CNY 2017 - BEE KOH [SWEET GLUTINOUS RICE PUDDING]

This is the third recipe for Bee Koh which I tried. My first was [here] and my second attempt was the recipe from the book ‘Nyonya Flavours’. The recipe here is from Amy Beh’s first book ‘At Home With Amy Beh’. I have this book for umpteen years but has never tried this recipe until now when I make Bee Koh as a offering item for praying to Jade Emperor God [9th day of Chinese New Year - Pai Thni Kong]. 

My family is Hokkien, so this day is also the Chinese Hokkien’s New Year where Taoists will perform prayers to the Jade Emperor God [Thni Kong] on his birthday.  In the past, my mother and mother in-law will prepare Bee Koh for this occasion but this is already several years ago. These 2 great ladies are getting old [in their 80s] and not so energetic doing the usual chores that they used to do years ago. So it is my turn to prepare it but I'm quite skeptical if mine would be like theirs, so I have to rely on recipes from my collection of recipe books. 

Anyway, I am happy that all the recipes are workable but in my opinion, I prefer this one cos’ the rice is softer, the texture is chewy, sweetness is just nice, very aromatic and I like the shiny look of it.  We finished this kuih very soon with spoonfuls of it instead of slicing cos' it is chewy and soft.

As praying item - traditionally  the kuih needs to be decorated with red dates and dried longans.  
Isn't these cute?

Recipe source from At Home With Amy Beh

Ingredients

425 gm glutinous rice – washed then soaked for 4 hours or overnight, drained

3 pandan leaves – washed and knotted

100 ml water

250-300 gm granulated sugar

225 ml thick coconut milk [from 1 ½ grated coconut]

1 tsp salt

2 pandan leaves – washed and knotted

½ tsp fennel [jintan manis] – I omit

1. Steam the soaked and drained glutinous rice over boiling water with pandan leaves for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, sprinkle 50 ml water, toss well and steam for another 10 minutes.
2. Sprinkle remaining water, toss well and continue to steam for a further 10 minutes or until rice is cooked and soft. Dish out and set aside.
3. Put sugar, pandan leaves and coconut milk in a non-stick wok. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves [Do not boil the coconut milk at all]. Strain the mixture if using fennel.
4. Mix sugar mixture with steamed rice in a clean wok. Stir constantly over medium low heat until Bee Koh is fairly thick, leaves the wok clean and turns into a ball.
5. Transfer to individual plates or trays lined with cling wrap or banana leaf. Use a banana leaf or cling wrap to level up the surface neatly.
6. Cool completely before slicing to serve.