Black Rice Porridge (Pulot Hitam)

Serves 6.

Ingredients

220 g/7 oz/1 cup black glutinous rice
1.5 litres/3 pints/16 cups water
60 g/2 oz palm sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 strips pandan leaf
6 dried longans
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup coconut cream
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Wash rice in several changes of water and drain. Put into a heavy saucepan with the measured water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add palm sugar and granulated sugar, pandan leaf and dried longans. (If the longans are still in their shells, discard the shells.) If the porridge becomes too thick, add more hot water. Continue cooking until the rice grains have become very soft. Serve warm, with coconut cream to which the salt has been added.

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