Malaysian Food · September 24, 2021

Kuih Lopes feature

Kuih Lopes: A Traditional Malay Delicacy Dessert from Malaysia

Kuih Lopes: A Traditional Malay Delicacy Dessert from Malaysia

Kuih Lopes (or Lopis) is a traditional Malay delicacy that is enjoyed throughout Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei. It is made from glutinous rice wrapped snugly in banana leaves and cooked by boiling or steaming. After it is cooled, the soft and sticky rice dumpling is covered with grated coconut and served with delicious palm sugar syrup, usually gula Melaka.

There are two main varieties of Kuih Lopes, one where the cooked rice presents a slight greenish colour from the banana leaves. Another version is bright green in colour, because the glutinous rice was first cooked in pandan water. Some home cooks or vendors might cut corner and use green food colouring and pandan essence instead.

Kuih Lopes is usually wrapped into triangle shape, but there is another version where is it wrapped into a cylindrical shape, and cut into smaller round discs before serving. The triangle shaped Kuih Lopes look a bit like the Chinese Alkaline Dumpling or Nyonya Kee Chang.

In Malaysia, Kuih Lopes can be found especially during Ramadhan bazaar and along the Northern corridors of Peninsular Malaysia.