10 Best Traditional Kuihs/Pastries In KL & Selangor

A popular dessert eaten during Chinese New Year as it is believed to improve your luck in the coming year. Ah Seng's Nian Gao have the texture similar to mochi, moist and bouncy in quality. First, you get a crunch as your teeth sinks into the crispy crust. Then it is followed by a soft texture from the yam and sweet potato pieces. Last but not least, the molten Nian Gao which is like caramel candy that sticks to your teeth. My family has been buying his pastries even before I was released to this world. Whenever he catches wind that I am around the corner, he would save some of his pastries for me! This is a Must Try! So come early to avoid any disappointment.

📍: In front of 99 supermarket, Jalan Sarjana, Taman Connaught (12pm-2pm) | main branch at Taman Midah, Jalan Besar (10am-4pm)
💲: Rm1.40 per piece

So Kawaii and colourful kan? More colourful than my dull life😑. Instead of having the traditional ‘turtle back’ shape , these are in shapes of roses and pumpkins. The texture of the skin is springy, thin, and soft like baby's 'Pi Gu'. They are light on the palate you can easily have 3 to 4 servings without being aware.These are so pretty they are suitable for celebrations, parties and events. I preordered these so I could collect them fresh on the day that I need them.

📍: No 101, block P/F, Lorong Kaskas, Taman Cheras, 56100 KL
💲: Rm 1+ per piece

This dim sum place churns out the best Tau Sar Pao in the whole Malaysia. This Pao is the Pao which makes this restaurant which was originally from Johor famous. Now, it has 25 branches throughout Malaysia and it all started out with a simple Tau Sar Pao. One bite and it will bring you straight to dim sum heaven! If you close your eyes while savoring it in your mouth, you will definitely hear the angels sing. The skin is as soft as cotton and the red bean paste is nice and thick without it being too cloyingly sweet. Now you can experience heaven on earth with a budget of 2 ringgit only.

📍Yun Lai , ss15
💲RM2

I managed to stumble upon another hidden gem!
On the outside, this look exactly like another ordinary Tau Sar Piah. The saying 'don't judge a book by its cover' is so so true. The filling is where the magic lies. This is a unique combination which I have never seen before; a layer of salty mung bean filling which is nicely moist and not too loose in texture topped with a layer sweet lotus paste. I don't know what recipe this stall uses but kudos to them for their pastry have that gorgeously light and melt-in-the-mouth-cotton-candy quality.
📍near Siaw Kah restaurant, road side stall.
💲RM 1.20

I was so surprised that the kuihs here are rather delightful. One would never expect to get good authentic kuih muih while shopping in a mall. Well, 'Nyonya Colors' has proven me wrong. One noteworthy kuih to try here is their kuih lapis. I am very pernickety about my kuih lapis, it had to be firm yet elastic enough so that you can peel it off layer by layer at the same time have that 'not-sticking-to-the-teeth' criteria.📍: Nyonya Colors, Gardens, Mid Valley, KL 💲:RM1.17 each

Bite into these mini bombs and you will experience an explosion of sweetness in your mouth. The melted palm sugar compliments the chewy pandan scented exterior. Shredded coconut gives them the extra crunch which enhances its deliciousness. 📍Nyonya Colors , Gardens,Mid Valley , KL 💲RM2.65 per box

Felling blue? Well, why not brighten your day with some sunshine-orange coloured coconut toppings on these delicious fall-apart-tender tapioca cakes!? These tapioca cakes are pillowy soft, has a inviting mild aroma of coconut milk and they are delightfully not too sweet. My mom and I especially love the ones here because of its light, clear sweetness and the au natural tapioca flavor, unlike the other ones out there.

If skittles claims it makes you 'Taste The Rainbow' then this tapioca cake slogan should be 'Taste The Sunshine' !

📍: outside 4D toto , Jalan Radin Anum 1 (open on weekends only 11am till finish selling)
💲: RM1 for 2piece

Do you know the difference between crispiness and crunchiness ? I will use this Jin Dui as an example for my explanation. The short lived crackling sounds when your incisors first touch the golden brown surface of the Jin Dui ; that, is crispiness. As you teeth sink in deeper into the chewy part of the pastry and the sustained grinding sound you get from the sesame seed is termed as crunchiness. This Jin Dui is also from Ah Seng(read previous post on Ham Sui Gok) but at a different location. The are more variety of pastries here. All pastries here are made fresh everyday, no wonder it is sold out in a jiffy daily.

📍: Taman Midah, Jalan Besar (10am-4pm) - (easy to find Nya ! The only stall which sells fried pastries)
💲: Rm0.80 per piece

Ham sui gok aka, 'Crispy deep fried golden beauties with a sweet savory inside'.
Ah Seng road side stall sells the best traditional fried pastries. But If I had to choose a favorite, it has got to his Ham Sui Gok.
The standard of their fried dumplings 'can fight' with the ones you get in high end dim sum restaurants. What you look for in a good Ham Sui Gok does not lie in the filling but their pastry. These beauties are fried just enough to give you the delightful contrast between the crispy shell and the chewy interior. Other highlights from Ah Seng's stall includes Ham Juin Peng, Yau Zha Guai, Nian Gao, and Jin Dui. My family has been buying his pastries even before I was released to this world. If uncle Ah Seng knew I was around the corner, he would surely pre-pack and save some Ham Sui Gok for me! This is a Must Try! Come early to avoid any disappointment.

📍: In front of 99 supermarket, Jalan Sarjana, Taman Connaught (12pm-2pm) | main branch at Taman Midah, Jalan Besar (10am-4pm)
💲: Rm1.60 per piece

Just right outside Nam Chun restaurant , Lucky Garden, you will find Ah Mun's small motorcycle vendor. My mom highly recommends his Kuih Sago. She told me that Mr Ah Mun has been selling his nyonya kuih since her school days and the flavor and texture of it has not changed a bit till this very day. His kuih sago has that QQ texture which is very fun to chew.

Plain sago balls soaked in palm sugar which contributes to the sweetness of the kuih, yields the brown layer while the green colored layer gives it the fragrant pandan smell.

Eh?something is missing ! Where is the shredded coconut?....No need to go into a panic attack. These sago kuih does not have coatings of desiccated coconut because they are already infused into the kuih itself.

Charging at the price of RM1.20 for one small piece, I think it is rather expensive, but good things come with a price right? (Ps: it's in bangsar , even tap water here is more expensive la) All in all, I think it is still worth spending your Ka-Ching for!

📍: outside Nam Chun, Lucky Garden
💲: RM 1.20 each

Ang Ku Kuih (红龟粿) or Ang Koo Kueh ? Or maybe it is spelled as Ang Ku Kueh ? Who cares ! Being born in a hokkien family this traditional Chinese snack is no stranger to me. ‘Ang Ku Kuih’ in Hokkien pronunciation literally means Red Tortoise Dumpling because of the motive on the dumpling which looks like the back of a turtle.

Aren’t these just pleasing to the eyes ? Instead of having the traditional ‘turtle back’ shape , these are in shapes of roses and pumpkins.

The skin of these homemade kuihs are fragrant, tender and brightly colored with NATURAL coloring.
Traditionally, the color of it is obviously red, since ‘Ang’ means red in hokkien. Nowadays, they do come in different colors representing different flavors but they are still referred as ‘Ang Ku Kuih’. I am a 'bean lover', so there is no surprise that my favourite one goes to the one with the sweet and savory mung bean paste filling. It is so smooth that it melts in your mouth like cotton candy.

📍: No 101, block P/F, Lorong Kaskas, Taman Cheras, 56100 KL
💲: Rm 7 for a box of 7

For me, indulging in a mooncake during the Mid-Autumn Festival is a must!

Want to taste in a variety of mooncake flavors but you are on a budget? I have the solution to your problems! Why not buy these mini mooncakes? They are as cheap as chips, tasty and you don't need to throw your diet out the window.

These mooncakes cost only RM1.00 each! If you get 5, it is only RM4.00. So the freakin cheap right? The only downside of these mooncake is that they are not packaged in beautiful custom designed boxes which I love collecting for no apparent reason. But let the cheapskate me teach you how to make them look more presentable if you are planning to give it away as gifts. You can get old beautiful Chinese New Year cards and make origami boxes out of them. You could show off your origami skills and at the same time save your Ka-Ching!

These mini cakes comes in 3 basic flavors - lotus, red bean and pandan. This bakery called '老爺'at Mahkota Cheras also sells kuih muih , polo buns , nyonya pastries , traditional biscuits and many more.

I would not say that these are the best mooncakes I have ever tasted but for the price they are charging them for, I think you could should not have sky high expectations. In other words 'don't go Kopitiam and expect fine dining experience'.Tough these mooncakes are not as luxurious tasting as the more popular brands out there, at least these don't burn a hole in your pocket. (Ps: the lotus one tasted the best)

📍: 老爺,Jalan Temenggung 15/9, Bandar Mahkota Cheras
💲: Rm 1 for 1 , Rm4 for 5