Cendol

Instructions

1. 1 Prepare the pandan juice by blending ten pandan leaves with half a cup of water, then straining through a fine sieve, pressing to extract all the vibrant green liquid. Discard the fibre and reserve the juice.
2. 2 Combine the rice flour, mung bean flour, pandan juice, and one cup of water in a saucepan. Stir until smooth with no lumps, then cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes a thick, glossy paste.
3. 3 Prepare a large bowl of ice water. While the pandan paste is still very hot, press it through a cendol mould, colander, or potato ricer directly into the ice water, forming short green worm-shaped strands.
4. 4 Let the cendol strands sit in the ice water for fifteen minutes to set completely, then drain them gently through a sieve, being careful not to break the delicate jelly pieces. Set aside in a cool place.
5. 5 Make the palm sugar syrup by combining the chopped gula melaka with three tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Melt over low heat, stirring until dissolved, then simmer for three minutes until syrupy. Strain and cool.
6. 6 Stir the pinch of salt into the coconut milk and mix until dissolved. The slight saltiness balances the sweetness of the palm sugar syrup and enhances the overall flavour of the assembled dessert.
7. 7 Fill serving bowls or tall glasses generously with crushed or shaved ice. Spoon the drained cendol strands and cooked red beans over the ice, then drizzle with coconut milk and palm sugar syrup. Serve immediately.