Pulut Tai Tai Recipe

Pulut tai tai is a kind of Malaysian sticky rice cake (or kuih) served with rich, sweet kaya.

This Malaysian cake actually has two names. Originally called 'pulut tekan' (pressed sticky rice), it was nicknamed 'pulut tai tai' (rich housewife sticky rice) because it was apparently popular in wealthy households.

Pulut tai tai is actually very similar to kuih seri muka. Both are made with butterfly pea flower-coloured blue sticky rice and a kaya-like custard.

The difference is kuih seri muka is made by baking a thicker, solid layer of kaya directly on top of the rice layer, and the kaya's coloured and flavoured with pandan. But pulut tai tai separates the two, and the kaya is the spreadable type for dipping, while not being flavoured with pandan (although it can be, if you like).

In this recipe I'll show you how to make the original plain coconut kaya to serve with the pulut tai tai cakes: a sort of curd made with coconut milk, eggs and sugar. Check out my pandan kaya recipe if you'd like to serve it with pandan kaya instead.

You can also watch me make this on my YouTube channel, Tashcakes:

Ready? Let's go.

Ingredients for Kaya:

200ml thick, full fat coconut milk
4 eggs
100g caster sugar
Small pinch of salt

Ingredients for Pulut Tai Tai:

400g glutinous rice, rinsed well 3 times and drained
200ml thick, full fat coconut milk
200ml water
1 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 pandan leaf, shredded a little and knotted
100ml strongly-brewed butterfly pea flower tea

Method:

1. Start by making the kaya: whisk the coconut milk with the eggs, sugar and salt, and strain through a sieve into a wok or large saucepan.

2. Cook over a low to medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 20–30 minutes or until thickened. Stirring with a balloon whisk will help stop clumps from forming. If it still curdles a little, don't panic: just pop the kaya in a blender or use a stick blender to whizz it until smooth.

3. Transfer the kaya into a clean jar and leave to cool completely before serving (it'll keep in the fridge for a week).

4. Now make the rice cake. Grease and line an 8" square baking pan with foil (I do it in a way that makes lifting the rice cake out of the pan easier).

5. Cook all of the rice layer ingredients apart from the blue tea in a rice cooker until done (about 30 minutes), switch the cooker off and let it sit for five minutes.

6. When the rice is ready, discard the pandan leaf and stir the blue tea into it – you can make the colour as patchy or as uniform as you like.

7. Pack the rice firmly into the tin, making sure you get the corners and sides too.

8. Cover with clingfilm so it doesn't dry out and leave to cool. Then turn out onto a cutting board (line it with the same clingfilm so the cake won't stick to it), slice into rectangles, and serve with your cooled kaya.

Enjoy, and have fun.