Ang ku kueh (Chinese: 紅龜粿; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Âng-ku-kóe; Tailo: Âng-ku-kué; Teochew Peng'im: ang⁷ gu¹ guê²), also known as red tortoise cake, is a small round or oval-shaped Chinese sweet dumpling with soft, sticky glutinous rice flour skin wrapped around a sweet central filling.
Red tortoise cakes are also prepared for occasions that are culturally important to the Chinese such as a newborn baby's first month or birthdays of the elderly.
[4][6] Aside from China, in modern times, red tortoise cakes continue to be important food items during Chinese festivals in many countries with significant Sinophone communities especially in Southeast Asia.
In Vietnam, ang ku kueh was called bánh Quy, it is sold in almost every Chinese market, especially in Ho Chi Minh City (Cho Lon area).
In Chinese culture, red tortoise cakes are considered must-haves among food items offered to the Jade Emperor on altar tables.
Also known as the Chinese Valentine's Day, the Qi Xi Festival is traditionally a time for young maidens to make wishes for a good husband.
When a teenage girl reaches her sixteenth birthday, red tortoise cakes are prepared within the respective households and then handed out to close friends and neighbors.
The symbolic act of handing out red tortoise cakes on this day signifies that one's daughter has reached maturity and is of a marriageable age.
[4][10][11] Red tortoise cakes are traditionally distributed to friends and relatives during this time to symbolize luck, blessings and long life for the child.
[13] Traditionally prepared during significant occasions such as festivals or birthdays, red tortoise cakes have become popular among many people who favor them as a delicious snack.
[1][2] The skin of the red tortoise cake is made from glutinous rice flour dough, mashed sweet potato, water, food coloring, sugar, oil and wheat starch.
Traditionally, fillings for red tortoise cakes are made with the following ingredients: mung bean paste or ground peanuts, sugar and oil.
[15] A good red tortoise cake is one where the skin does not stick to the teeth and exudes a sweet fragrance coupled with a soft chewy texture.
Catered to suit all tastes and preferences, these new products on the market bear testament to the popularity of red tortoise cakes among consumers.