Kueh salat ranks among our favourite nonya kueh, with its rich, silky layer of kaya atop an equally lush layer of coconut milk-infused glutinous rice. But it’s not a kueh that’s easy to master, nor is it one that we can afford to stuff our faces with now that we’re stuck at home during the Circuit Breaker, eating way too much and exercising far too little. So this kueh salat jelly is a lovely lighter alternative, and one that is far easier to make too.

Not unlike other traditional Southeast Asian jellies, this one comprises a layer of pandan-infused coconut milk jelly beneath a thicker layer of mildly sweetened coconut water jelly. The flavours are familiar to the classic kueh salat, yet more delicate, with a balanced richness and fragrance from the kaya layer and a cooling lightness from the coconut water.

... making the pandan juice, but this can be done up to three days in advance so you can split up the work of building this scrumptious dessert. Using agar agar powder makes this a particularly forgiving recipe. All it takes for the jelly to set is to ensure that the agar agar powder is fully dissolved in the hot liquid mixture. Just keep whisking while it boils and let it work its magic.

Agar agar sets quickly, so be sure to make the jelly in the exact order that the recipe specifies. If the bottom layer sets too firmly before you pour over the top layer, the layers may come apart when you unmould it. So when in doubt, ignore that niggling instinct to wait for one layer to cool before pouring the other one over. Even if the mixtures begin mingling together, the heavier density of the kaya mixture will ensure that the jellies eventually settle into two separate but attached layers.

Makes a 20-cm tray

INGREDIENTS:

For the pandan juice:

20 pandan leaves, cut into 2cm pieces

150ml water

For the kaya jelly layer:

400ml coconut milk

3 tbsp pandan juice

6 tbsp sugar

1.5 tsp agar agar powder

a tiny drop of pandan essence

a tiny drop of green colouring, optional

For the coconut water jelly layer:

900ml coconut water from young Thai coconuts (if your coconuts yield less than this amount, add plain water to make up the full amount)

½ cup sugar

3 tsp agar powder

1. To make pandan juice, place all the leaves and water in a blender. Blitz for about 1 min, then strain the pandan pulp through a muslin cloth or fine strainer. If using a strainer, use the back of a spoon to press down on the pandan pulp to extract every last drop of juice. Discard pulp and use the juice accordingly. You can make this up to 3 days ahead and store in the fridge, covered.

2. Before you start making the jelly, have a rectangular tray (about 15cm x 24cm x 6cm) or a 20cm round tray ready by the stove. Also make sure you have space in the fridge for the bowl to sit on a sturdy flat surface.

3. To make the coconut layer, place all its ingredients, except the pandan essence and green colouring, into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Keep stirring until the agar agar powder is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the pandan essence and colouring, if using.

4. Stir to mix and gently pour into the tray. Remove any bubbles with a teaspoon, or pop them with a skewer. Place the tray in the fridge while you work on the coconut water layer.

5. To make the coconut water layer, place all the ingredients in a clean saucepan and bring to a gentle boil, stirring often, over medium heat. Once it comes to the boil, lower the heat and stir till the agar agar powder is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.

6. Take the tray out of the fridge. The coconut layer should have set softly (the sides will set quicker than the middle). To check, use your finger to gently prod the centre of the tray. If it feels slightly set, then it is safe to start pouring the coconut water layer on top.

7. Don’t worry if some of the kaya layer starts to melt and mingle with the coconut water layer. Because the kaya layer is heavier, it will eventually settle to the bottom as it sets.

8. Remove any bubbles with a teaspoon, or pop them with a skewer. Let the jelly set in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving, cold.

Alvin Teo