Kueh Talam

  Contrary to popular belief that adding salt to coconut milk helps improve its keeping quality, salt actually serves to draw out its rich rounded flavour. 
And to turn these into keuh kosui, omit the white later and coat the green kueh with steamed grated coconut.

 

Makes a 20 cm square tray

Ingredients
Green layer (bottom layer)
100 g fine rice flour
50 g tapioca flour
50 g green pea flour
200 g sugar
800 ml pandan juice (squeezed from 20 pandan leaves, blended with 300 ml water and topped up with water to make 800 ml)
1 tsp alkaline water

White layer (top layer)
50 g rice flour
30 g green pea flour
2 tsp tapioca flour
600 ml fresh, thick coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt

Method
1. Combine the ingredients for the green layer in a saucepan and slow cook over a low flame, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to thicken.
2. Pour into a greased tray and steam in a stovetop steamer for 20 minutes. Open steamer lid every 5 minutes to wipe away condensation from the lid.
3. While steaming the bottom layer, cook the top layer. Combine all the ingredients for the white layer in a saucepan and cook over the lowest flame, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly.
4. Pour the batter for the white layer over the steamed green layer and steam, covered, for 20 minutes. Open the steamer lid every 5 minutes to wipe away condensation from the lid.
5. Cool for another 3 to 4 hours before cutting them into bite-sized diamond-shaped pieces.