For ones with a sweet tooth

KHAO NEEO DAHM (Sweet Black Rice Pudding)

Ingredients

150g uncooked black glutinous rice (pulut hitam)

1 litre water

1 pandanus leaf, tied into a knot

½ cup sugar (depending on the desired sweetness)

1 cup (250ml) thick coconut milk

¼ tsp salt

Method

Wash black rice in several changes of water and then cover with fresh water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain the rice and add 4 cups or 1 litre fresh water. Bring to a boil together with the pandanus leaves; reduce the heat to low and simmer until the grains are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 hour. The final consistency should be creamy and porridge-like.

Add the sugar and cook for another 10 minutes, then remove from the heat. Combine the coconut milk and salt in a small pan. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until it boils. Remove immediately from heat. Serve the porridge in small bowls with a spoonful of coconut milk swirled on top. Add coconut milk made with palm sugar.

To make the coconut sweet —

Take 1 cup of grated coconut and ¼ cup of palm sugar and mix together in a pot over low heat. Stir to mix well for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

SAGO PEARLS WITH WATERMELON BALLS AND COCONUT CREAM

Ingredients

1½ cup water

½ cup dried sago pearls

1 cup coconut juice

½ cup flesh of young coconut

1/3 cup

½ cup thick coconut milk

¼ tsp salt

½ cup cantaloupe or melon flesh scooped with a Melon baller

Method

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan, add the sago pearls and coconut juice, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring constantly, until the pearls are soft and translucent, or 5-7 minutes. Stir in the coconut meat and sugar, and simmer for 3-5 more minutes, until the sugar completely dissolves. Remove from heat.

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk over low heat until warm. Do not allow to boil. Add salt, mix well and remove from heat.

Spoon the dessert into individual serving bowls and top each bowl with a few melon balls and 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk. Serve warm or chilled.

FRUIT TART

Ingredients

For the sugar dough –

140g icing sugar

210g butter

1 egg

45g almond powder

1g salt

1 tsp vanilla essence

350g cake flour

50g milk

For the creme patisserie (pastry cream) –

500g full cream milk

20g custard powder

30g cake flour

100g sugar

3 eggs

1tsp vanilla essence

Method

Mix icing sugar, salt, and butter well. Add a beaten egg and cake flour together. Mix well. Add almond powder and vanilla essence. Mix and add the milk. Cover the dough with cling film, make sure to tap the top so cling film is attached to the dough. Preferably keep it in the fridge overnight.

Kneed well and roll it out thinly and put it in the round moulds to make a shape and use a fork to make small holes. Preheat oven to 170° F and bake the moulds for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.

For the cream, boil milk. Beat eggs, and add sugar to egg and whisk well; add vanilla, stir, add cake flour and stir well. Now add the custard powder, stir again, and add half of the warm milk to the egg mixture and beat vigorously.

Now add egg mixture to the warm milk and keep beating fast. Make sure no lump is formed. If needed, lower the heat and keep whisking. Continue until the custard starts separating from the pan. Remove, cool and cover with cling film. Tap the top and then put it in the fridge.

Fill the baked cups with the custard, topped with varieties of fruits, and sprinkle with crushed pistachios.

Photo courtesy: Shaheda Yesmin