Vattalappam (Spicy Coconut Custard)

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Serves 6.

Ingredients

250 g/8 oz dark palm sugar (jaggery)
6 eggs
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup canned coconut milk
375 ml/12 fl oz can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons rose water or 1/4 teaspoon rose essence

Directions

Chop palm sugar into small pieces and put into a small heavy saucepan
with 200 ml (7 fl oz) water. Dissolve over low heat, allow to cool.
Beat eggs until well mixed but not frothy, add palm sugar and coconut
milk diluted with 125 ml (4 fl oz) water. Strain this mixture through a
fine strainer into a large jug. Stir in evaporated milk, spices and
rose water or essence.

Pour into individual custard cups placed in a baking dish. Add hot
water to come half way up sides of cups and bake at 120 degrees C (260
degrees F) until set, about 1 1/4 hours. Cool and chill.

Note: Instead of individual servings, the custard may be cooked in one
large dish, allowing extra baking time, but do not be tempted to raise
heat to more than moderately slow, as this will cause the custard to
curdle.

Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)