Pumpkin Tang Yuan With Sago Pearls In Coconut Milk

With the leftover pumpkin, the second recipe which I am going to cook is a dessert.  Tang Yuan have always been my favorite dessert, which I don't only cook once a year during the Winter Solstice or Dongzhi Festival, instead, I enjoys cooking it all year round.  

I was fascinated by an online recipe from "Cook With Mi" just before I get to sleep last night and decided to have this recipe as the first-to-cook dish for today. 

Ingredients: (Serves 4)
(A) Tang Yuan
100g fresh pumpkin flesh (skin, seed removed and cut into cubes)
100g glutinous rice flour (sifted)
Water

(B) Sago
75g sago pearls
Water

(C) Coconut Milk
Half grated coconut
Water 
Granulated sugar (to taste)
Pinch of salt
3 pandan leaves (knotted) 

Methods:

1. Steam pumpkin until soft and mashed.
2. In a mixing bowl add glutinous rice flour, mashed pumpkin and slowly add water bit by bit and knead using hand until a soft non-sticky dough is formed.  If the dough is too soft add a bit more glutinous rice flour until you get the right consistency.
3. Take a small portion of the dough and roll it into balls (sizes according to your own preference) and place them on a flat plate.  Repeat until all the dough is finished.
4. To cook the tang yuan balls, boil water in a pot and once the water is boiling drop the balls into the water and let it boil for about 1 to 2 minutes.  Once the balls floats to the surface it is cooked.  Using a slotted spatula dish out the tang yuan balls and place them into a bowl filled with ice water.  This is to let the tang yuan to remain chewy.  Set aside.
5. To prepare the sago pearls, boil a pot 3/4 filled with water, when boiling add in the sago pearls and continue to cook using medium heat, stirring often until translucent. Dish out, drain the sago pearls and put them into a bowl of cold water.  Set aside.
6. To prepare the coconut milk, add a bowl of water into the grated coconut, mix it well and squeeze out the coconut milk (I use my hand) and let it run through a sift. I repeat this step for three times to get the most milk out of the grated coconut.
7. Pour the coconut milk into a pot, add more water if necessary, put in the knotted pandan leaves, sugar, pinch of salt and bring to a boil using medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Once it starts boiling turn heat to low and continue to simmer for another minute.  Drain the tang yuan and sago pearls using a sift and add them into the coconut milk. Continue to simmer for another minute, stir to mix, then off the heat and remove pot from the stove and let it sit on the kitchen top with lid half open to let it cool.
8. The dessert is ready to be served either warm, at room temperature or have it cold by putting them into the fridge for 2 to 3 hours.

This dessert is so soothing especially on this hot weather, and having it cold from the fridge is something which I yearn for everyday if possible ~ smile ~  I prefer to cook more soup out of it and use more sago pearls as its so refreshing!  It's "simple yet yummylicious!"

I adapt this recipe from "Cook With Mi" with some amendments to suit my own cooking style.