Bika Ambon

Method

1. Put 120 ml of coconut milk in a small saucepan with the knotted pandan leaf, 1 stalk of bruised lemongrass and 1 pinch of salt. Warm over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly so it never boils or splits, then take off the heat, lift out the pandan and lemongrass and let the milk cool to lukewarm, about body temperature.
2. Make the starter: whisk 10 g of plain flour with 0.25 tsp of instant yeast and 3 tbsp of the warm infused coconut milk in a small bowl. Cover and leave 15 minutes in a warm spot until the surface is foamy and lively.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk 1 of egg with 1 of egg yolk and 50 g of caster sugar for about 2 minutes, just until the sugar dissolves — you want it smooth, not aerated. Add 60 g of tapioca flour a spoonful at a time, alternating with the remaining warm coconut milk, rubbing the batter through your fingers as they do in Medan so no lumps survive.