Puding Som-Som Pandan

Star Q

i.  Therapeutic Gardening

ii.  Mesyuarat Agung PIBG Kali ke 34

I mean, who doesn't love local puddings especially Puding Som-som.  I remember when I was young (many, many moons ago!) my late mom used to whip up this dessert without ever having to refer to a recipe, and the result was not only beautiful to look at but also very delicious.  I am always at awe with people of her generation who can cook the simplest and the most difficult of food with ease without ever having to refer to recipes!

Of course with the advent of time and technology, we have many resources, like cookery books and the internet of course, to turn to in order to make our favourite local desserts including this local delicacy.  Puding Som-som is traditional white in color due to the use of coconut milk.  This time the missus and I decided to make it green and more aromatic with fragrant screwpine.

For the pudding :
(Adapted from Ct Delima's recipe)

• 1 cup rice flour (I wanted to remain traditional like my mom did!  Ct used 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch)
• 800 ml coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 2 fragrant screwpine leaves (Ct used pandan emulco)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp green food coloring

Cut up the fragrant screwpine leaves and blitz in a blender with the water until fine.  Sieve this mixture to extract the juice that should give you about 1 cup.  Pour this juice into a pot together with the rest of ingredients.  Over medium heat, stir this mixture continuously until it thickens (like polenta)  You know the rice flour is cooked when the surface is shiny instead of matted.  Pour into a mold a leave to cool completely.

For the syrup :

• 1 piece palm sugar
• 6 tbs sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 cinnamon quill

Put everything in a pot and boil until the sugars have dissolved and the mixture thickens slightly.  Serve with the pudding.