Bubur Cha Cha, a traditional Malaysian dessert with a quirky name and colourful ingredients
Bubur Cha Cha, a traditional Malaysian dessert with a quirky name and colourful ingredients
by foodsamaritan
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foodsamaritan
**Bubur Cha Cha** is a traditional Malaysian dessert which is sometimes called Bo Bo Cha Cha or Mo Mo Cha Cha. Apart from its quirky name, it is characterised by its colourful ingredients floating in a sea of sweet and fragrant coconut soup, infused with pandan leaves. The colourful ingredients usually consist of sweet potatoes, yam, taro, sago pearls. Some variations might even contain banana, red beans, black eyed peas, sweet corn, tapioca jelly cubes and attap chee.
Due to the lack of written record, the origin of Bubur Cha Cha is unclear. Some said that it is based on a Nyonya dish from Penang called Pengat/Pungat, which is eaten specifically by the Penang Nyonyas and Hokkien community on Chap Goh Meh (the 15th day of Chinese New Year) for an auspicious year ahead. The connection stems from the words “Cha Cha”, which sound similar to the Hokkien phrase “Che Che” meaning abundance.
Some suggested that it shared the same origin as Macau’s sweet soup called Cha Za 喳咋, which was a dessert dish created by the Portuguese soldiers during their settlement. Macau Cha Za is mainly cooked with various beans instead. Malaysian Bubur Cha Cha is now commonly found in Hong Kong eateries, often marketed as Malaysia Mo Mo Cha Cha or Mo Mo Cha Cha, to prevent confusion with the Macau Cha Za.
Although the meaning of “Cha Cha” might be vague, “Bubur” is very clear. It came from the Malay word for porridge, pointing to the fact that Bubur Cha Cha has a thick, creamy consistency. The thickness comes from the coconut milk and the starch of the sweet potatoes, taro and yam – commonly found tubers in Southeast Asia. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to find Bubur Cha Cha with chewy tapioca jelly cubes stained red, green, blue or yellow that makes the dessert visually more appealing.
Bubur Cha Cha is served either warm or cold, throughout Malaysia as a breakfast, dessert, snack or even supper. Many countries in Southeast Asia have a variation of this dessert too.
1 Comment
**Bubur Cha Cha** is a traditional Malaysian dessert which is sometimes called Bo Bo Cha Cha or Mo Mo Cha Cha. Apart from its quirky name, it is characterised by its colourful ingredients floating in a sea of sweet and fragrant coconut soup, infused with pandan leaves. The colourful ingredients usually consist of sweet potatoes, yam, taro, sago pearls. Some variations might even contain banana, red beans, black eyed peas, sweet corn, tapioca jelly cubes and attap chee.
Due to the lack of written record, the origin of Bubur Cha Cha is unclear. Some said that it is based on a Nyonya dish from Penang called Pengat/Pungat, which is eaten specifically by the Penang Nyonyas and Hokkien community on Chap Goh Meh (the 15th day of Chinese New Year) for an auspicious year ahead. The connection stems from the words “Cha Cha”, which sound similar to the Hokkien phrase “Che Che” meaning abundance.
Some suggested that it shared the same origin as Macau’s sweet soup called Cha Za 喳咋, which was a dessert dish created by the Portuguese soldiers during their settlement. Macau Cha Za is mainly cooked with various beans instead. Malaysian Bubur Cha Cha is now commonly found in Hong Kong eateries, often marketed as Malaysia Mo Mo Cha Cha or Mo Mo Cha Cha, to prevent confusion with the Macau Cha Za.
Although the meaning of “Cha Cha” might be vague, “Bubur” is very clear. It came from the Malay word for porridge, pointing to the fact that Bubur Cha Cha has a thick, creamy consistency. The thickness comes from the coconut milk and the starch of the sweet potatoes, taro and yam – commonly found tubers in Southeast Asia. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to find Bubur Cha Cha with chewy tapioca jelly cubes stained red, green, blue or yellow that makes the dessert visually more appealing.
Bubur Cha Cha is served either warm or cold, throughout Malaysia as a breakfast, dessert, snack or even supper. Many countries in Southeast Asia have a variation of this dessert too.