Rice Flour Pudding with Pandan and Coconut

Introduction

You cook this rice flour pudding slowly over low heat until it turns glossy and firm enough to slice. You get a soft chew from the rice flour and arrowroot, plus pandan and coconut in every bite. It works well as a make-ahead dessert because you only cut it once fully cooled.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 80 g rice flour
• 40 g arrowroot starch
• 200 g sugar
• 600 ml limewater (saturated calcium hydroxide solution)
• 200 ml fresh pandan juice
• 200 ml of coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup grated coconut meat

Instructions

1. Combine the rice flour, arrowroot, and lime water. Stir in the sugar, water, pandan juice, coconut milk, and salt until the sugar dissolves. Strain this mixture into a brass pan or pot to remove any solids.
2. Heat the pan over low heat. Stir the mixture continuously over low heat to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. Cook until the mixture is glossy and thickened. This will take about 30-40 minutes.
4. Pour the mixture into an oiled mold. Smooth the top, then let rest until cool.
5. When the pudding is cooled, use a knife to cut into the desired shape. Serve with grated coconut.

Variations

• Replace 50 g of the sugar with palm sugar if you want a darker color and a deeper, caramel-like sweetness.
• Substitute tapioca starch for the 40 g arrowroot starch for a slightly chewier, more elastic texture.
• Use toasted grated coconut meat instead of plain grated coconut meat at serving for a nuttier flavor and a drier finish.
• Pour the cooked pudding into a shallow square pan instead of a deeper mold if you want thinner pieces that cool faster and slice more uniformly.
• Use canned unsweetened full-fat coconut milk for the 200 ml of coconut milk if fresh is not available; you keep the richness, but the coconut flavor is less fresh.

Tips for Success

• Strain the mixture before it goes on the heat so you remove rice flour lumps and any fibrous bits from the fresh pandan juice.
• Keep the heat low in step 2; if the pan gets too hot, the bottom will catch before the starches thicken evenly.
• Watch for a glossy surface and a mixture that leaves a brief trail when you stir it in step 3; that is the sign it is thick enough to set.
• Oil the mold lightly before pouring in the pudding so it releases cleanly once cooled.
• Let the pudding cool completely before cutting in step 5, or the pieces will drag and lose their shape.

Storage and Reheating

Store the pudding in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you can, keep the grated coconut meat separate and add it when serving so it stays fresh.

Do not freeze it. The pudding tends to weep after thawing, and the coconut topping loses its texture.

You usually do not need to reheat this pudding. If you serve it cold from the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave individual pieces for 5 to 10 seconds if you want them slightly softened.

FAQ

What does the limewater do in this pudding?

It helps the pudding set with a firmer, cleaner bite. Without it, the texture is usually softer and less stable.

Can you use canned coconut milk?

Yes, as long as it is unsweetened and preferably full-fat. You will get a rich texture, though the flavor is not as fresh as freshly pressed coconut milk.

Can you substitute something for arrowroot starch?

You can use tapioca starch in the same amount. The pudding will set, but the texture will be a bit chewier and more elastic.

Why did the pudding turn lumpy or fail to set?

Lumps usually come from skipping the straining or not stirring enough over low heat. A loose set usually means the mixture was not cooked long enough to fully thicken before it went into the mold.