Seri muka kuih

Method13 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Use dry glutinous rice (400 g), also called Thai sweet or sticky rice. Soak all four hundred grams in plenty of the separate rice-soaking water for at least one and a half hours. Drain thoroughly and discard all the soaking water; keep the measured hundred millilitres rice-layer water untouched.

   Soak glutinous rice for at least 90 minutes · 90 minUses 400 g dry glutinous rice (Thai sweet or sticky rice) · Water to generously cover glutinous rice for soaking, discarded

2. 2

   Step 2: Lightly grease a nine-inch round or square cake pan with some cooking spray. For the pandan juice, wash and cut the ten separate juice leaves, blend them with their measured two hundred millilitres water and strain through cheesecloth, discarding the leaf pulp. Measure out only one hundred and fifty millilitres of this strained juice for the custard; keep any surplus out of this cake.

   Uses Cooking spray to lightly grease cake pan and spatula · 10 separate pandan leaves for blending into juice · 200 ml water to blend pandan juice; only 150 ml strained juice is used

3. 3

   Step 3: Wash the separate three rice-layer pandan leaves and tie them into knots. Mix all the soaked drained rice with only the rice-layer coconut milk (150 ml), measured rice-layer water and teaspoon rice-layer salt (1 tsp). Pour into the greased cake pan and lay all three pandan knots on top. Keep the separate custard coconut milk for later.

   Uses All soaked drained rice · 150 ml coconut milk for rice layer · 100 ml measured water for rice layer · 1 tsp salt for rice layer · 3 pandan leaves, tied into knots for rice layer

4. 4

   Step 4: Set the rice pan in a steamer above boiling steamer water, keeping the pan above the water level. Wrap the steamer lid securely with a cloth so condensation does not drip on the food, keeping loose cloth away from the heat. Steam for thirty minutes and replenish the steamer water as needed.

   First rice-layer steam · 30 minUses The complete rice-layer pan · Water for the steamer, replenished as needed

5. 5

   Step 5: Remove and discard the three pandan knots. Fluff the steamed rice, then lightly grease a spatula with some separate cooking spray and press the rice flat in its pan.

   Uses All rice after its first thirty-minute steam · Cooking spray to lightly grease cake pan and spatula

6. 6

   Step 6: Press the rice evenly right into the pan corners and around its edges, closing any holes or gaps so the later custard cannot run underneath it.

   Uses The complete pressed rice layer

7. 7

   Step 7: Return the pressed rice layer to the steamer and steam for another ten minutes until cooked and firmly bound. Keep this rice layer hot in the steamer while preparing the custard; the hot layers must join while the rice is still hot.

   Second pressed rice-layer steam · 10 minUses The complete pressed rice-layer pan · Water for the steamer, replenished as needed

8. 8

   Step 8: Mix only the measured hundred and fifty millilitres strained pandan juice with all the separate custard coconut milk (200 ml), cornstarch (5 tbsp), all-purpose wheat flour (3 tbsp), sugar (140 g) and pinch of custard salt until smooth.

   Uses Only the measured 150 ml strained pandan juice · 200 ml coconut milk for pandan custard · 5 tbsp cornstarch for pandan custard · 3 tbsp all-purpose wheat flour for pandan custard · 140 g sugar for pandan custard · 1 pinch salt for pandan custard

9. 9

   Step 9: Whisk all three large eggs into the pandan mixture thoroughly. Strain the complete uncooked custard into a heatproof metal bowl or pot to remove any lumps.

   Uses All mixed pandan-custard ingredients · 3 large eggs for pandan custard

10. 10

    Step 10: Bring the separate bain-marie water to a gentle simmer. Set the custard bowl above it as a double boiler, keeping the bowl bottom out of direct contact with the simmering water.

    Uses All strained egg custard · Separate water for a gently simmering custard bain-marie

11. 11

    Step 11: Stir the custard continuously over the gently simmering water for about fifteen minutes, stopping once it starts to thicken slightly but is still pourable. Watch the texture rather than cooking it into a thick paste or scrambling the eggs; it will finish setting during steaming.

    Uses All custard over the gentle bain-marie

12. 12

    Step 12: While the cooked rice layer is still hot, pour all the slightly thickened custard evenly over it. Tap the pan gently to release air bubbles, then return it to the covered steamer and steam for thirty minutes until the custard is set and the egg layer is cooked through. Check the centre reaches at least 71 °C /160 °F; continue gently as needed without overcooking it.

    Steam pandan-custard layer over hot rice · 30 minUses All pourable warm custard · The complete hot cooked rice-layer pan · Water for the steamer, replenished as needed

13. 13

    Step 13: Remove the pan from the steamer and let heat escape briefly. Refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of finishing steaming, without waiting for the cake to reach room temperature. Allow the cake to cool completely in the fridge before cutting into rectangles or diamonds. Keep portions not being served refrigerated in a covered container; chilling can make the rice layer firmer.

    Uses The complete cooked layered cake