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1
Steam the Coconut Rice
35 Mins • Steam
Boiling water, 100°C / 212°F
Mix the drained rice with 150 ml coconut milk, 3 g salt and the knotted pandan leaves in the lined pan. Set the pan in a steamer over rapidly boiling water, cover, and steam for 35 minutes until the rice is soft and fluffy. Remove the pandan leaves.
Top up the steamer with hot water if it runs low — cold water stops the steam and the rice cooks unevenly.
Done when: The rice is tender, glossy and holds together when pressed.
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2
Press the Rice Layer
5 Mins • Press
Still hot, ~80°C / 175°F
While the rice is still hot, press it down firmly and evenly with a damp spatula or the back of a spoon, right into the corners. The layer should be flat, compact and about 2 cm thick.
A flat, tight rice layer is what keeps the two layers stuck together when you cut the kuih.
Done when: The surface is level and springy, with no loose grains.
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3
Whisk the Custard
5 Mins • Whisk
Room temperature, ~20°C / 68°F
Whisk the pandan juice, 250 ml coconut milk, sugar, rice flour and 1 g salt together until smooth, then pour in the lightly beaten eggs and whisk again until just combined. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug.
Whisk gently — beating hard traps air, and air bubbles become holes in the finished custard.
Done when: The mixture is smooth, lump-free and a clear green.
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4
Thicken Gently on the Stove
8 Mins • Thicken
Low heat, ~70°C / 160°F
Pour the custard into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom and sides, for about 8 minutes until it just begins to thicken and the first lumps appear. Take it off the heat while it is still runny — it sets the rest of the way in the steamer.
Never let the custard boil: boiling makes it grainy instead of silky.
Done when: The custard coats the spoon thinly and drips in a slow ribbon.
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5
Pour and Steam the Custard
45 Mins • Steam
Gentle steam, ~95°C / 200°F
Pour the warm custard through the sieve onto the hot rice layer and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Cover the pan loosely with foil, return it to the steamer with the water just below boiling and the lid slightly ajar, and steam for 45 minutes until the custard is just set in the middle.
The rice must be hot and moist when the custard goes on — cold rice and custard never bond.
Done when: The centre trembles slightly when shaken and a toothpick comes out clean.
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6
Cool and Cut
120 Mins • Cool
Room temperature, ~20°C / 68°F
Lift the pan out and cool completely at room temperature for about 2 hours before cutting — warm kuih tears and the layers slide apart. Use a lightly oiled plastic knife and cut into 12 neat squares, wiping the blade between cuts.
A plastic knife cuts cleaner than steel: the custard does not stick to it.
Done when: Clean squares with a sharp green-and-white line between the two layers.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Cut into neat squares and serve at room temperature — the green custard should be silky and smooth, the rice chewy and lightly salty underneath.
Malaysia
1h 10m
