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Thursday 16 January 2014

Black Glutinous Rice Dessert with Coconut Cream

Sweet Black Glutinous Rice Porridge or Khao Nieow Dum Piek, in Thai (ข้าวเหนียวดำเปียก) is one of my top favourite desserts since I was a child. I just love a perfect marriage of naturally sweet, feel-good scent of black glutinous rice and fresh coconut cream. In my hometown and some other provinces along the Andaman Coast, this dessert is called "Bee Koh Moy". I finally came to understand why it's called so... a few years ago via Rasa Malaysia Nyonya food website.
Bee koh moy is the Hokkien dialect for this dessert. In Malay language, it’s called Bubur pulut hitam. Bee koh moy is easily one of the most popular and common desserts in many Nyonya and Peranakan families. {credit: rasamalaysia}
Bee koh moy is made of black/purple glutinous rice, water, palm sugar and/or caster sugar, and topped with mildly salted coconut cream when served. 
Black glutinous rice is not uncommon in South East Asia countries. I was not surprised at all about cross-cultural Nyonya-Peranakan influence in the region.
The most popular black/purple glutinous rice in Thailand is " Khao Nieow Dum Luem Pua (ข้าวเหนียวดำลืมผัว)", literally translated in English as "Forget Hubby Black Glutinous Rice". 
Why? You ask... 
This type of rice is widely planted in the Northern provinces of Thailand. Khao Nieow Dum Luem Pua has gained its reputation for uniquely sweet 'n' nutty scent & delicious chewy texture 'n' taste, when cooked, the rice grains are glossy, soft and sticky....
The "Luem Pua" glutinous rice contains higher levels of certain nutrients and other beneficial substances including Omega-3, Omega-6, Omega-9, Vitamin B3, Vitamin E, Phytic acid and zinc that could prevent heart disease, coagulation, cancer, alzheimer, diabetes, and erectile dysfunction and impotence. {source: http://www.technologychaoban.com}
The title “Luem Pua” taken from a Hmong amusing story that said this type of rice is so delicious that a wife really enjoys eating it all and that she forgets to keep some for her hubby when he returns home. Oh dear! Oh dear! Poor hubby! ;)
There are 4 versions of black glutinous rice dessert here in Thailand: 1. plain 2. with diced taro 3. with longan 4. with sweet corn... I love them all! However, the one I made is none of the above mentioned ;)
It's with young coconut meat, my own version! :-)
Ingredients:
(serving 3-4)
150 g glutinous black/purple rice
2,5 litres water
100 g sugar
1 tablespoon corn flour
2 tablespoons water
young coconut meat from 1 coconut
...
200 ml coconut Milk
1 teaspoon rice flour
a good pinch of salt
How to:
  • Wash glutinous rice thoroughly and soak in water for several hours. (at minimum 6 hours or preferably overnight )
  • In a medium saucepan or a pot, add rice and water and cook over low heat; gently stir until rice is soft, thickened and has reached its consistency.
  • Add sugar and continue simmer-stirring over low heat until sugar has completely dissolved . 
  • Combine corn flour with water. Pour the mixture into the rice porridge; continue stirring and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. *Cornflour mixture not only acts as thickening to the rice mixture but also helps preventing the rice from absorbing too much liquid and becomes swollen, accordingly.
  • In a small saucepan, combine coconut milk, rice flour and the pinch of salt over low heat, simmer stirring frequently and bring to boil for 3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and creamy. Turn off the heat. Strain the mixture and transfer to a bowl. 
  • Ladle 2 or 3 spoonfuls of coconut cream on top of black glutinous rice porridge bed and young coconut blanket when serving. 
Enjoy & Have a stress-free weekend! 
p.s and please don't forget your wives or hubbies!!! :-)
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Monday 13 January 2014

Butterfly Pea Flower & Honey Drink, Thai Style

Let's cool down political heat in my country with this botanical refreshing drink, Thai style, made of Butterfly Pea flowers (or "Dhok Anchan" ดอกอัญชัน in Thai)...and usually prepared as a homely yet extraordinary welcome drink.
I was first introduced to this amazing flower when I was a mischievous 'n' curious little girl. I say "Amazing"... not only for its various benefits for Thai cuisine, but also for its health & beauty remedies. It is said that the butterfly pea flower is one of the most valuable herbal plants in Thailand. You may think of its sweet fragrance...Nope! Butterfly Pea Flower does not possess pleasantly sweet fragrance, like many other flowers. 
I remember so well... my great-grandmother once told me that many Thai girls who were born before or during WWII, their brows were all painted by their mothers or grandmothers, using this flower in lieu of brow pencil. With my innocent curiosity, I asked her, "Why?". She replied with a smile, "Because of its reputation for enhancing brow and hair growth & strengthening, according to traditional Thai medicine." No wonder, I have seen many shampoo brands & bottles, labeled "butterfly pea extract". Interesting!
As for its cooking benefits, my mother often picks some fresh flowers in her small garden, taking out their green stems and places the blue petals together into water and rice when cooking rice, either using a digitally modern rice cooker or a traditionally classic pot with lid. End result: we get lovely blue rice to please the eyes of the eaters! ;) The fresh flowers can also be dipped in batter and deep-fried, tempura style, and serve with sweet chili sauce, or alternatively, ketchup for the kids. 
According to Thai local wisdom, butterfly pea flowers are squeezed for aqueous extract to be incorporated with coconut milk and other base ingredients to colour Thai desserts in blue and purple colours...now that you get the idea...huh?
And finally the drink, oh yes!: It is called "Nam Dhok Anchan (น้ำดอกอัญชัน)", a syrupy indigo-blue drink, made of butterfly pea flowers, honey and sugar syrup. The drink can also be consumed with some drops of lime juice to create sweet 'n' sour flavour and to turn its indigo-blue colour into purple or pink-purple depending on its intensity of acidity. Next time, I'll have to fulfill my curiosity by mixing a few drops of alkaline water such as young coconut juice, cucumber juice or watermelon juice into the drink...and see how it will turn out! :)  
Anthocyanin is a water-soluble pigment that may appear red, blue, or purple in fruits and vegetables. It is also considered as secondary metabolite that acts as a powerful antioxidant which is stronger than vitamin E. Anthocyanin is richly found in butterfly pea flower, which is a long-time Thai household plant. When anthocyanin is consumed, it helps detoxificate free radicals that damage our cells to prevent the risk of cancer, ageing and keeps our skin healthy. It also stimulates the circulation of blood in small blood vessels, such as terminal blood vessels which enable stronger vision mechanism resulted from better blood circulation. {source: NST FOOD}
Ingredients:
(serving 1 person)
1 glass Blue Butterfly Pea's aqueous extract, from 5-6 flowers
1 tablespoon Organic wildflower Honey 
1 tablespoon Sugar Syrup (or as per your taste)
*drops of lime juice (optional)
Easy How to:
  • Place the flower petals into a glass of hot water and smash with a back of a spoon. Let sit for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes indigo blue.
  • Stir in honey and syrup until well dissolved. Leave to cool or refrigerate.
  • Add in ice cube and/or drops of lime juice.
For Party among Friends:
20-25 Fresh Butterfly Pea Flowers 
1000 ml drinking water
500 g sugar
3-4 tablespoons honey
* Preferably and beautifully served in long drink glasses...and decorate with some remaining flowers... 
Et ben voilà! Tchin-tchin! ;)
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Monday 6 January 2014

Pandan flavoured Tapioca Pearls Pudding with Coconut Cream

Happy New Year 2014 - Sawaddee Pi Mai - สวัสดีปีใหม่ ๒๕๕๗ 
with Another popular South-East Asian dessert of mine: simple, quick, easy, inexpensive and yummy! 
You can substitute Atap seeds and coconut meat with sugar palm fruits in syrup, sweet corn and shredded jack-fruit! For those who are under weight-watch programme, you can then use cereal coconut cream with less saturated fat, available at any Asian grocery store... without any sweet-tooth guilt. Enjoy! ;)
*Kindly visit below (good) link with regard to Tapioca Pearl Pudding in Thai Language with practical method just as I do แนบลิ้งค์ภาษาไทยมาให้สำหรับท่านที่สนใจค่ะ (วิธีทำคล้ายกัน): 
http://www.ezythaicooking.com/free_dessert_recipes/Thai_dessert_kanom_Sakoo_ma_prao_th.html
Note*
Thai people also enjoy another version of Tapioca Pudding using milk in lieu of coconut cream, ideally & uniquely served chilled, with honey dew melon and cantaloupe balls. I love it too!
The below statement is proved as a reconfirmation & reminiscence of my beloved grandmother's bedtime story when I was a little girl,...about her difficult life during WWII.  
"Tapioca comes from the cassava plant and is a root vegetable, not a grain (hence gluten-free). It is nutritious enough that many Southeast-Asians lived on it during WWII when food was scarce." --D.Schmidt 
Ingredients:
200 g small tapioca pearls (pandan flavoured)
1000 ml water
 200 g sugar
200 ml coconut Milk
1 teaspoon rice flour
pinch of salt
Atap seeds and Coconut Meat (from 1 coconut)
How to:
  • Rinse tapioca in sieve or strainer under cold water 15 to 20 seconds.
  • Bring water to boil in medium saucepan. Add tapioca; stirring frequently to avoid sticking. Cook 10-15 minutes on medium heat until the white spot in centre of tapioca is hardly seen and tapioca is translucent, Stir in sugar. Reduce heat to low; continue simmer-stirring 3-5 minutes or until pudding thickens slightly. Add in coconut meat and Atap seeds. Turn off the heat and set aside for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm. Or, refrigerate until chilled.
  • In a small saucepan, combine coconut milk, rice flour and the pinch of salt on low heat, simmer stirring frequently and bring to boil for 3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and creamy. Turn off the heat. Strain the mixture and transfer to a bowl.
  • Pour coconut cream on top of tapioca pudding once serving. 
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....2014 ^:[̲̅H̲̅][̲̅A̲̅][̲̅P̲̅][̲̅P̲̅][̲̅Y̲̅] [̲̅N̲̅][̲̅E̲̅][̲̅W̲̅] [̲̅Y̲̅][̲̅E̲̅][̲̅A̲̅][̲̅R̲̅]:^ 2014....
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