Cendol

Ingredients

• 1 cuprice flour
• 1¼ cupspandan juice (from 6–8 pandan leaves)
• ½ cuptapioca starch
• ⅛ tspsalt
• 1 cupice-cold water
• 2 cupsgula melaka (palm sugar), chopped
• ¾ cupwater (for syrup)
• 2 pandan leavesknotted
• 2 cupsthick coconut milk
• ¼ tspsalt (second measure, for coconut milk)
• 6 cupscrushed or shaved ice

Instructions

1. 1
   Blend pandan leaves with ¾ cup water; strain through cheesecloth to obtain 1¼ cups vivid green pandan juice.
2. 2
   In a saucepan combine rice flour, tapioca starch, pandan juice, and ⅛ tsp salt. Cook over low heat, stirring, until it thickens to a stretchy dough, 6–7 minutes.
3. 3
   Transfer the pandan dough to a potato ricer or cendol press. Press directly into the bowl of ice water to form jelly noodles. Chill 10 minutes, then drain.
4. 4
   For palm-sugar syrup, simmer gula melaka with ¾ cup water and pandan leaves over medium heat 5–6 minutes until syrupy; strain and cool.
5. 5
   Season coconut milk with ¼ tsp salt; chill until ready to serve.
6. 6
   Divide cendol noodles into 4 serving bowls. Top with generous mounds of shaved ice.
7. 7
   Ladle 3–4 tablespoons palm-sugar syrup and 4–5 tablespoons coconut milk over each bowl. Serve immediately so guests can mix the cold, creamy, and sweet layers themselves.