Agar-Agar Gula Melaka with Coconut Cream

First and foremost, I must apologise for slow posting.  Life have been busy, but I have not forgotten my readers (you).

I did promise you some recipes on Agar-Agar and this particular dessert is a favourite of mine and for most people too.  It is simple to make and devours in minutes.

Pandan Leaves

Agar Powder and Gula Melaka

Firstly find a mold or a container - square or rectangle or round - which can hold 3 Litres of liquid without spillage OR few molds or containers.

You must be wondering why on earth am I going make such quantity?  Unless you are living alone and do not like sharing food with others, then half the amount or whatever suits you.  Normally this dessert tend to vanished in less than 24 hours in my household.  It is better for me to make this amount than smaller one.

25g Agar powder

2000 mL water

250g Gula Melaka - dark palm sugar

6 fresh Pandan leaves - peeled in half lengthways then tied a knot

1000 mL Coconut Cream - 2 cans of coconut cream then add water to make up a Litre.

Method:

1. Add water in pot with Gula Melaka then bring to the boil.
2. Reduce heat to simmer before stirring in the Agar powder slowly until dissolved.
3. Finally put in the Pandan leaves and let them steep in the mixture and bring it back to simmer.  Turn the heat off and leave for few minutes.
4. Pour the mixture into the container(s) leaving only half filled.
5. Stir the coconut well to remove any lumps.  If needed pass the cream through a sieve.  This step should be taken while preparing the ingredients.  Gently, pour in the coconut cream in an orderly fashion AND DO NOT stir mixture.
6. Leave the container to cool before chilling.

Functions and Benefits:

1. Agar - Cold in nature; Tones Yin and remove floating heat in the Lungs; cool summer heat.
2. Gula Melaka - Warming and Tones Middle Burner.  Expel Cold and relieve Liver Qi stasis in the Middle Burner.
3. Coconut - Warming and Sweet; Tonifies QI and Blood, Expel Cold and relieve Summer Heat.

Precautions and Contraindications:

1. The combination of ingredients in this recipe changes the Agar property from Cold to Cooling.  Furthermore, it is normally eaten chilled.  However if it is consume at room temperature the Nature of this dish would be Cool-Neutral.  You might ask what the differences.  Well during the hot months, also comes the monsoon period or rainy days that may have change from hot days to cool or cold nights.  Consuming Cold nature food in cold days might not be a good idea in accordance to TCM if one always complaints of cold.
2. This dessert is delicious and it is easily over consumed and causes rumblings in the tummy.
3. Since it contains coconut cream, please be mindful that you do not leave it out of the fridge for too long before consuming.

If you have any doubt or want to know more about this recipe, contact your TCM practitioner or myself.

Thank you for reading.

Kenny Law
Australia Registered TCM Practitioner.
DISCLAIMER:
Information given are purely for references and it is not intent to diagnose medical conditions or to be used for self-diagnosed. Always consult medical health personnel for proper medical diagnosis.

© COPYRIGHT 2010 KENNY LAW

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