Welcome 2011

This is the beginning of a New Year. Lots have happen in 2010 and i am hoping 2011 will be a better one for me and everyone i know.I have set some new goals and i really hope it all follow through.

Ever since the start of the New Year i have been having cravings for lots of Asian food. Food like is close to my roots South East Asia.You know food i grew up eating, things you do not find easily when you are abroad.

One that pop in my mind was Glutinous rice and it's a perfect time to try it as its also very close to Chinese New Year as there are many kinds of food with symbolic meaning in the Chinese cuisine. Since traditional Chinese attach great importance to the family values, there foods can express their best wishes for the family reunion.

So since i have some Kaya (Asian coconut jam) left and wanting to finish it i have decided to try and make a Malaysian cake or should i say Kuih/ Kueh. It is a Chinese Baba Nyonya specialty cake. Called Pulut Tai Tai or Blue Glutinous Rice Cakes. The blue color comes from a flower name Bunga Telang or Blue Pea Flower. I did not have any at hand so i use some blue food coloring. But it turned out not as dark blue as how it is but it was a nice color and really its up to you how blue you like it to look.

Pulut Tai Tai

2 cups glutinous rice - was and soak overnight or at least 4 hours before cooking
1 1/2 cup - 2 cups coconut milk
4 pandan leaves, tie leaves to a knot
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
few drop of blue food coloring

Method

• Wash and drain the glutinous rice. Divide rice into two portions. Soak half the rice in plain water and the other in blue food coloring water.
• Drain the glutinous rice from the water. The rice soaked in the food coloring will have been tinted blue.
• Mix coconut milk with salt and sugar, stir to dissolve sugar.
• Put the rice, pandan leaves and pour half the coconut milk evenly over the rice. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 10 mins. Open the lid of the steamer and fluff up the rice and mix in the balance coconut milk.Close the lid and continue steaming for another 15-20 mins until the rice is done.
• Remove from heat and discard the pandan leaves.
• Line a square tin with banana leaves if you do not have any cling wrap will do too.Spoon in the cooked rice,press down the rice with a large spoon.
• Cover the top of the rice with banana leaves or cling wrap and weigh it down with a heavy object. leave to cool, cut in to pieces and serve with kaya.
• You can also put them in shaped molds of your liking.I like to serve it slightly warm so you can warm it up in the microwave or in a steamer.