Kuih Tapai

How Kuih Tapai is made..

Firstly, just like making kuih Jelurut, Kuih Tapai also use the peeled leaves from the “Batang Nipah”. These peeled leaves are cuts into few inches long before it is opened as shown in the pictures below. 

Before cutting the peeled leaves into few inches long

A peeled leaf cut into few inches long

The peeled leaf is opened and bent.

This is the “Kelukur” of Kuih Tapai. 

Below is a video how my mom made the "kelukur"

Batang nipah can be obtained from the “Daun Apong” as shown in the picture below. It is the young shoot or in Brunei language we called it "Pucuk" of the Daun Apong.

Daun Apong

Pucuk Nipah

A brief information about Daun Apong. Apong produces “Nipah” fruits and the young of this fruit is called the “Mayang”. The juices from the “Mayang” is extracted and fermented and became “Gulanau”. Gulanau is a sticky wet brown sugar which is used to sweeten a drink such as the “Tea ‘C’ Special” and as an ingredient to make some of the Brunei traditional delicacies such as the “Penyaram, Ardam, Kipang” and the like. 

Next, while preparing or “menganyam” the “Kelukur”, cook the rice of kuih tapai using Siam rice, Bruneian called it “Beras Siam”.

Cooked "beras Siam"

As soon as the rice is cooked, it is poured on the “Nyiru” and let to cool down. Then, “Laru” which has been mixed and blended with sugar is spread equally on the rice. 

* "Laru" can be bought at Tamu Kianggeh.

The amount of "Laru" used are as follows:

1 bushelful of Siam rice = 1 piece of “Laru”

Half bushelful of Siam rice = Half piece of “Laru”

“Secupak ampat” of Siam rice = Quarter piece of “Laru”

* “Secupak ampat” is a local dialect used to describe a small portions of commodity such as rice.

The rice is left cool down on "Nyiru"

Laru (Round in shape)

Spreading the blended laru and sugar equally

When the rice has been mixed equally with the blended laru and sugar, then it’s time to put it inside the “Kelukur” and sealed it with “Samat”. 

Samat in different lengths

Putting the rice into the "Kelukur"

After the Kuih Tapai is in shape as shown in the picture, it is put inside a container and kept sealed for 24 hours. After 24 hours of fermentation, then only the Kuih Tapai is ready to be served and edible. 

Tapai in shape

My mother told me that, back in the old days, they will use “Bayong” to keep Kuih Tapai fermented. Bayong is a basket made from the Daun Apong as well.

Ready to be fermented for a night in a sealed container

Another brief history about "Kelukur" J

Back in the old days, Brunei people does not use Daun Apong to make the Kelukur, instead they use “Daun Simpur” or “Daun Tarap” for the Kelukur but then, since Kuih Tapai is made majorly for sale, these “Daun Simpur” and ”Daun Tarap” was not suitable to maintain the freshness of the Kuih Tapai while it is put on sales. Unless you are consuming it for themselves then only they will use either leaves.

That's all about how to make Kuih Tapai from me, I hope the brief information will help you to know more about how the famous and delicious kuih Tapai is made.

Cheers! Assalamualaikum from AMB J