Ingredients:
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905 g (32 oz) grated coconut, white
565 ml (20 fl oz) cooled, , boiled water for No.2 milk
310 g (11 oz) diced sweet potatoes
310 g (11 oz) diced yam
225 ml (8 fl oz) water
6 screw pine leaves(pandan leaves) tied into a knot
140 g (5 oz) coarse sugar
310 g (11oz) fine quality sago flour
1/2 teaspoon borax, available from Chinese dispensaries (pang sa, in cantonese, don't know still can get it or not)
225 ml (8oz) boiling water
A few drops of red, green and blue food colouring
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
Method
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1. Squeeze grated coconut with muslin for No.1 milk.
2. Add the cooled, boiled water to the grated coconut and squeeze again for No. 2 milk.
3. Rinse and drain swee potato cubes and steam fro 5-7 minutes till cooked. Set aside.
4. Steam yam cubes for 5-7 minutes till cooked. Set aside.
5. Boil the 225 ml water with the screw pine leaves and sugar for 10 minutes. Strain syrup into a bowl.
To make sago flour triangles:
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1. Sift sago flour with the borax into a basin.
2. Pour the boiling water over the sago flour. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
3. Knead to form a firm dough. Flour palms of hands with sago flour to prevent dough from sticking to them. Knead dough till smooth.
4. Divide dough into four parts. Leave one part uncoloured. Mix a few droups of different food colouring to the other three parts. Knead till colour blends in.
5. Roll each part into think long strips of about 1 cm in diameter. Use a pair of scissors to cut each strip into small triangles.
6. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Place the sago triangles in the boiling water, stirring to keep them from sticking together. Scoop out the cooked sago triangles as soon as they float to the surface. Soak them in a basin of cold water for 10 minutes.
7. Drain and place in a bowl. Add 4 tablespoons sugar and mix to keep the cooked sago triangles separated.
To boil the coconut milk:
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1. Mix syrup with No.2 coconut milk in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over a low heat, stirring all the time.
2. Pour in the No. 1 milk and add salt. Stir well. Cook for a moment. Remove from the heat and keep stirring for a while to prevent mixture from curdling and turning oily.
To serve:
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Place a tablespoonful each of cooked sweet potatoes, yam and sago triangles in a small bowl. Add coconut milk to fill the bowl. Serve hot or cold.
NOTE:
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Clean yam with a brush. Wipe it dry and remove the dark skin. Do not wash after removing the skin or it will be very slimy and difficult to handle. Keep diced yam dry.
Place saucepan of boiled coconut milk in a large basin of cold water and stir to release the heat to prevent curdling when cooking in big amounts.