Ang ku kueh (ang meaning red, the traditional color, and ku meaning tortoise) is a glutinous rice cake stuffed with various savory items of goodness, including peanut, coconut, red bean, or mung bean paste. They are often given as a gift for infants and the elderly as a symbol of longevity. The cake is shaped like a tortoise (with head, feet, and tail carved into the mold) and features the character shòu (寿) in the middle, which means “long life.” They are arranged in a pattern of nine, an auspicious number in Mandarin: “nine” (jiǔ, 九) sounds like “a long time” (jiǔ, 久), so it has that going for it.

Super functional with a 20×21cm enclosed zip pocket. Heavy canvas with an overall size 48×37cm. The image rides high on the bag so it doesn’t roll under when it’s carrying a load. Comfortable 10”/25cm strap hang.

Look for my boy, the Dark Prince Tatsu, on the label; if he isn’t there it isn’t the real thing. Support original Singapore arts to get more original Singapore arts.