Koci Dessert - Malaysian Favourite

These dessert are made this morning in the home of a local Malaccan. The chef and her sisters made this dessert as one of the offerings to their ancestors on Qing Ming Day. Tomorrow, this dessert called, Koci, would be placed on the altar. The prayer begin before 11.00 a.m.

Members of the families would light two joss-sticks and bow to the anestors to make a wish. At the same time, they would also invite the ancestors to come home for the annual feast.

In about half an hour or less, one of the families members would use two pieces of wood-based half-moon shapes to toss as an act of asking the ancestors. The tossing wood piece has a fore-face and a hind-face. 

The first tossing is the common question everyone ask and it sound like this ... ... ... " Have you seniors come home for the feast ? . If the toss show a fore-face and a hind-face, it means, Yes. If the toss show two fore-faces, it means, a good laugh. If the toss show two hind-faces, it means, No.

To get a taste of Koci dessert, try the Babu Bukit Serinddit stall which open only in the morning. Get the Koci as early as 6.00 a.m. in the morning. There are other stall in Melaka that sell Koci but few. Over in the afternoon, Koci is available at the Perhentian Kuih Orang Kampung near Kampung Attap in Ujon Pasir, Melaka.

If you prefer the authentic peranakan koci, Baba Charlie is a good choice.

When I was studying with the Malacca High School, friend used to tease one another. Some would use the word kuih koci on a person. It means the person is 'kei po chi' and such is the local slang they throw at someone who like to mind other people business. A busybody of sort.

After daylight, you could get koci on Jonker Walk. There you eat koci with reminiscence, as heritage engulf you.