Sweet Water Chestnut Custard with Salty Coconut Cream Topping (Thai Tako Dessert)

Sweet Water Chestnut Custard with Salty Coconut Cream Topping

Last evening, I was taken with a sudden passion for music and spent a few hours working through my limited piano, flute and recorder repertoire. This morning, I spent the whole of it rolling sushi, and once that was done, moved on to wrap dumplings for dinner. The Hub and Eldest Son were gone for the whole afternoon playing golf with their respective groups of friends, the Babies were all dressed up light sabres included watching Star Wars, and I decided to spend the rest of the afternoon stirring and stirring - for a Thai Tako dessert.

I couldn't decide which flour I would use for my Tako. Depending on the texture desired, one could choose between mung/green bean, rice flour, glutinous rice and/or tapioca/corn flour. Also whether to use agar-agar or not.

To complicate things, I decided to add texture to my sweet (eggless) custard base by making my own rice flour. Soaked broken jasmin rice in water and ground it. Whether making the sweet base or the salty coconut topping, alot of stirring over low heat is required as one has to make sure that the flour used is thoroughly cooked. Also to avoid curdling.

Sweet Water Chestnut Custard Base :

120g Rice Flour

30g Corn Flour

150g Sugar

1/2 can of peeled Water Chestnuts (diced and soaked in Jasmine or Rose-infused water)

400ml of Jasmine or Rose-infused water

Screwpine leaf

Green food colouring

Salty Coconut Cream Topping :

1.5 cans of Coconut Milk

1 Chinese soup spoon of Sugar

1 Chinese soup spoon of Rice Flour

1/2 Tsp of Salt

Screwpine leaf

For a smoother and lighter base, it may be better to use mung bean flour and agar-agar. But I like my custard base with tiny bits of rice in it. And of course I didn't make screwpine leaf cases to serve my Tako in as screwpine leaves are precious in these parts. The Tako is best eaten chilled.

Sushi-making Station

Dumplings for dinner

Meanwhile, my aunt (mom's half-sister) died of cancer a few days ago. All my condolences to my uncle and cousins for their loss.