MANILA (PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Filipino cookbook author and restaurateur Amy Besa of Purple Yam restaurant in New York and her team, which comprises Raphael Angelo Cristobal and Agnes Elizabeth Lim, presents a popular dessert from Laos - Sticky Black Rice Porridge with Longan.

The sticky rice is mixed with longan fruit cooked in coconut milk, salt and sugar. Besa's version makes use of Ominio heirloom rice from Mountain Province.

"The longan turns black when blended with the black rice," Besa said. "The main characteristic of this rice dessert is the push-pull flavors of salt and sugar blending with fresh coconut milk for sweet harmony."

Coconut milk is poured right before serving the dessert rice.

Sticky Black Rice Porridge with Longan

Ingredients

2 cups black rice (glutinous)
2 cups water
2 Tbs sugar
Pinch of salt
3 pandan leaves
½ cup coconut cream
½ cup coconut milk
8 peeled and seeded longans

Method

Soak rice in pot for 30 minutes. Boil rice with pandan leaves until cooked. Stir in coconut milk, salt, sugar and longan. Keep stirring until everything gets well incorporated at low heat. Make sure longan gets the color of the rice. Pour coconut cream before serving.