By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Jan 19: ‘Kuih pinjaram’, also known as ‘kuih telinga tikus’ (rat’s ear cake) or ‘kuih topi’ (hat cake) is a popular delicacy in Malaysia often consumed during teatime or as a snack.
However, despite the many names it goes by, few know that the snack, which resembles an unidentified flying object (UFO), is a traditional ‘kuih’ (cake) for the Bajau people of Sabah and the Malays in Brunei.
According to the proprietor of Cinde’s Kuih Topi, Cinde (as she wanted to be called), her version of the popular snack is made using blended wheat flour, rice flour, palm sugar, white sugar, and some water.
“I usually let it chill in a fridge overnight before using it the next day, and some people would leave it at room temperature.
“Some say it could be better to leave the ingredients to ferment longer. But I prefer mine the way I’ve always made since I started making this snack some three years ago,” the 37-year-old told DayakDaily.
Cinde, who picked up her culinary skills from her mother, revealed that during the Covid-19 pandemic and movement control order (MCO) in 2020, she took up the ‘Penyaram Challenge’.
She said that it was like the ‘Dalgano Coffee’ challenge and added it did take some time to successfully make a perfectly-shaped ‘kuih penyaram’.
“That was how I started making snacks, and after that, I opened a stall next to my mother’s to sell fresh ‘kuih penyaram’ and others like red bean sesame balls, ‘popiah’ with ‘kuih bakul’, yam and sweet potato as fillings, ‘popiah’ macaroni and cheese and ‘popiah’ potato carbonara.
“I call my ‘kuih penyaram’ as ‘kuih topi’ as it is easier to say. That is why I named my stall ‘Cinde’s Kuih Topi’, ” she said.
Cinde shared that when she started her stall, she had one small frying station with one gas stove, and when demand for her snacks increased, she upgraded to four gas stoves.
“I noticed that customers wanted to eat hot snacks, and my ‘kuih topi’ is always warm as it is freshly made and taken with warm drinks,” she said.
Cinde, who started operating her stall from 7am till midday, hoped to continue with her snack business, and if it were good, she would like to open more outlets.
For those who like to try Cinde’s snacks, look for her stall at Tung Kuan Food Court, Jalan Rock, Central Park Commercial Centre.
Her stall operates daily except Mondays and Tuesdays. For inquiries, call 016-857 3960. — DayakDaily
