Pumpkin is sweet in taste & warm in nature. Pumpkin helps to boost your immune system, lower blood sugar, nourish lungs, stops coughing, aids digestion, supports weight loss, promotes fertility, relieve anemia and constipation. It is rich in vitamins and minerals & high in fiber.
Glutinous rice ball aka Tang Yuan with added pumpkin puree, gives a nice vibrant orange hues. Normally we eat Tang Yuan in sweet ginger syrup soup, but this combination with coconut milk taste as great too.
For this dessert, if possible, get the fresh coconut milk / santan instead of the packet ones. It will make a difference.
I prefer to chill them in the fridge for 3-4 hours before serving for a refreshing sweet dessert.
Ingredients : (serves 4-5)
Pumpkin Glutinous Rice Ball
80 gram Pumpkin Flesh (skin & seed removed)
80 gram Glutinous Rice Flour
About 30-40ml Water (for mixing into pumpkin dough)
Water for cooking Glutinous Rice balls
Sago
30g Pearl Sago (Tapioca pearl)
Coconut Milk
220ml Fresh Santan / Coconut Milk
150ml Water
20g Sugar (Add more if you prefer sweeter)
Pinch of Salt
2 Pandan Leaves, knotted
Step by Step:
Pumpkin Glutinous Rice Ball
1. Cut pumpkin flesh in small cubes and steam for 15 mins until soften. Use a fork to mash the pumpkin into puree.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix together mashed pumpkin puree and glutinous rice flour, slowly adding water bit by bit and knead it into a soft non-sticky dough. (You can use a fork to mix this, not necessary to use your hand). If you accidentally added too much water, you can still save it by adding more glutinous rice flour.
3. Take a small lump and shape the pumpkin dough into small round balls by rolling with both your palms. Repeat the steps until dough is used up.
4. Boil a pot of water, then drop the glutinous rice balls into the boiling water. Once they started to float to the surface, let it cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Scoop out the balls and place in a bowl filled with ice water. Set aside. This is to make it remain chewy.
Sago
1. Do not wash the sago pearls.
2. In a small pot, bring water to a boil. Add in sago pearls. Cook for about 15 minutes until sago turns half translucent (there's still a tiny white dot in the center of the sago pearls) turns off heat, drain, and runs the sago under running tap water.
3. Boil another pot of water, then return the sago to the pot. (Do not use back the earlier pot of water, as it has become starchy). This time cook for another 10 minutes or until the sago become fully translucent. If by 10 mins and it haven't turn fully translucent, turn off heat & let it sit for another 10 mins in the hot water until it turns fully translucent.
4. Drain, and set aside. You can soak them in cold ice water to prevent them from sticking together while cooking the coconut milk.
Coconut Milk
In a small pan, bring coconut milk, sugar, salt, and pandan leaves to a boil. Stirring until sugar completely dissolved. Once it start boiling, reduce to low heat, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Turn off heat, discard the pandan leaves, and set aside.
To serve
1. Place some pumpkin glutinous rice balls and some sago in a serving bowl, then pour in coconut milk.
2. Serve it either warm of chilled. For chilled version, keep in the fridge for about 3-4 hrs before serving.
Happy Cooking..