Nyonya kueh is a true favourite among Singaporeans and Malaysians. From the rainbow-hued Lapis Sagu to the gula melaka-filled Ondeh Ondeh, these are the desserts you ate as a kid before the onset of cafes and ondeh-ondeh soft-serves.

Here’s a list of kueh you should know about! To those aspiring to get more connected with your Peranakan roots or even those who just simply love kueh, you will enjoy this list.

ANG KU KUEH

These squishy kueh are one of the most popular kueh in Singapore, originating from Fujian in China. It’s shaped like a tortoiseshell and its exterior is made from glutinous rice so it has a mochi-like sticky texture. The kueh is filled with peanuts, red bean paste and sometimes desiccated coconut. It’s said that eating an Ang Ku Kueh will bring prosperity!

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BIKA AMBON

Hailing from Indonesia, this kueh is made from tapioca, eggs, sugar, yeast and coconut milk. Resembling a small disc-like cake, it can come in all sorts of flavours such as durian, chocolate and even savoury cheese! It has a squishy and chewy texture that’s super satisfying to munch on.

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HUAT KUEH

Huat Kueh are fluffy steamed cakes that can come in a whole spectrum of colours. They’re often infused with natural flavours such as pandan, rose and gula melaka. They are traditionally eaten for Chinese New Year and are popular among children as it’s easy to eat. Their texture can be likened to a cloud-like Japanese milk loaf.

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KUEH DADAR

These pandan pancake rolls are also a hot favourite in kueh-lovers’ books. They’re flavoured with pandan leaves and filled with a sweet filling made from gula melaka and desiccated coconuts. It’s a super sweet treat that can be enjoyed by people of all ages!

KUEH KO SUI

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This kueh is made from both tapioca and rice flour, combined with sweet gula melaka. It’s also sometimes infused with natural pandan flavour. The chewy kueh is tossed in sweetened desiccated coconut for a nice texture and contrast in colour. It also kind of looks like a brown Turkish delight!

KUEH LAPIS

A must-have at every family gathering on Chinese New Year, this indulgent treat is everyone’s favourite guilty pleasure snack. It’s a layered cake enriched with an ungodly amount of egg yolks and some pandan flavour. It comes in all sorts of colours and flavours nowadays such as chocolate, rainbow and raisin. Memories over calories, as they say!

KUEH SALAT

Made with chewy, sticky glutinous rice, coconut milk and a pandan egg custard, this kueh is also super popular. It requires a meticulous and arduous process to make but once it reaches the table, it’s usually gone within seconds. Occasionally, the white glutinous rice is tinted with blue pea flower for a pretty marbled effect.

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LAPIS SAGU/RAINBOW KUEH

The prettiest face of Peranakan kueh, lapis sagu is something everyone had as a child. Growing up, these multi-coloured kuehs would line up at traditional bakeries and kueh stalls in a pleasant spectrum of pastel colours. Made with coconut milk, tapioca and rice flour, the kueh are simple yet so delicious! Peel the layers individually or just pop them into your mouth to enjoy it.

ONDEH ONDEH

Known for its vibrant green and white exterior, this kueh has been transformed into a local flavour that’s creeped its way into many desserts and sweet treats in cafes all over Singapore! It’s made with a glutinous rice and pandan exterior and filled with gula melaka syrup. The balls of kueh are then tossed in desiccated coconut. Ondeh ondeh is truly one of the most iconic kueh in Singapore.

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KUEH TALAM UBI

This steamed kueh consists of tapioca, desiccated coconut and gula melaka. Looking like a sweet slice of fudge, this kueh is also one of the sweeter ones so it’s super popular with kids and those who have a sweet tooth. It has a nice “QQ” texture when you bite into it!

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PURPLE YAM TALAM UBI

Despite its bright purple hue, this is actually a milder version of the gula melaka Talam Ubi kueh. Infused with sweet yam, it offers an earthy and mildly sweet edge to the coconut-tapioca kueh.

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REMPAH UDANG

This kueh is made with glutinous rice and shrimp paste, wrapped in pandan leaves and the occasional banana leaf. The sticky glutinous rice is sometimes dyed with blue pea flower extract to give it a nice indigo shade. It’s one of our favourite savoury kueh, you simply have to try it!