Warm coconut cream pudding with taro dumplings

SERVES 4 AS PART OF A BANQUET // PREP TIME 35 MINS // COOK 15 MINS

“Dessert most nights was fresh fruit,” says Anderson. “Bua Loy, however, was a Monday-night special. I would help my mum roll out the little balls to resemble lotus seeds. An eternity to make for a few mouthfuls of heaven.”

1 litre coconut cream 4 pandan leaves (see note), bruised, tied into a knot 50 gm finely grated palm sugar 100 gm caster sugar

DOUGH 300 gm taro, steamed, well mashed 250 gm glutinous rice flour 50 gm tapioca flour

1 For dough, combine taro, rice and tapioca flour in a large bowl with 220ml warm water and knead until combined, pliable and a dry silky dough is formed (10 minutes). Set aside.

2 Place a large saucepan three-quarters full with water over high heat and bring to the boil.

3 Roll out taro dumplings so each one is about the size of your pinkie fingernail (these are meant to resemble lotus seeds). Makes 140 dumplings. Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside.

4 Place coconut cream and pandan leaves with sugar and ½ tsp salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer until sugar has dissolved and pandan has infused (10 minutes).

Set aside until ready to serve.

5 Cook dumplings, in batches if necessary, in simmering water until they have risen to the top and float (2 minutes). Divide dumplings among bowls and strain over warm coconut cream. Serve immediately.

Note Fresh pandan, available from Asian grocers, is essential to this dish. Check that the leaf is odourless and not dry.