RECIPE | Pandan Coconut Mochi

I made Pandan Coconut Mochi for Chinese New Year a couple weeks ago. For those of you unfamiliar with pandan and mochi, this probably looks like an unappetizing squishy green blob...but I assure you that this is absolutely amaazing!

Pandan comes from extracting the leaves of the Pandan plant and its flavor is somewhat like a mixture of vanilla and coconut. Mochi is typically an Asian sweet made with glutinous rice flour with a springy, chewy texture.

Traditionally coconut mochi lies more along the Vietnamese spectrum of sweets and usually doesn't include the pandan. Feel free to omit it if you wish though I personally think the pandan brings out the flavor of the coconut as well :)

Ingredients

(Makes enough to fill two 9" cake pans or one large 9" x 13" pan; serves 18-20!)

[ingredients pic]

(1) 1.5 cups coconut milk (Asian supermarket)
(2) 1.5 cups coconut water (Asian supermarket)
(3) 1 box Mochiko or other brand of glutinous rice flour (Asian supermarket)
(4) 1 tsp pandan extract (Asian supermarket) OR 1 tsp vanilla extract (for regular coconut mochi or if you wish to omit pandan)
(5) 3 eggs
(6) 1 stick butter, melted
(7) 1/2 cup sugar
(8) Shredded coconut for sprinkling

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. In a bowl combine the Mochiko, sugar, and eggs.

2. Add in your coconut milk and coconut water. Mix well until smooth and lump-free.

3. Then add in your pandan or vanilla extract along with your melted butter. Mix until butter and extract are fully incorporated.

4. Pour out your batter into the pan(s). Generously sprinkle shredded coconut on top.

5. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour (depending on your oven) until the coconut turns golden brown. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick. If done, mochi will stick to the toothpick but will not be liquidy.

6. Let cool and cut into squares or wedges (depending on your pan).

My parents coerced me into adding these dried red dates "for luck"

Fair warning, these are quite filling so one or two wedges/squares are more than sufficient. People are always fighting over the edges because they get wonderfully crispy!