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富
丽
糖
皇
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When Tree Sap Tastes Sweet
Among the six samples of palm sugars tasted,
some, while not outstanding in a taste test, have
an undisputed role in their respective cuisines. The
Thai palm sugar, which comes in the shape of chwee
kueh (steamed rice cakes), would work great in a
Thai green papaya salad, since its sweetness helps
harmonise the tartness and spiciness of the other
ingredients. The Indonesian palm sugar, while a
little coarse, would be irreplaceable in a traditional
Malay dessert, such as kueh dadar (grated coconut
in a pandan roll). The Malaysian palm sugar,
available from Yuan Sang, is a little more refined,
and would serve well in a coconut espuma, panna
cotta, or a drizzle for a delicate ice cream. The
remaining three each has something that either
takes your breath away, or puts a question mark
above your head. One is a Thai palm sugar that
comes in a paste form, with a taste that reminds one
of toffee. “I love the crystalised texture,” says Chef
Schuetzenberger. “It shimmers. I can eat it as it is, as
a candy.” For baker Yue, he is thinking of making it
into a sauce, as a drizzle for mini-portion, espresso-
cup-sized desserts. The Myanmar palm sugar, which
looks like a black truffle, is unpredictable. “The first
one is creamy,” says Chef Raymond Khoo of The
Peranakan, of the first sample we try. “But in the
second one, the creaminess is gone,” says Chef
Schuetzenberger. It is replaced by the smell of an
animal barn, or a motor workshop.Just like a Thai durian would not
compare with a Malaysian durian
in terms of aroma and flavour, so
the palm sugars from elsewhere
cannot compare with the
concentration and intensity found
in gula Melaka from Malacca.
Raymond Khookueh kosui steamed rice cake with gula Melaka
by Chef Raymond Khoo
kueh dada, pandan pancake with desiccated coconut & gula Melaka
by Chef Raymond Khoo
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gula Melaka has a tantalising, smoky,
earthy scent, and a rich, complex, three-
dimensional flavour. Good for Malay kuehs,
chendol sauce, English cakes, sticky date
puddings, and even braised pork.