PENANG, MALAYSIA: Come Chinese New Year, the Thor family will be busy slaving over a hot charcoal stove to make kuih kapit (love letters).

Thor Siew Geok, 57, who learnt the skill of making kuih kapit from her mother, has roped in her daughter and granddaughters to help her cope with orders from customers.

A firm believer in preparing kuih kapit the traditional way, Thor uses charcoal fire and shuns the modern gas stove.

"It is more pang (aromatic) if charcoal is used. A friend of mine bought a specially designed kuih kapit stove which uses gas but it didn't turn out well," said Siew Geok at her flat in Relau.

To make this year's order of 800 tins of love letters, Siew Geok will have to use 384kg of charcoal.

Siew Geok starts her kuih kapit production in the afternoons with her daughter, Thor Lay Kim, 39, after selling roti bakar and buns at a coffee shop in Sungai Ara.

"The secret to making good kuih kapit is in the ingredients," she said adding that fresh santan (coconut milk) was essential.

Siew Geok's granddaughter Lok Aun Wen, 11, does not find it a challenge to fold the love letters into the traditional triangle shape.

"It's not that hot and I started helping my mother and grandmother last year," said Aun Wen who expertly folded the kuih kapit with elder sister 12-year-old Lok Aun Hui.