I have a sweet tooth and a soft spot for Nonya desserts and kueh. I am so grateful for the gift of the Cooking for the President cook book from Wai Ping. This book has kept me company over many weekends when I crave for some Singapore delicacies. Without easy access to the tools and ingredients, I made some adjustments to the recipes so that we can still enjoy these great desserts and kuehs miles away from home. The Kueh Salat turned out awesome, just like the way I remember them back home.

• Prep Time: 1.5 hour
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Makes one 8″ x 8″ kueh

Ingredients

Glutinous Rice Cake

• 500g glutinous rice, wash and soak overnight (at least six hours)
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 Tbsp sugar
• 6 screw pandan leaves, tied into a knot
• 12 oz coconut milk (the recipe in the book calls for freshly squeezed coconut milk which I have no access to, so I make do with coconut milk from the can and did not bother to differentiate between No.1 and No. 2 milk)

Pandan Custard

• 35g flour
• 12 oz coconut milk
• 9 large eggs
• 230g coarse sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 12 pandan leaves
• 1 tsp pandan paste

Directions

Glutinous Rice Cake

1. Drain soaked glutinous rice and transfer to a large tray to prepare for steaming. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes.
2. Combine coconut milk with salt and sugar.
3. Stir 1/2 of the coconut milk into the glutinous rice. Insert the pandan leaves into the rice.
4. Steam over high heat for another 10 minutes.
5. Add remaining coconut milk, stir well, and steam for another 5 minutes until rice is cooked but not mushy.
6. Line a 8 x 8 square tin with parchment paper with the paper hanging over the edge. Secure the overhang with paper clips. This makes it easier to remove the cake when it is done.
7. Press the cooked glutinous rice into the pan, smooth the surface with cling wrap. While preparing the custard, keep the rice cake hot over simmering water in the uncovered steamer. This allows the custard layer to stick to the rice cake.

Pandan Custard

1. Mince the pandan leaves with 1/2 cup of coconut milk in a blender. Squeeze for pandan liquid using a muslin bag.
2. Mix the flour and the remaining coconut milk, run it through a sieve to remove lumps.
3. Press the eggs through a strainer into a sauce pan or double boiler pan. Do not beat the eggs.
4. Add the sugar, salt, and pandan liquid, pandan paste, the coconut and flour mixture, and heat in a double boiler until the custard thickens and begins to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Do not over cook or allow the custard to clot. Strain the custard on the the hot glutinous rice cake.
5. Cover and steam over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and continue steaming for another 30 minutes until the custard is set. During steaming, remove the cover, dry the water collected under the cover, and check for water collecting on the surface of the custard. Gentle dab dry with a paper towel.
6. Set aside to cool completely before removing from the square tin.
7. Cut into slices using a oiled knife.

Note: If you refrigerate the cake, then steam again and bring to room temperature before serving.