Kueh Jongkong (Layered Pandan Coconut Pudding Cups)

Instructions

1. Make the syrup: put the gula melaka, 80 ml water and the knotted pandan leaf in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar melts, then simmer until slightly syrupy, 4 to 5 minutes. Discard the pandan leaf and divide the syrup among the eight cups, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
2. Make pandan juice: blend the cut pandan leaves with 200 ml water until finely shredded, about 1 minute, then strain through a fine sieve or cloth, squeezing hard. You should have about 180 ml of bright green juice.
3. In a medium saucepan, whisk the rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar and salt for the pandan layer with the pandan juice until completely smooth, then whisk in the 250 ml coconut milk.
4. Cook the pandan mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula and scraping the bottom, until it thickens into a smooth, glossy pudding that heavily coats the spatula, 6 to 8 minutes. Spoon it gently over the syrup in the cups while hot, dividing it evenly. Let the cups stand 15 minutes so the surface firms slightly.
5. In a clean saucepan, whisk the rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar and salt for the coconut layer with about 60 ml of the 350 ml coconut milk to a smooth paste, then whisk in the rest of the coconut milk.
6. Cook the coconut mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick, smooth and glossy, 5 to 7 minutes. Keep the heat low so the coconut milk does not split. Spoon it carefully over the pandan layer and smooth the tops.
7. Cool the cups at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until set and cold, about 1 hour. Serve with a spoon, digging down through all three layers.