Coconut, Rose & Pandan Agar Agar Jell-O

It officially turned summer for us here in the Northern hemisphere yesterday. Gee.. I could almost smell that fried egg on the sidewalk as the weatherperson on tv droned on endlessly about some red flag warning. One place you don't want to be in during the summer is my kitchen. When I own my own place, the first thing I'm getting is an air-conditioner for the kitchen. For now, I'm stuck with my 5-year-old 10 bucks 3-speed standing fan. Oh well, I guess I'll be bringing something cold and sweet and most importantly, requires no baking, over to Sugar High Friday at Domestic Goddess kitchen.

I was thinking of a particular Asian Jell-O / Agar Agar / Pudding-like dessert recipe, layered with Coconut, Rose and Pandan flavors. I don't quite know what to name this. Coconut, Rose and Pandan Jell-O ? Coconut, Rose, and Pandan Agar Agar ? or Coconut, Rose and Pandan Pudding ? Well, the recipe's a combination of all of the above. It has got that medium firm wiggly jiggly texture, like Jello. Yet it remains solid at room temperature and doesn't melt in the heat because of the agar agar. And since I've added egg whites and mixed in coconut milk like in a pudding, should I just name it "Coconut, Rose and Pandan Agar Agar Jell-O Pudding"? The recipe's relatively easy, main ingredient is just a pack of 79 cents agar agar powder, no baking and ready in 15 minutes. The result is utterly cooling, light, and sin-lessly delicious ! :)

Because its extracted from natural seaweed, agar agar contains 84% in fiber, hence it makes one of the best source of natural food fibers available. Like other algae foods, agar agar also provides a good source of iron, calcium and iodine. It is also calorie-free. So..will this help cut a few inches off the waist line ? Put yourself on an agar agar jell-o diet and let me know.. hahaha :P

Also check out some other cooling delights :
Steamy Kitchen Coconut Frozen Yogurt
Wandering Chopsticks Homemade Frozen Yogurt

My other freaky-hot Sugar High Friday entries :
Japanese Mochi
Pandan Coconut Muffins

Have a great summer treat !:)


Coconut, Rose And Pandan Agar Agar Jell-O Recipe
(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients :
1 pack ( 7 gm ) agar agar powder ( Swallow Globe brand )
100 ml thick coconut milk
1000 ml water
200 gm sugar
3 egg whites
1 tsp Pandan extract ( Aroma Pasta brand )
1 tsp Rose extract ( Aroma Pasta brand )

Toppings ( optional ) :
Your favorite fruits, ie. Strawberries and Blueberries

Method :
1) In a bowl, whisk the egg whites until the meringue holds soft peaks, and set aside.
2) Prepare some empty jell-o molds/plastic cups, and let them chill in the freezer.
3) In a pot, bring the water to a boil, mix in the sugar and the agar agar powder, stir well and let cook for 2 minutes until the mixture is blended well.
4) Add coconut milk, turn heat to medium-low, let boil and turn off heat.
5) Mix the prepared meringue with the cooked agar agar solution. Mix well, and divide into 3 portions in 3 separate bowls.
6) For the first agar agar portion, add Pandan extract and mix well (Pandan flavor).
For the second agar agar portion, add Rose extract and mix well (Rose flavor).
As for the third portion, leave it as it is (Coconut flavor).
7) Bring out the chilled jell-o molds/plastic cups from the freezer. Make half an inch layer for each of the jell-o mold/cups with the divided agar agar portion, coconut flavor on the bottom mold, rose on the second, and pandan on the top. For each layer, it'll take 20-30 seconds for it to get firm.
8) When complete, chill the agar agar cups before serving.

Note : For the meringue, make sure the bowl is completely grease-free, else, meringue will not stiffen. For the agar agar layering process, I chose to put them in the freezer for 10 seconds per layer. Touch and feel to check if it's firm enough before layering the remaining agar agar portions.

Muffin Monday : Pandan & Coconut Muffin

Every Monday, I look forward to another action-packed "24". I forgot the season had come to an end last week :( As I sat on my recliner, rocking away ... rocking away ...

Jack Bauer tackled me down at CTU, Melting Wok division, Los Angeles. This takes place between 21:00 and 22:00.

Jack Bauer : I'm federal agent Jack Bauer, and today is the longest day of my life.
Me : Abort your mission, join me for a quick bite before you tackle your real enemies.

Jack Bauer : *What* is your primary objective ?
Me : I have some colorful papercups leftovers from making mochis, a polished muffin pan, some eggs and flour. Lets get the action rolling, shall we ?

Jack Bauer : You are absolutely sure you can do this ?
Me : Well .. I wanted to make you some of my mom's Pandan Chiffon Cake, but with your busy schedule, I'll settle with a quick and easy muffin bake recipe, 20 minutes tops..

Jack Bauer : You're not a field operative !
Me : I have a pistol-shaped thingy in my kitchen that shoots fire and I'll lend you my oven to torture uncooperative suspects.

Jack Bauer : If you don't tell me what I want to know, then it'll just be a question of how much you want it to hurt.
Me : Okay, I have here some Pandanus extract. Pandan leaves are one of the few disparate ingredients used in the Asian cuisine, especially in sweet and savory desserts. So, agent Bauer, how much do you really know about Asian food flavorings ?

Jack Bauer : I don't have time to explain right now.
Me : In that case, let's get on with the Pandan And Coconut muffin cakes now, shall we ?

Jack Bauer : I know what it's like to feel like it's never going to end.
Me : Totally, this quick and easy muffin bake will totally rock your never-ending world. Its savory, sweet and delectable to your taste buds.

Jack Bauer : You are going to tell me everything I want to know or I swear to God I will hurt you before I kill you, and no one will be able to stop me.
Me : Relax .. I always reveal my recipe at the end of every post. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, are ya ?

Jack Bauer : What is happening at 20:00 ?
Me : Here .. hot, steamy savory sweet mini muffins ..

Jack Bauer : Don't move !
MW : What ?

Jack Bauer : Shocking, your mini Pandan Coconut Muffins are absoltely riveting, I'm amazed ! Got milk ?
Me : Sure .. would you like to wash it down with some pandan-flavored soy milk ?

If only every adversary can be so easily handled in real life. For today, I will just stick with my illusive fantasy. Haha .. girls just wanna have fu-un. Since I can't really share my beloved mini Pandan Coconut Muffin cakes with Jack Bauer, I shall share this with all of you, including Sandra at Muffin Monday in Italy, bon apetit ! :)

Pandan Coconut Muffin Recipe

Ingredients :
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Pandan extract
1 egg
70 ml cooking oil
90 ml coconut milk
150 ml water
6 muffin cups

Method :

1) Preheat oven to 375F. Line paper cups on a muffin tray, set aside.
2) In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, add water, coconut milk, oil, pandan extract, salt, sugar, baking powder and mix well.
3) Sieve the flour, and slowly pour into the mixture, mix well, and set aside.
4) Scoop the muffin mixture onto the muffin cups until 2/3 full.
5) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a light brown crust appear or cracks out of the muffin top.

Notes : In most Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, Pandan leaves are often pounded or strained, and then blended with a little water to add flavor to sweet and savory recipes. This delicate flavor is crucial to Asians as vanilla is to Westerners.
To prevent your muffins from getting too hard, do not over-whip (mix) the mixture aand allow too much air in.

Other Sweet Notes :




Japanese Rice Cake (Mochi)







No Bake Coconut Macaroon







Classic Asian Cakes And Desserts

Japanese Rice Cake (Mochi)

Thanks to Kat for sharing her Ichigodaifuku Mochi recipe (Strawberry and Red Bean mochis). Yummy .. I'm sure I'd be in confection heaven too if I had a a chance to sink my sweet tooth into that ! The first time I read the mochi recipe, I did not realize that I actually had Mochiko at home. A little googling enlightened me that Mochiko is actually Japanese for glutinous rice flour and I was fortunate enough to have three bags of it originally intended for some Malaysian style glutinous rice balls. Woohoo ! I'm halfway to treating my taste buds to some sweet, chewy, wholesome goodness that I've been longing for a while.

I must confess that this is my first attempt at making Mochi. But from what I've read so far, it's a breezy no-bake recipe (similar to my no-bake coconut macaroon). And it is, a simple nuke and cook was all it took to get my mochi dough ready to rock and roll :) After that, it's just sheer delight portioning them out and dressing them up with an assortment of sweet fillings like chocolate, fruit jam, ice cream, or peanut butter. The verdict ? Some 30 pretty little bite-sized morsels edible eye candy that's to die for.

So there you have it, from simple shades of white, you can paint them with whatever flavors you crave, and that is my submission to Sugar High Friday, hosted by Tara at Seven Spoons. I generally prefer having my mochis cold. The perfect sweet indulgence for a hot summer day, and definitely a perfect ending to lunch or dinner :) So, how do you like your mochi ?

Mochi Recipe ( Japanese Rice Cake Recipe )

Mochi dough recipe :
Ingredients :
2 cups water
2 cups glutinous rice flour ( mochiko )
1 cup sugar
potato starch, or soy bean flour for dusting ( katakuriko, or kinako )
1 tbsp strawberry jam ( optional )
1/4 tsp pandan ( screwpine leaf ) extract ( optional )

Method :

1) Sieve glutinous rice flour in a big bowl ( to prevent clumps) and set aside.
2) Mix sifted glutinous rice flour, sugar and 2 cups water in a bowl. ( optional: add strawberry jam for pink mochi dough or pandan extract for green mochi dough)
3) Making mochi
Steaming method : pour flour mixture into an oiled pan. Place in steamer and steam on medium for 30-45 minutes.
Microwave method : pour flour mixture into an oiled microwavable pan. Microwave 10-15 minutes covered.
4) Dust some potato starch ( Katakuriko ) over a large flat-surfaced board. Knead dough until a smooth texture is achieved.
5) Shape dough into mini-logs and cut into bite-sized portions.
6) Fill or top dough with your favorite stuffing or topping.

Here's a list of the stuffings/toppings I used :
A) Strawberry Mochi - Frozen strawberry yoghurt ( wrapped in pink mochi dough )
B) Pandan Mochi
C) Chocolate Mochi - Heated chocolate fudge and toasted sesame seeds
D) Peanut Butter Mochi - Peanut butter ( mochi dough is flattened, filled with peanut butter, and rolled up )

Notes :
Glutinous Rice Flour ( Mochiko ), works well as a thickener in sauces and soups. Sauces thickened will not separate when frozen and thawed.
Potato Starch ( Kitakuriko ), prepared from cooked potatoes that are washed of all fibers until only the starch remains, and it is gluten-free.
Soy Bean Flour ( Kinako ), low in starch and high in protein, soy flour is made from ground soy beans and is used in baking breads and pastries.

Happy Chinese New Year

This year, Chinese New Year falls on the 18th of February, which also marks the beginning of the Spring Festival. The first day of the New Year begins with the new moon and ends on the full moon 15 days after. The Chinese calendar is based on the lunar movements, therefore the specific date changes every year. That is why the Chinese have 2 birth dates, one is based on the Roman calendar, and the other is based on the lunar calender.

A Family Affair and the tradition
Christmas Eve and the Chinese New Year's eve share the same family affair, with the traditional family reunion dinner being the highlight and marking the beginning of the celebrations. Just like the Christmas tree, the Chinese have their pink cherry blossom tree that symbolize rebirth, prosperity and wealth. It is customary to set off the NY with fire crackers, and you will see fire cracker decorations as you stroll down any street of China Town, malls and even in households along with some really beautiful fiery red lanterns. Even though I am away from home, this festive season has remained one of my fondest childhood memories growing up. During the whole 15 days of the Chinese New Year celebration, Chinese kids and unmarried persons are just as ecstatic as the their western counterparts opening Xmas gifts. They receive money in a little Red Envelope, symbolizing prosperity throughout the year. The chinese also pay respects to the gods of the household and the family ancestors in a religious ritual ceremony in honor of heaven and earth.

Chinese New Year Foods
Everyone enjoys the festive foods. The most significant foods of Chinese New Year would be the "Nian Gao", which is Mandarin for "Year Cake". You will see lots of sweet tangerines all over town. It is customary to bring a bag of tangerines when visiting others during Chinese New Year. It is a symbol of long lasting relationships and an abundance of happiness. Just like Halloween, Chinese New Year also celebrates the biggest "sweet" treats of the year, filled with an array of sweet candied preserved fruit, cookies and other sweet delights.

So, here are some of the goodies and what they signify:

Candied melons - growth and good health
Red melon seeds - joy, happiniess, truth and sincerity
Lychee nuts - strong family bond
Kumquats - prosperity
Coconut shreds - unity
Peanuts - longevity

Longan fruits - brings good sons
Lotus seeds - brings many children

So, boys and girls, I have thought of something simple, sweet, and symbolic of Chinese New Year. A coconut macaroon recipe that requires no baking. In the Hokkien and Taiwanese dialect of the Chinese language, the pineapple is known as "Aung Lye". Pronunciation-wise, "Aung" and "Lye" are also two other words in those dialects meaning "Prosperity" and "Come". Therefore, in the Chinese tradition, eating pineapple during the Lunar New Year symbolizes that "prosperity" will "come" your way throughout the entire year.

No Bake Coconut Macaroon Recipe

Ingredients :
1 lb fresh pineapple
fresh grated coconut shreds ( OR toasted )
crushed mixed nuts ( pistachios, peanuts, almonds and cashews )
toasted sesame seeds

Method :

1) In the blender, crush the pineapples, and cook them on the wok on low heat until a paste-like texture is formed, then set aside and cool down in the refrigerator.
2) Chop the mixed nuts, and mix that in with the pineapple paste and sesame seeds.
3) With the palm of your hand, make small tiny serving sized balls with the pineapples and nuts mixture.
4) Coat the macaroon balls with fresh grated coconut shreds.

Wishing all a prosperous New Year,
blessed with good fortunes and laughters to stay !
Happy Chinese New Year :)

Related : Chinese New Year celebrations in Southern California & other cities.

Sweet Mung Bean & Taro Dessert

I think my mom, my grandma or somebody along the family tree created this sweet treat. I use to enjoy these sweet mung bean dessert soup all year round. Back then, I like it cold. With the weather blues still surfing at my end, I will eat this warm. I'll pull out an all-week treat to serve my sweet tooth. Mom would make this with red beans, green beans, walnuts, peanuts, OR black sesame seeds. Often times, she would get creative with taro, yams OR any other high fiber source of dessert soups. This mung bean dessert recipe is a pure sweet sensation. Don't worry about bloating afterwards. Unlike kidney beans or some sorts, mung beans are relatively easy to digest :)

So, after reading OC Food Blog's review on those sinful eats, those Vietnamese/ Saigon sweet desserts came knocking on my not-so-subconscious-mind. I've decided to get my brand new Rival crockpot to use, count every mung bean I can find in my refrigerator and slow cooked some sweet mung bean dessert. To start out a good mung bean dessert recipe, I did not neglect my favorite sort of yammy craving - "taro", hmmm-so-yummy ! :) My last favorite ingredient to make this complete, mini tapioca pearls. This petite little things are almost translucent and bit doughy, reminds me of those green doughy floured strips in one of the many desserts Wandering Chopsticks manage to terrorised. I like it that way. I've also substitute regular sugar with rock sugar as this would deliver a smooth, creamy appeal to the dessert. Just like how you adore the scent of vanilla bean when baking, I like the scent of the screwpine leaf & loves how a couple of leaves does wonders to the flavor of this mung bean dessert recipe.

A quick snap this Monday morning, I creamed in a bowl OR two before I head out to a cheery, winter day ?:)

Ingredients :
1/2 a taro ( cut into small cubes )
1 can coconut milk
16 oz yellow mung beans
10 oz mini tapioca pearls
2 big pc. Rock sugar ( You can use tiny crystallised sugar for easy dissolve. )
2 pc. screwpine leaf
2 Qts water ( OR any amount that will cover the beans and taro in the crockpot )

Method :
1) Place the taro cubes, washed yellow mung beans, rock sugar, and water in the crockpot. Cook on high for a minimum 4 hours.
2) Add the coconut milk, mini tapioca pearls and cook for an additional 1 hour and then switch from cook to warm.