Thai Red Rubies in Coconut Milk (Tub Tim Krob)

Thai Red Rubies in Coconut Milk

Hub and I learnt to make this a few years ago in a Thai cookery class. Thai Red Rubies (Tub Tim Krob) is a dessert popular even in Singapore that can be found in almost every dessert stall in hawker centres and foodcourts. It's easy to make and is a pleaser - crunchy water chestnut wrapped in a chewy tapioca coat and served in sweetened coconut milk.

Tub Tim Krob :

Peeled Water Chestnuts (fresh or canned)

Rose syrup

Tapioca Flour

Water

Sugar

Screwpine/pandan leaves

Coconut milk

A pinch of Salt

Cut each water chestnut into tiny cubes (e.g. about 9 pieces) and marinate them in some rose syrup. That's what turns them red - or you could use red food colouring and rose water.

Prepare a plain syrup by boiling water with sugar and knotted screwpine leaves. Add a pinch of salt and set aside to cool.

Fill a bowl with some tapioca flour and coat the water chestnuts in it. If you want a ruby with a thicker coating of tapioca flour, spray a little water on the coated water chestnuts and roll them again in the tapioca flour. If necessary, place the coated cubes in a sieve to remove excess flour.

Boil a pot of water and cook the coated water chestnut cubes in it. They are ready when the tapioca coating turns transparent. Scoop them out and place them in an ice water bath to prevent them from sticking together.

Mix the plain syrup with the coconut milk and chill if necessary.

When ready to serve, place some of the red rubies in a bowl and pour the sweetened coconut milk over them. I like mine with quite a bit of coconut milk.