It all started with the fresh blue pea flowers I come across at the month end farmer's market in Sungei Kadut.
It needs no peddling at all from the seller as I was eager to grab the beautiful blue flowers (not easy to obtain these flowers here!)

I have no plans what to do with it yet, but as with any cook, we knew at some time it will serve its purpose.
So, it stays in the fridge as it dried out, but not forgotten.

I confess I don't do Kueh; I think it is cumbersome. I would rather buy them to slaving in the kitchen. The easiest way with these blue pea flowers is to serve it as a drink, a blue colour drink. One could add a slice of lemon to it and watched it turn pink.
This seems injustice to the beautiful blue flowers and most importantly, posed little motivation for this feisty cook.

Somehow, these beautiful blue pea flower trigger in me a change of mind set, (talk about flower power!) a positive one beginning with determination (prayer helps too!)

It seems overwhelming but as I learnt in life, to break it up into parts and navigate it one at a time. Along the way, relax and enjoy the process.

So, with that in mind, I simplify it by dividing it into 2 easy processes,
(1) the steaming of the bottom layer glutinous rice and
(2) making the top custard layer.

No, this episode was not at all daunting, it was a piece of "Kueh"!


You will need:
For bottom layer
400gm of glutinous rice, soaked for 4 hours and drained
250ml thin coconut milk (150ml thick coconut, 100ml water)
3-4 Pandan leaves
1 teaspoon of salt
20 pcs blue pea flower


Method:
1. Gently wash the dried blue pea flower, adding 3 tablespoon water and cook over low heat to extract blue colouring. Discard flowers and keep the blue water.

2. Put rice, salt and 3/4 portion of coconut milk and pandan leave in a steam pan. Steam rapidly (high heat) for 20minutes.


3. Carefully remove the steam pan, discard pandan leaves and fluff up the rice using a pair of chopsticks and mix in the balance coconut milk. Sprinkle blue colour water over the rice for a marble effect.



4.Return to the steamer for another 15minutes steaming. Check the doneness of the rice. (do add the water in the steamer where necessary)

5. Remove cooked rice and pour rice to another rice pan lined with banana leaf. Press down the rice till compact.


6. While rice steaming in the process, prepare the custard for the top layer.

You will need:
For Top Layer:
200ml thick coconut milk
4 large eggs
170g sugar
100ml pandan juice (from 8-10 pandan leaves)
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour (sieved)
2 tablespoon of corn flour (sieved)


Method:

1. Mix the eggs, coconut milk, sugar, pandan juice and flour and continuously stir until smooth.
2. Cook over boiling water (using double boil method) until mixture thickens but still runny enough to pour over the rice.



3. Transfer the custard and pour over the rice (through a sieve to ensure smoothness and no lump),
steam under high heat for 15-20mintues or until custard is set. (you may check this by inserting a skewer in the centre of the cake and ensure the skewer come clean, an indication of doneness)


4. Cool completely before cutting with a sharp knife.




Cook's Note:
1. The presence of coconut means that this kueh is best consumed on the day
2. Do not refrigerate it for the cold as it may turn hard
3. It is entirely alright to use a blender to obtain the pandan juice. Cut into small pieces for easy blending
4. The bottom layer needs to be warm when pouring the custard over.