Kue

Kue are bite-sized snacks or desserts originally from what is now Indonesia but have since spread throughout Southeast Asia. Kue is a fairly broad term in Indonesian to describe a wide variety of snacks including cakes, cookies, fritters, pies, scones, and patisserie. Kue are made from a variety of ingredients in various forms; some are steamed, fried or baked. They are popular snacks in Indonesia, which has the largest variety of kue. Because of the countries' historical colonial ties, Koeé (kue) is also popular in the Netherlands.
Indonesian kue demonstrate local native delicacies, Chinese and Indian influences, as well as European cake and pastry influences. For example, wajik, kue bugis, klepon, nagasari, getuk, and lupis are of native origin; while bakpia and kue ku are of Chinese Peranakan origin, kue putu is derived from Indian puttu; on the other hand, lapis legit, kue cubit, kastengel, risoles and pastel are European influenced.
The term "kue" is derived from Hokkien: 粿 koé. It is a Chinese loanword in Indonesian. It is also spelled as kuih in Malaysian, and kueh in Singapore. Kue are more often steamed than baked, and are thus very different in texture, flavour and appearance from Western cakes or puff pastries. Many kue are sweet, but some are savoury.
Indonesian kue are usually categorized according to their moisture, roughly divided under two groups, kue basah (lit. 'wet kue') and kue kering (lit. 'dry kue'). However, the word kue in Indonesian language is used to refer to not only these kinds of traditional snacks, but also to all types of cake and some types of pastries. Most kue kering are technically pastries and many Western cakes can be considered as kue basah.
The earliest record about ancient form of kue as sweet snack is found in the 9th century Old Javanese Kakawin Ramayana of Mataram Kingdom era, mentioning about modakanda sagula which means sugared delicacies. Sweet snack as treats are already consumed in ancient Java. Indeed, the basic ingredients of traditional Javanese kue are usually containing glutinous rice, coconut milk and palm sugar (gula jawa); all are common commodities of the agricultural kingdom in Java. The combination of these three basic ingredients are of Javanese cultural heritage and was clearly known prior to external influences.
According to Heri Priyatmoko, a historian of Sanata Dharma University in Yogyakarta, Javanese kue apem has existed since the time of the ancient Mataram Kingdom circa 8th century CE, which has continued to be preserved during the Mataram Sultanate era until today. Kue apem is present in a number of Javanese royal rituals as offerings, such as during the jumenengan commemoration or the king's ascension to the throne before the Ramadhan fast. The etymology of Javanese kue apem is related to Indian appam, which possibly simultaneously occurred during the adoption of Indian Hindu-Buddhist influences into Javanese culture around the 7th or 8th century CE.
The earliest record mentioning wajik, a traditional Javanese kue of sweetened glutinous rice, is in the manuscript of Nawaruji or Sang Hyang Tattawajnana written by Mpu Siswamurti, originated from the late Majapahit era around the 16th century.
In Java, traditional kue is categorized under jajan pasar (lit. 'market buys' or 'market munchies'). The colourfully decorated jajan pasar is usually given as a food gift, or served to accompany tumpeng (the main dish) during traditional Javanese ceremonies.
The next wave of foreign influences upon Indonesian traditional sweet delicacy came from China, along with the adoption of the loanword kue, which was Hokkien in origin, into Indonesian local languages. Certain kue can trace its origin from Chinese influence, e.g. kue ku, kue mochi, bakpau and bakpia. This Chinese influence took place along with the migration of Chinese settlers since Majapahit era circa 15th century, and accelerated during VOC and Dutch East Indies colonial era around the 17th century.
The Javanese book Serat Centhini published in 1814 mentioned several kue snacks available in Java. Among others are rangin, putu mayang, gemblong, clorot, apem, cucur, putu, cara bikang, kue sagon, kue satu, lepet, legondo, jadah, wajik, serabi, kue mendut, kue ledre, kue gubi, kue krasikan, and kue koci.
Furthermore, European influences enriched Indonesian kue diversity. Especially in cakes and pastries type, such as kue bolu which is Portuguese-influenced cake, and kaasstengels which is Dutch-influenced cheese cookies. According to culinary historian Fadly Rahman, the tradition of serving kue kering (pastries) during special occasion emerged during the Dutch colonial period. The interaction between the Dutch colonials and natives in the 19th century has led to the absorption of European culinary culture into local Indies culture. Thus, European pastries has made its way into local celebration festivities including Natal (Christmas) and Lebaran (Eid al-Fitr).
Many of the traditional Indonesian kue, either sweet or savoury, are based on rice flour and coconut. Traditionally, Indonesian sweets uses gula aren or palm sugar, yet powdered sugar or common sugar is also widely used. Rice flour and tapioca are probably the most commonly used flours in Indonesian kue. However, due to foreign influences, wheat flour is also frequently used. For creamy flavour and texture, traditional Indonesian cakes uses coconut milk, yet today, the use of dairy products such as milk, cream, butter, cheese and margarine is already widespread. Popular flavouring agents and spices includes coconut, peanut, green pandan, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla and chocolate.
Today, in urban Indonesian society, kue are popular snacks for brunch or afternoon break, often to accompany coffee or tea. Various kue are often offered alongside Western pastries and cakes in cafes, coffee shops, snack stalls and warung kopi.
Traditionally, kue are made prior to certain celebration or events such as lebaran or natal, often homemade in Indonesian households and communities. For example, Keraton Yogyakarta traditionally held Ngapem ceremony, where royal households communally cook kue apem (Javanese version of appam) as a part of the Tingalan Jumenengan Dalem ceremony. Additionally, kue is a lucrative business, commonly available in pasar pagi markets as jajan pasar (market buys).
In Indonesia, kue is one of the most popular street food choices. Street vendors in wheeled carts frequent residential areas or station on busy sidewalks near marketplaces or schools. Certain kue, such as kue rangi, getuk and kue putu are known to be found in residential areas, while kue ape, kue pancong, kue pukis and kue cubit tend to be sold near marketplaces or schools.
There is also a certain marketplace that bring together the sellers of various types of kue, such as Pasar Kue Subuh Senen (dawn kue market) in Senen, Central Jakarta. This market can easily be spotted with its rows of merchants selling cakes, bread and pastries next to Senen bus station. Certain shops are focusing their business on selling kue, such as Sari Sari in Sarinah, a toko that sells kue and jajan pasar.
In the Netherlands, various assorted selections of koeé are available in Indo toko and eetcafe snack shops.
Most of traditional Indonesian kue are kue basah (wet kue). Most are moist and soft in texture, and are steamed or fried instead of baked. Kue basah is usually made with rich coconut milk, along with sugar and rice flour; as a result it can not keep for more than a day or two, especially in the hot and humid Indonesian tropical climate. In contrast, kue kering can last longer. The examples of kue basah are:
In Indonesian language kue kering (dried kue) is identical to Western cookies. Almost all kue kering are baked or fried with minimal or no water content, and thus they have longer shelf life compared to kue basah, which easily spoil. Some variants, especially kaasstengels, plainly demonstrate Dutch origin (kaas is Dutch word for cheese). Kue kering is often served during annual holidays and important festivities, popularly offered to visiting guests during Lebaran and Natal. Examples of kue kering are: