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A Wooden Rice Steamer
This wooden steamer made from staves like a barrel and held together by two galvanised hoops, measures 30cm tall and 30cm in diameter at the bottom. Unusually tapered towards the top this would have been in daily use before the ubiqitous electric rice cooker appeared on the Malayan scene.
As the bottom of the steamer has widely spaced slats to allow the steam to enter, the rice had to be contained in some form of bag. The thrifty housewife simply saved her strong white flour bag once the flour was used, washed it and it became the perfect partner to contain the rice in the steamer.
In order to successfully steam the rice it was stood in a wok of water over a charcoal fire. Many people will tell you that even today they prefer steamed rice to that cooked in the electric rice cooker.
The same steamer would have also been used to cook Kuih, the favourite local dessert.
To view a typical Flour Bag, click here.