Kuih Binka Ubi Recipe | How to Make Cassava ka Halwa

Vegan Cassava Cake Recipe

Cassava Cake or Kuih Binka Ubi is a delicious, sweet dessert from Malaysia. Easy to prepare, cassava cake is yummy and a sure hit at family feasts!

In Malaysia and other South East Asian countries, Kuih means bite-sized snack or dessert foods. Tapioca or Cassava cake is usually prepared during Hari Raya, Chinese New year festivals and weddings. A popular street food, you can see these Kuih Binka Ubi cakes made from cassava or rice in various colors being sold in cities across the country.

Cassava cake can be steamed or baked, and topped with grated coconut. Pandan or screwpine leaves are used for extra flavour.

The recipe which we are sharing is a Whole Food Plant Based version. Coconut is best eaten raw, so this recipe does not cook coconut milk. If you want to make it really fancy, you could serve this halwa bathed in sweet (unfiltered) coconut mylk.

Enjoy this gooey and delectable steamed cassava cake!

Whole Food Plant Based Cassava ka Halwa Recipe

Course: Festival Dishes, Snacks; Desserts in Course 3 at Lunch & Dinner Meals
Cuisine: Chinese Recipe, Malaysian Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 3 people

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Cassava / Tapioca grated
1 cup Date Syrup
1/4 tsp Cardamom / Elaichi Powder
2 tbsp Coconut grated
6 Cashews

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Peel and grate cassava.
2. Blend 1 cup grated cassava into a smooth paste.
3. Add date syrup and cardamom / elaichi powder and blend again. Add 1-2 tsp water if too thick, or extra cassava if too thin. Make sure it is not watery. Adjust the sweetness as desired.
4. Pour this mixture into square-shaped molds or idli plates. Steam cook for 20-30 minutes or until cooked well.
5. Once cooked, remove from steaming vessel and let it cool down while still inside the mould or idli plates.
6. Once cook, remove from mould or idli plates, cut into desired shapes and roll in grated coconut. Serve topped with a fresh cashew nut!

Plant Based Chef Pro Tips for Best Cassava ka Halwa Recipe

1. Add any nuts as toppings.
2. You could also boil the cassava & date syrup mixture and pour into moulds once cooked, like the usual style of halwa recipes. We find that steaming is easier and simpler. 🙂

Nutrition Science Highlights for WFPB Cassava ka Halwa Recipe

1. Why not honey, sugar or jaggery? Sugar and Jaggery are processed foods. Although jaggery is healthier than brown sugar, which, in turn, is healthier than white sugar, all forms of processed foods are unhealthy when compared to whole plant foods. Honey is healthwise as good as jaggery, which isn't saying much. In addition to not being very healthy, honey production kills millions of bees every year, affecting our environment adversely. The best sweetener alternative is a whole fruit or dry fruit. The easiest method of using these is date syrup, as it does not involve peeling or chopping.
2. Why not dairy? Dairy products have been found to be associated with increased risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, asthma, PCOS, and heart disease. We can still enjoy our milk, cream, and butter though - as long as they are made from whole plant foods!
3. Why wait until starchy vegetables are cool? When cooked starchy vegetables are allowed to cool on the counter or in the fridge, the starch crystallises to form resistant starch. This can be eaten by our good gut bacteria and also reduces the glycemic index (the rate at which glucose is absorbed), making the starchy vegetable healthier.
4. Why nuts instead of oil? Whole foods are healthier than processed foods. When nuts are pressed and oil is extracted, fiber and phytonutrients are lost, along with many other nutrients. Therefore, whole nuts are much healthier than oils, whether cold-pressed or refined. In addition, they provide the oil content we need to absorb fat-soluble phytonutrients from other whole plant foods! This may be why nuts are used to garnish nearly every traditional Indian dish!