Khanom Thuai

Method

1. Snip 2 pandan leaves into short lengths and pound or blend them with 60 ml water until bruised and dark green. Squeeze the pulp hard and strain the juice through a fine sieve; you want about 50 ml of fragrant green liquid.
2. Put 35 g chopped palm sugar in a bowl with the warm pandan juice and rub it with your fingers until fully dissolved. Add 35 g rice flour and 10 g tapioca flour and knead the mixture with your hand for 3 minutes — the traditional kneading gives the base its soft chew — then slacken it with 60 ml coconut milk. Strain the batter through a fine sieve and leave to rest 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile whisk 80 ml coconut cream with 8 g rice flour, 0.25 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar until no lumps remain, and strain. The topping should taste distinctly salty against the sweet base.