Num E — Sticky Rice Balls in Coconut Sugar Syrup

Ingredients

• 700 gsticky rice flour, divided for different coloured batches
• 7pandan leaves, 3 for syrup, 4 for natural green colouring
• 1/4beetroot, for natural red colouring
• 100 gpumpkin, optional, for natural yellow/orange colouring
• 100 gtaro, optional, for natural purple colouring
• 100 glongan, to serve, optional
• 200 gshredded coconut, to serve
• 3 lwater, for boiling; plus ½ cup for blending colourings
• 1/2 tspsalt, for the syrup
• 5ginger, slices, for the syrup
• 3 cupcoconut cream
• brown sugar, to taste

Method

1. 1

   Place the coconut cream in a small pot over low heat. Cut 3 pandan leaves into large strips and add to the pot with the brown sugar, salt, and ginger slices. Bring to a boil, cook 2 more minutes, then turn off the heat. Remove the pandan leaves and allow to cool.

2. 2

   Chop the remaining 4 pandan leaves and blend with ¼ cup water until very green, then strain well. In a bowl, place 200g sticky rice flour, gradually add the pandan liquid, and knead until a smooth, pliable dough forms.

3. 3

   Peel and chop the beetroot, blend with ¼ cup water until vivid red, then strain. In a separate bowl, place another 200g sticky rice flour and knead in the beetroot liquid until a smooth red dough forms.

4. 4

   Bring 3 litres of water to a boil in a large pot. Divide each dough into small pieces and roll into balls about ⅓ the size of a ping pong ball. Drop into the boiling water and cook until they float to the surface.

5. 5

   Remove the floating balls with a slotted spoon and transfer immediately to a bowl of icy cold water to stop cooking and keep them separate.

6. 6

   Drain well, then add all the coloured balls to the cooled coconut sugar syrup and stir to coat. Serve in small bowls with longan fruit and shredded coconut.