Cambodia: Sugar palm with coconut milk

Ingredients 

• 50 gglutinous rice 
• ½ tspsea salt 
• 625 mlcoconut milk 
• 4fresh sugar palm fruit, peeled, pitted or 200 g tinned sugar palm fruit, drained, sliced 
• 3 tbspliquid palm sugar or shaved palm sugar (jaggery) 
• 80 mlcoconut cream

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Instructions

Soak the rice in water for 20 minutes, then strain. 

Add the rice to a saucepan, along with the salt and half of the coconut milk. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice softens. 

Meanwhile, if using fresh sugar palm fruit, peel the fruit and remove the stones, working over a bowl to catch the juices. Thinly slice the fruit, and then set the juice aside. 

Add the sugar palm fruit and remaining coconut milk to the rice. 

Stir, then cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the rice becomes translucent. Stir in the palm sugar and cook for a further 2 minutes. 

Divide the rice among four bowls. Drizzle each with a tablespoon of the coconut cream and serve warm.

By

Luke Nguyen, SBS.COM.AU