ubi kayu is one of my favourite Nyonya kuih. You can literally taste the cassava bits in the kuih. It’s very soft and chewy and the flavour just bursts in every bite. This is perfect for coffee or tea break, along with other Nyonya kuehs like kueh dadar, ang ku kueh, ondeh ondeh, kueh salat and pulut tai tai.

Ingredients to make pandan coconut kuih bingka ubi kayu

The key ingredient, the cassava, or more commonly known by locals in Singapore, the tapioca or 木薯 (in Chinese) or ubi kayu (in Bahasa Malayu) is a type of starchy root vegetable, native from South America. The root is called cassava but the starch that came from it is called tapioca flour or tapioca starch. It’s extracted from juice squeezed from the grated cassava, left a while to separate from the cassava juice, a white starch residue at the bottom. Not to be confused with cassava flour which is made from another method, by blanching the cassava root, then dried and grinded to a fine flour.
The other two star ingredients that gives the beautiful aroma are the pandan leaves and coconut cream. It’s readily available in Southeast Asia so if you are from other parts of the world where you don’t have access to these fresh ingredients, using pandan extract and canned or carton coconut cream is also fine. And just so you wonder what’s the difference between coconut cream and coconut milk, coconut milk is a diluted version, its texture is like fresh milk. While coconut cream has a thicker texture. If you add water to coconut cream, you get coconut milk.
Eggs and the tapioca starch (a by-product from the cassava) acts as binding agent to the kuih. There are some recipes out there that do not include an egg but I have not tried not using one yet.
Stevia sweetener. I prefer using this rather than the usual refined white sugar as a calorie-free sweetening substitute.
Salt to elevate the taste of the kuih bingka ubi kayu.
Melted butter added to the kuih batter as well as brushed on the kuih surface to give it a nice golden brown crust. It’s ok to use margarine too.
Banana leaf or baking paper is used to line the bottom of the cake pan. The banana leaf gives the kuih an extra aroma.

Tips to make pandan coconut kuih bingka ubi kayu

The coconut cream, if too thick to blend with the pandan leaves, try adding a bit of water to make the blending smoother.
Don’t use a cake pan with removable base. I used one and the liquid from the kuih leaks out easily during baking, which can make quite a mess in the oven.
Use fresh cassava whenever possible, otherwise, it is also ok to use frozen ones.
Some recipes uses tapioca starch in powder form, but you can actually get the starch from the grated cassava so there is no wastage in the ingredients. Leave the squeezed cassava starchy water for about 15 minutes and the water will separate, leaving a layer of white residue at the base, that is the start. Simply drain away the water, and use the tapioca starch left for the kuih.
To achieve the golden brown crust on top of the kuih, turn up the oven temperature to about 200C / 392F using top grill function, bake the kuih for the last 15 minutes. Remember to brush some butter or margarine on the kuih surface, then bake until the top turns golden brown.

How to store kuih bingka ubi kayu

You can enjoy the kuih bingka right after it cools down. However it’s best consumed after the flavours develop, overnight. To store, either keep in a container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or chill in the fridge for up to 5 days. To consume, simply steam or microwave the kuih for 3-5 minutes until softened.

If you intend to keep it longer, store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. To consume, just steam or microwave for about 5-8 minutes without thawing.