Passport & Plate - Coconut milk and palm sugar jelly
Malaysia | Thursday, March 5, 2015 | 5 photos
Ingredients
150g palm sugar, crushed into smaller pieces
1 pandan leaf, bruised and tied into a knot (also known as screw pine leaf)
600ml water
7g or 3 teaspoons agar-agar powder
400ml coconut milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
How to prepare this recipePlace palm sugar and pandan leaf in a large saucepan. Pour in the water and cook over high heat until the mixture boils, then reduce the heat to let it simmer, covered, for at least 15 minutes, or slightly longer if you require more time to completely dissolve all the sugar. Remove the pandan leaf.
Sprinkle in the agar-agar powder and turn the heat up again until the mixture is bubbling merrily, stirring frequently. When the agar-agar has dissolved, pour in the coconut milk, sprinkle in the salt, and turn off the heat. Stir to combine the ingredients, then pour the mixture into one large jelly mould or several small jelly moulds.
Allow the jelly to set at room temperature for 2 hours, then transfer to the fridge to chill. Gently extricate the jelly and serve it cold. You may notice that the jelly has separated into two layers, presenting itself with a milky swathe and a thin translucent band.
The story behind this recipeI grew up in Malaysia, but moved to Australia in my late teens to study. Eventually, Australia became my home, and I truly love this place. However, Malaysia - and many other countries in the Asian region - continues to have a special place in my heart.
Last year, I quit my job to travel through Asia with my partner. Together we visited Myanmar, Thailand and Taiwan. We also visited my family back home in Malaysia. I felt so alive during this trip. I explored on my feet, I cycled on a bike, I went on bumpy bus rides and zoomed from place to place on a train. I walked through markets, drank tropical fruit juices, tried all sorts of tidbits from street stalls and splurged on nice restaurants. I also got to taste my family's homemade meals again, and their familiarity is just as thrilling as the unfamiliar things I sampled elsewhere during my travels. It is a jolt to rekindle myself with the foods I grew up with, some of which I rarely create, encounter, or even think about when I am far away in the adopted country that is my second home. I take in the deliciousness and the nostalgic joy, and I smile. I smile because it reminds me of the great times I had. I smile because it is still as delectable as I remember.
Upon my return to Australia, I vowed not to forget the dishes from my childhood. I started with a simple coconut milk and palm sugar jelly. For some reason, I had not made this recipe in many years. A piece of this jelly is now akin to a bite of innocence. It brings me back to the days when everything was pure and simple, when I didn't have to worry about adult things.
For me, it is a sweet walk down memory lane. For others, it may just be jelly. And it's still a darn good one at that.
