Pandan Rice Cake - Banh Duc La Dua

By Helen Le Published: December 19, 2013

  • Prep: 20 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Ready In: 40 mins

  • Yield: 8-10 Servings

This jelly-like soft rice cake with pleasant pandan aroma orginates from South Western Vietnam. It is served with coconut sauce and some sugar syrup.

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Ingredients
Instructions
  • Blend the chopped pandan leaves with 620ml (2.5 cups water). Strain to get 600ml pandan water.
  • To make the green paste: the rice flour, tapioca starch and mung bean starch with the pandan water. Add sugar and a pinch of salt. (Optional: Add a few drops of pandan extract for more vibrant color.)
  • Stir well to dissolve. Microwave at 600W for 6 minutes, stirring after every 2 minutes. You get a half-cooked paste. You can also cook on the stove on medium high heat while stirring constantly until you get a thick paste.
  • Repeat similarly to make the white paste: Mix rice flour, tapioca starch and mung bean starch with water. Add sugar. Stir well to dissolve. Microwave at 600W for 6 minutes, stirring after every 2 minutes.
  • Grease a 20x20cm mold with some vegetable oil. Fill the mold with the green and white paste, layer by layer. Use a spatula or a spoon handle to draw a swirl to create marble effect. Then flatten the surface and steam for 20 minutes.
  • To make ginger syrup: In a saucepan, combine 6 tbsp brown sugar with 3 tbsp water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, occasionally swirl the saucepan to help sugar dissolve. Mix 2 tsp tapioca/mung bean starch with 3 tbsp water in a separate bowl and add to the syrup. Cook a few more seconds to thicken the syrup.
  • To make the coconut sauce: In a saucepan, combine coconut milk with 2 tbsp sugar and a pinch of salt. Add 2 pandan leaves and bring to a boil, occasionally swirl the saucepan to help sugar dissolve. Mix 2 tsp tapioca/mung bean starch with 2 tbsp water in a separate bowl and add to the coconut milk. Simmer on low for a minute or until thickened.
  • Chill the rice cake until completely set (preferably overnight). Cut into diamond cubes or slices to reveal the marble effect. Drizzle the coconut milk and sugar syrup on top. Serve chilled with a sprinkle of roasted sesame seeds.