Smiling Cake (Fatt Koh)

Tonight is a night where I'm itching to do something... My thoughts wander around the atmosphere of Chinese New Year, and that it is already over. I remember throughout the New Year, there are several occasions of prayers. One of the food items that are offered during prayers is the smiling cakes or "fatt koh." I always thought "fatt" translates to prosperity and "koh" or kuih is the Asian version of cake or pastry, hence "prosperity cake" but turns out fatt koh also translates to "smiling cake." To think of it now, it makes more sense if "fatt" in this case means "rise."

The fatt koh used for prayers are typically pinkish in color. But by the time I decided to make some fatt koh, the stores are closed and I couldn't get any food colorings. So, natural color it is. In fact, there was a lot of improvisations that took place. I'm not sure if there is a special kind of cup that is fatt koh holder. I was initially going to use a cupcakes tray to hold the batter, but then realized that the tray is not going to fit in the wok, which I was going to use as the steamer. Then, I found two little condiment bowls, which I thought could be used as the fatt koh holder. But because there's only two of them, I had to steam two fatt koh's at a time. And so, the adventure begun.

My fatt koh holder

Fatt koh's smiling at ya... at bout 7th minutes

It was kinda fun to watch them rise, or smile. Once the first two was out of the steamer and I have place another two cups of batter in, I popped one of the fatt koh in my mouth and it made me smile :) I was so excited that I went on and made another batch of batter, this time with palm sugar. Surprisingly, the color of those made with palm sugar is just the same as those made with white sugar. Hmm..... I also find that those made with palm sugar is stickier to taste in the mouth, or in comparison, not as fluffy as those made with white sugar.

Palm sugar and white sugar fatt koh's

Smiley little thing!

When Ah Po get the fatt koh's for prayers, she would get a couple of extra for me ('cos those for the prayers are sometimes left on the altar for days). You know it. Ah Po loves me very much. There's no denying to that!


Fatt Koh
makes ~8

250 grams of self-rising flour (subs. 250 grams of all-purpose flour + 2.5 tsp of baking powder + 2 dashes of salt)
140 grams of sugar / palm sugar
100 ml of water
150 grams of thick coconut milk (by weight)

Cook sugar with water until sugar melts. Let it cool.
Add all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until thick and smooth.
Imp: Heat the wok with water and bring to high boil with the cups in to heat them before pouring in the batter, which should be 90% full.
Cover with lid and steam for 15 minutes.
The koh will smile if the right amount of batter, time for steaming, and maintaining high heat are observed.