Mad about Lepat Pisang

I am a sucker for Ramadan bazaars. Something about the kuih stalls that ensures I will have a browse and I will buy some kuih, eventhough I am not supposed to be eating kuih after far too many cakescapes this month.

In particular, I am a sucker for lepat pisang. The thing about lepat pisang is it's hard to find a good standard one. Isn't that the perennial challenge with all kuih? Sometimes the mixture is overly sticky and chewy (more kuih koci than lepat), making it impossible to wrestle from the banana leaf wrapper without feeling like you're in a gladitorial battle with some kind of kuih chewing gum. Other times, it just tastes floury without much banana taste, which from scrutiny of a few recipes on line, I have ascertained as wrong proportion of flour to liquid/banana. And of course, there's always the question of whether or not you're eating lepat pisang made with real PISANG, or just lepat with a generous splash of banana essence.

I like to think that I can detect banana essence but the truth is that it's only really obvious when you're eating a banana cake with a crumbly but unmoist texture (sign of an absence or lack of banana puree) and when the baker has over-egged the essence so to speak.

And as I love kuih, but lack the experience that comes from making it, I have no real means in which to be sure that I'm eating the real kahuna. I am convinced that a friend got it wrong when she said lepat pisang is made from pulut rice and mashed banana. Lepat pisang in my view is flour (rice flour maybe?), mixed in with pureed bananas, and a little coconut milk, placed into the wrapper and kukus-ed to set it. Hence the kuih koci like texture, but firmer. But I shall be diligently researching this soonest. Experts out there, please enlighten.

The thing about lepat pisang is that it seems to only make an appearance in vast numbers in non-Malay areas during Ramadan month. I am sure that if I ventured to the right places, it is probably as common as yau char kueh. But seeing as I am a Bangsar-lurking kuih buyer (must try some of the other bazaars at some point), I tend to associate it with ONLY Ramadan month.

Someone who works in the government service says it's a staple of government tea time jamuan, along with the must have kuih lapis, and onde-onde (not quite Malay, more nyonya, but that's another debate). But since I don't particularly have a good impression of the kuih shop in Bangsar Village or KLCC (too far anyway), the Bangsar Ramadan Bazaar is my only time to indulge my lepat pisang cravings.

Perhaps I will contemplate venturing further than Bangsar this year. I always long to have a go at the ones in KL but the traffic is enough to put such thoughts to bed, along with the recognition that I might end up going totally mad and buying more kuih than I should.

As these bazaars usually lelong the kuih at three for a dollar, I end up with three, good or bad. Since it has been ages since my last lepat pisang, I ignored the fact that I was carrying two other plastic bags and managed to stuff the lepat pisang in my mouth.

From the first bite, I knew I was onto a winner.

It was firm, no overwhelming banana essence, and a slightly textured taste that hinted at real banana within. And the gem: it had roughly grated kelapa (coconut) embedded in the center.

I beat a hasty path back to the stall and staked a claim to three more, leaving one more to whichever lucky bugger would land it. The curry puff, which for some reason is a necessary compliment to the sweet lepat, was so-so. The sugared ubi doughnuts were, in the words of my bro, 'crack'.

For those who are wondering, I can only describe it was the kuih stall nearest to the 2nd entrance to the Jolly Green Giant carpark, that is along the 1 way street. It is however not possible to be accurate since it is early times and more stalls may spring up. Will try to get a picture for ID purposes (although the thing is, the quality of the kuih tends to start to wilt as the month goes by).

Whilst browsing the bazaar, what immediately struck me was the number of people busy buying ayam percik, ordering roti john and murtabak and sapu-ing up the kuih who were not Muslims. Obviously, the non-Muslims also look forward to this time of the year because they get to savour the dishes that typically don't make an appearance during the rest of the year - the ayam percik and wide availability of murtabak and endless variety of kuih being the items with the most pulling power it seems.

Indeed, it occurred to me that it's The Great Malaysian Gastronomic Marathon season again. Crimped in together in one month is Ramadan and Hari Raya, with the Mooncake Festival sandwiched in between the two on September 15th. So along with rendang, nasi kunyit, kuih, bubur - I am a sucker for pengat pisang - murtabak, is mooncake, mooncake, mooncake! And let's face it, mooncake is amazingly versatile - great with coffee, perfect as a little after lunch sweet, and extra yummy after dinner with some tea. I'm keen on most of the traditional mooncakes ( except mixed nuts) and I am a glutton for trying all the exotic ones (kaffir lime milk chocolate mooncakes from Mandarin Oriental anyone?), although have gone off the Ping Pei.

And there is the chue chai peng (little piglet biscuits) - how do I love thee? Let me count the oinks (and calories since it is unadulterated lard mixed with flour and sugar and then baked.)

And to top it all off, there's Deepavali too look forward to. YUM.
By the time you're done, oh look, Christmas is here.

Is it any wonder we're more rotund than we should be? But then is it any wonder that after 51 years of independence, Malaysians don't know what their national identity is, but they sure as hell know that there's nothing in the world greater than Malaysian food.

PS: i welcome all suggestions for a good lepat pisang available 24x7x365. As long as it's not too far away. PJ ada ah?

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