Dragon Fruit Agar-Agar

Agar-Agar is a popular ingredient used for making many types of desserts all over Asia.  This cooling desserts is most like by everyone, either young or old.  Today, I am combining it with Red Dragon Fruit to make this 2-layer yummylicious cooling dessert.

Ingredients:
(a) Coconut milk pandan layer:

• 500 ml. freshly squeezed coconut milk
• 2 tsp. pandan paste
• 4 g. (1 1/2 tsp.) agar-agar powder (rose brand)
• 60 g. granulated sugar

(b) Dragon Fruit layer:

• 750 ml. water
• 6 g. agar-agar powder (2 1/4 tsp)
• 1 red dragon fruit (peeled and cut into small pieces)
• 90 g. granulated sugar

Methods:

(a) Prepare the coconut pandan layer:

1. Put all ingredients for coconut milk pandan layer in a saucepan.  Stir with a whisk to dissolve the agar-agar powder and sugar.  Bring to a gentle boil (do not hard boil or the coconut milk will break), and then lower the heat to let it simmer.  Keep stirring for about 2 - 3 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and gently pour the coconut milk mixture over a sieve into a 8 x 8 inch square pan or any mould you want to use.  Pop any bubbles you see with a toothpick and let it set at room temperature until it is firm enough to hold the next layer.

(b) Prepare the dragon fruit layer:

1. When the coconut milk layer has set, arrange the cubed dragon fruit pieces on top and put it in the refrigerator.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the dragon fruit layer in a saucepan.  Stir to mix the agar-agar powder and sugar.  Bring to a boil and lower the heat to let it simmer and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes.  Make sure you no longer see the agar-agar powder.
3. Remove from heat and gently pour this on top of the coconut pandan layer with dragon fruit pieces on top over a sieve.  Let it cool down and set at room temperature a little bit and then gently transfer this to the refrigerator and let it chill until it sets, at least 3 hours.

This recipe is adapted from 'What To Cook Today' by Marvellina.