[Free Pattern] Kueh Talam Amigurumi Crochet Pattern・钩针编织绿白双层香兰糕

Am back from our break to South Korea via the Vaccinated Travel Lane. It was a good and restful break, despite all the PCR/ART swab testing involved, and we took things very slow and easy on this trip. And now, at last it's the post-Christmas week, and 2022 is almost here.

Next after the kueh salat amigurumi is the kueh talam. The kueh talam is another classic kueh in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. The name for this layered steamed kueh is Malay for "tray cake", referencing the way in which the kueh is made. Read on for more about the kueh talam or skip to the pattern.

Kueh talam amigurumi, Part 2 of local kueh amigurumi series. On the left, kueh talam gula melaka (palm sugar) and on the right, kueh talam keladi (yam). In the back, kueh salat amigurumi from Part 1 (pattern here).

There are different types of kueh talam or, to quote Christopher Tan's The Way of Kueh, it is a "deep and diverse genre...more often made with two or more layers to showcase contrasts of tastes, textures and tints".

In Singapore, the most commonly seen kueh talam is the two-layered pandan flavoured kueh talam pandan. With its white layer and green base, the kueh talam looks very similar to the kueh salat, aka the kueh serimuka (posted here), but the key difference is that the kueh salat is made with glutinous rice and kueh talam with rice flour. The textures of the two are also slightly different — kueh talam is creamier and softer in texture, while the kueh salat has more contrast between the sticky glutinous rice layer and the soft, creamy custard layer.

The kueh talam's white layer is generally made of rice flour and coconut milk, while the custard layer is made of rice flour and mung bean flour (or tapioca flour) and flavoured with pandan, or gula merah or gula melaka, for the most common flavours. Other flavouring ingredients are sweet corn (jagung), sweet potato (ubi), purple sweet potato (ubi ungu), cassava/tapioca (ubi kayu), yam (keladi). Finally, there is the less commonly seen kueh talam suji, which is made with gula melaka for the custard layer and semolina flour (hence the name suji).

Since the two kueh look alike, it would be likewise with the amigurumi. So I made my kueh talam amigurumi in a diamond shape, as a change-up. However, both patterns can be used interchangeably for the kueh salat and kueh talam, just note the difference in where to change yarn colours. For my kueh talam amigurumi, I chose to make them in gula melaka flavour (brown) and the lesser seen yam flavour (purple).

KUEH TALAM AMIGURUMI CROCHET PATTERN

Materials & Tools:
• Yarn - white, green, brown (depending on the flavour of the base custard layer)
E.g. green for pandan, brown for gula merah or gula melaka, yellow for corn or sweet potato, purple for yam or purple sweet potato.

For my amigurumi, I used Sirdar Cotton DK No.51 Island White, Scheepjes Catona No.383 Ginger Gold and No.520 Lavender.

• 3mm crochet hook
• Sponge or cardboard or plastic sheet, cut to size
• Stuffing (not needed if using sponge)
• Stitch markers
• Scissors
• Yarn needle
• Safety eyes, embroidery thread (optional)

Abbreviations (US Terms):
R : row or round (as the case may be)
ch : chain
cc : change colour
slst : slip stitch
st(s) : stitch(es)
sc : single crochet
inc : increase
dec : decrease
BLO : back loops only
(...) : set of pattern instructions
[...] : total number of sts in row/round

Finished Size:
Approx. 6cm at longest × 3.6cm at widest × 3.6cm tall

Pattern Notes:
• Like the kueh salat amigurumi pattern (here), this pattern starts off with crocheting into the back bumps of a foundation chain. See how to do this in these tutorials by Crochet Arcade and Planet June. Tip: use a slightly larger crochet hook to make the foundation chain a little looser; this makes it easier to crochet into the back bumps, and will ensure the first row will not be too tight once it is done.
• Feel free to use safety eyes and embroidery thread to give this kueh talam amigurumi cute expressions and kaomoji.

PART 1 - TOP

>Starting with white yarn, work in rows,
R1. Ch 11, then working in the back bumps of the chain from the 2nd ch, 10 sc. [10]
R2. Ch 1 and turn, inc, 7 sc, dec. [10]
R3. Ch 1 and turn, dec, 7 sc, inc. [10]
R4. Repeat R2.
R5. Repeat R3.
R6. Repeat R2.
R7. Repeat R3.
R8. Repeat R2.
Ch 1 and work around the sides in closed rounds,
R10. 10 sc into the turning chs on the edge, BLO 10 sc (into R1), 10 sc into the turning chs on the edge, BLO 10 sc (into R10). [40]
R11-12 (2 rounds). 40 sc. [40]
Change to coloured yarn,
R13-18 (6 rounds). 40 sc. [40]
Fasten off, and hide ends.

PART 2 - BASE

Using coloured yarn, work in rows,
R1. Ch 11, then working in the back bumps of the chain from the 2nd ch, 10 sc. [10]
R2. Ch 1 and turn, dec, 7 sc, inc. [10]
R3. Ch 1 and turn, inc, 7 sc, dec. [10]
R4. Repeat R2.
R5. Repeat R3.
R6. Repeat R2.
R7. Repeat R3.
R8. Repeat R2.
Fasten off, and leave a long tail for sewing.

TO COMPLETE

1. Cut the cardboard / plastic sheet / sponge to size. If using sponge, cut to fit Part 1 (Top). If using cardboard / plastic, cut 4 pieces: 2 for the top and bottom, 2 for the sides.
2. Insert the cardboard/plastic pieces for the bottom and sides into Part 1. Fold the pieces for the sides to match the angle of the diamond shape. If the plastic sheet cannot be folded, cut 4 pieces for the sides (making a total of 6 pieces). If using sponge, simply insert the sponge into Part 1 and skip to Step 4.
3. Stuff well; make sure the corners are well-stuffed. Then place the cardboard/plastic piece for the top over the stuffing. Make sure to hold down the top piece firmly when sewing.
4. Align Part 1 and Part 2, the aligned sides should be 10 sts x 8 sts x 10 sts x 8 sts. Pin in place.
5. Using the yarn tail and a yarn needle, join Part 1 and Part 2 together by whip stitching through both loops of Part 1 and the turning chs (8 sts edge) and back loops (10 sts edge) of Part 2.
6. Secure and hide end.

Kueh talam amigurumi, Part 2 of my local kueh amigurumi project.

The next item in this kueh amigurumi series is already done and I just need to shoot the final photos, so watch this space. Until then, a blessed New Year to all. I'd like to pause here and mention that while the festive season is usually full of cheer and celebration for many, for some the festive season is a struggle or an ordeal for various reasons. I hope that we can all be mindful of that and be sensitive and non-judgmental of each person's well-being and circumstances.

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Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have fun making this crochet kueh talam. As with all my other patterns, I would love to see how your finished items turned out, so please tag me with my Instagram handle @yotsuba_blythes.

While I'm happy to share my pattern without charge and would be delighted to see it being used, please note that my pattern is for personal use only. Please respect my legal and moral rights as the author with respect to this pattern and all the images herein. This pattern and images are not for commercial use, sale or distribution. The sale of this pattern or any of the images is not permitted without my prior written consent. If you wish to share this pattern, please link to this post and my Instagram profile @yotsuba_blythes. You are welcome to sell limited quantities of the finished items you have made from this pattern.

(This post was edited for broken and erroneous links on 17 January 2022.)