Couple pour passion into ‘kuih bakul’
KUANTAN: With the Chinese New Year just around the corner, the demand for nian gao or kuih bakul, a sweet, sticky glutinous rice cake, continues to grow as it is one of the must-have delicacies for the auspicious celebration.
Cashing in on the demand for this traditional sweet treat, Wong Kok Fui, 60, and his wife, Lai Yoke Lian, 53, have been toiling in the kitchen to make this Chinese dessert.
Despite the tedious process of making the cakes, they are not complaining. It has been their routine for the past 10 years whenever Chinese New Year nears.
They start their day as early as 5.30am, and prefer to make the cakes using the traditional method — firewood stoves to steam the glutinous rice flour, in order to obtain the best flavour and aroma.
Lai said making the cakes was laborious work, since it required patience as they had to be steamed for 14 hours.
“The glutinous rice flour is the main ingredient. By using the traditional method, it will preserve the taste and quality of the cakes.”
Before starting their labours, Lai said she and her husband would prepare 10kg of glutinous rice flour and 12kg of sugar for the cakes. They would mix the two ingredients and steamed the concoction in a giant wok.
Lai said once it was cooked, the mixture would be placed into containers of various sizes before being sold between RM6 and RM16 according to size.
She said once the cakes were packed, her husband would send them to the Sungai Lembing market or deliver them to customers.
Lai said although there were a variety of sweet treats that were usually served during the Chinese New Year, the demand for nian gao remained high.
“I have no plans to quit and will continue to make the cakes every year.
“Although my husband and I get little sleep during this time, it is worth the effort especially when our customers compliment us on our cakes.”