Pulut Durian

Photo: flickr user amrufm

Ingredients

300 grams glutinous rice, soaked for at least 3 hours or overnight

120 mls water

3 tablespoons thick coconut milk

teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot

1 cup (250 ml) good-quality durian flesh

cup (625 ml) thin coconut milk, diluted from ½ coconut

2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot

1 pch salt

Preparation

100 G white sugar* (or more or less to taste - quantity will depend on sweetness of durian)

* Some cooks like to use palm sugar, which imparts a slight caramel flavour and colour although personally, I prefer white sugar - as I feel durian is a strong enough flavour on its own and needs no further enhancement!

Pick out any husks and foreign particles from the rice and wash until water runs clear. Cover rice with fresh water and leave to soak for several hours (or overnight). After soaking, rinse and drain rice.

Place rice in a shallow cake tin. Place water, coconut milk, salt and sugar in a small bowl and stir until well combined. Pour over the rice and bury the pandan in it.

Steam rice (in a steamer tray) over rapidly-boiling water for 20 - 30 minutes or until rice grains are transluscent.

Taste for doneness - there should be no gritty bits.

To make durian sauce, remove durian flesh from the seeds - I gently pry the flesh away using a knife and fork.

Pack durian flesh loosely into a measuring cup - you want roughly 1 cup (250 ml) of durian. (Discard seeds.)

Place durian, coconut milk, pandan, salt and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, until the sauce comes to the boil. Simmer for 5 - 7 minutes, taste and if necessary, add a little more sugar. Take pan off the heat and serve sauce with the steamed glutinous rice. This dessert can be served warm (or cold).

Pulut Durian is one of those dishes that people are passionately divided about - they either love it or loathe it .... Well, if you're a fan, now's the time to take advantage of the durian glut.