Sago Layered Kuih

Original Recipe by Amy Beh

Green Layer (A)

200g rice flour

150g tapioca flour

500ml thick coconut milk

¼ tsp salt

1 Tbsp pandan juice

Syrup

200g castor sugar

200ml water

2 screwpine leaves, knotted

Combine rice flour and tapioca flour in a mixing bowl. Add coconut milk and salt. Mix, then leave aside for 10 minutes. Strain the batter to remove any lumps.

Put sugar, water and screwpine leaves in a saucepan. Bring to a simmering boil – ensure all the sugar dissolves. Strain the syrup and set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Mix syrup and rice flour batter together. Add pandan juice to mix.

Sago Layer (B)

150g rice flour

80g tapioca flour

200ml water

250ml thick coconut milk

1/8 tsp lemon yellow colouring

30g sago, soaked

Syrup

175g castor sugar

150ml water

2 screwpine leaves, knotted

Soak sago for 10–15 minutes until plumped. Drain and cook in a saucepan with 1 cup water for 1–2 minutes. When sago turns transparent, drain and rinse under running water. Drain and put aside.

Combine rice flour and tapioca flour. Add water and thick coconut milk, and mix well.

In a saucepan, bring sugar, water and screwpine leaves to a simmering boil for 2–3 minutes and heat until sugar dissolves completely. Strain and leave to cool slightly.

Add syrup into the batter to mix. Stir in sago and mix in colouring.

Heat a 22cm square cake pan in a steamer for 5–6 minutes. Pour in one ladleful of green coloured batter into the prepared pan. Steam for 4–5 minutes.

Add another ladleful of sago or yellow batter over the green layer. Steam for 4-5 minutes.

Alternate the layers until you come to the final green coloured layer. Steam for 30-40 minutes over a medium-low heat until the top layer is set. Remove and leave to cool completely before cutting into slices.