Kueh Kosui Recipe: Super soft and wobbly version

This kueh kosui recipe is not only the easiest to do but will result in a super wobbly kueh kosui which is a textural delight.  The recipe was shared by Sharon of My Makan Place.  What makes it very different from the typical kueh kosui recipe is that you add the hot gula melaka syrup directly to the tapioca flour!  I initially had doubts that it would work, but it does!  It means you don’t have to add the extra step of cooking it over a bain marie which saves time and effort!  The only downside is that you may have a few lumps of uncooked flour which is easily rectified by straining it before steaming.


Group A
550 ml    Water
400 gm  Gula Melaka  (Original recipe by Sharon uses only 300g)
1/2 tsp salt
6 Pandan leaves knotted

Group B
250gm Tapioca flour starch
20gm.  Plain flour
2 Tbsp Alkaline water
550 ml  Water

Group C
Shredded coconut
1/2 tsp salt
Pandan leaves

8” square tin

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug_NvJtD1l8]


1. Bring ingredients in group A to a boil and simmer for 10 mins
2. Meanwhile measure and sieve tapioca and plain flour
3. Add alkaline water to water
4. Add hot gula melaka syrup directly to the flour while stirring continuously.
5. Oil square pan
6. Pour the batter through a sieve onto the pan
7. Steam for 30mins.  I used a steam oven set at 90°C.  If you are using a wok, leave a gap in the lid so that steam can escape.  Steaming at high heat may cause bubbles to appear in the kueh.
8.  Steam the grated coconut with pandan leaves for 10mins and add 1/2 tsp salt to it.  This will help the coconut to keep longer.


  1. The shiokness of your kueh kosui is directly dependent on the quality of gula melaka you use.  Try to get pure “gula jawa” from the market if you can.  The ones sold in the supermarkets often have sugar added to it.  You can tell by reading the ingredients list as well as the crystalline texture when you press it between your fingers. A good gula melaka should be soft and toffee like with a nice caramel fragrance.
  2. The tapioca flour (flying man) sold at the supermarket works well.
  3. For the grated coconut, you really do need to buy it from the wet market.  The ones sold at the supermarkets aren’t very good.
  4. Many recipes on the internet show that you need to slowly cook the slurry over a double boiler.  I have tried both methods and am happy with just pouring hot syrup into dry flour.  Just make sure you add all the syrup at once and stir quickly.  It should thicken up a little.  It is a little lumpy at first, but it will eventually dissolve. Once all the flour is mixed with water, add the rest of the water.   I have tried dissolving the flour in some cold water first, but it doesn’t work as there is not enough heat in the syrup to gelatinize the flour.  I also tried adding the gula melaka a little at a time but it also doesn’t work!  Just add all the gula melaka syrup at once and stir quickly!  (Trust me.  I tried)
  5. The recipe may not work if you half the ingredients.  Sharon has tweaked it such that the amt of gula melaka syrup is just right to cook the tapioca flour.  You can try, but if the batter is still watery, you may still need to cook it over a water bath to thicken it.
  6. You will find the surface of the kueh to be a little wet and sticky.  Just leave it on the kitchen top overnight and it will firm up nicely.

7. You can buy alkaline water from Phoon Huat where it is in liquid form or from the market as little rocks which you dissolve in water.  Ask for “kee”, for making kee chang. You only really need a grape sized piece to dissolve in water.

Thanks for reading the article. Share if you enjoyed!

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