Coconut Sugar Jelly

When my Mum visits from Malaysia I take full advantage of her amazing cooking skills and set her to work for my belly and my cravings for the duration of her stay. I suddenly go from Goddess of My Kitchen (it's my blog and I can call myself anything I wish) to a kid needing Mum's cooking and she never disappoints. Mummy's are amazing aren't they?

Tonight after a banquet for dinner which was followed by a luscious dessert I thought out loud "Mum, remember that coconut jelly you used to make" and without skipping a beat Mum starts on this delicious jelly - after we had all had pavlova mind you!! 

Now my Mum's way of cooking is never precise, always a dash of this, a pinch of that, a splash or 2 of something else so I have had to try to learn with my eyes and by tasting so this recipe is a flurry of note taking and me trying to sum up some measures as my amazing Mum Goddess does her pinch of this and drop of that.

For lovers of hard jelly (it's not of the wobbly ilk) and of the taste of coconut this is a must try. I love coconut in any shape or form so now that I know how to make this it will be on my repertoire of things to whip up when I want a taste of Malaysia. Delish!!

Coconut Sugar Jelly

1 packet of 40g agar-agar
2 strips of pandan leaves
250g of coconut sugar (palm sugar, gula melaka)
400ml coconut cream
2 big pinches of salt
1.5l water

1. Dissolve agar-agar in a pot with 1.25l water. Knot the pandan leaves together and leave them in the pot with agar-agar.









2. When most of the agar-agar is dissolved add the palm sugar and over a gentle flame slowly stir until all sugar is dissolved as well. Add salt.









3. Mix the coconut cream and approx 250ml water and then add to agar-agar solution and taste.
*** If you feel you may like a sweeter jelly add a tablespoon or 2 of castor sugar to taste.

4. Stir until everything looks well mixed and then let boil. Take mixture off the fire as soon as it reaches boiling point. Sieve once and pour coconut mixture into whatever mould you want.

5. Leave to set on kitchen top or fridge. The jelly will set quite fast compared to the wobbly ones as the agar-agar works a lot faster than gelatine. Our efforts tonight was not placed in the fridge at all for setting.

6. Once set use knife and cut everyone a slice and then give yourself a big spoon and shovel jelly in face!! YUM!