Nan Yang Siew Bao Kuih Permata Zamrud

Today, I revisited the Food Place food court, located at Pavilion Mall. The food court is located beside the Oriental Kopi Restaurant. It is time to try food from another stall.

This time, I ordered a Kuih Permata Zamrud from Nan Yang Siew Bao stall, which costs RM5.90 per box.

Hidden among the traditional Nyonya kuih selection at Nan Yang Siew Bao in Food Place, Pavilion Bukit Bintang, Kuih Permata Zamrud immediately stands out with its unusual green-and-white appearance.

True to its name, which translates roughly to “Emerald Gem,” the kuih features a vivid green centre surrounded by a smooth white layer, creating an appearance reminiscent of a small gemstone.

Beneath its attractive exterior is a combination of classic Malaysian kuih flavours. The green portion is typically made using tepung pulut (glutinous rice flour) and pandan, giving it a soft and pleasantly chewy texture. Hidden inside is a sweet filling of grated coconut cooked with brown sugar or palm sugar, producing a fragrant, caramel-like sweetness.

The white outer layer is traditionally made with coconut milk combined with rice flour and other starches, giving the kuih a softer and creamier contrast to the chewy green centre. Together, the pandan, coconut milk and sweet coconut filling create the familiar lemak manis flavour profile loved in many traditional Malaysian kuih

Kuih Permata Zamrud is regarded as a traditional Malaysian kuih, although compared with famous classics such as kuih koci or onde-onde, its historical origins are less extensively documented. What makes it distinctive is its construction: a coconut-filled green glutinous-rice centre placed within a white coconut-based layer and steamed in a mould. Some descriptions compare its flavour and texture to Kuih Koci, but its striking two-tone presentation gives it its own identity.