Thai Red Rubies Dessert
Along with Thai Mango and Sticky Rice, this dessert has to be one of my favourite Thai desserts. The chewy texture of of the red rubies resemble tapioca pearls in bubble tea, except that it has a surprising crunchy centre made with water-chestnuts. The classic version is red, but you can dye the rubies in any colour you like - I have seen them in blue and green as well, which makes your dessert bowl a delight to look at.
I like my Red Rubies as close to the real thing as possible - I’m old fashioned that way (haha!)
This is a great dessert to make for a dinner party, or when guests come around. You can prepare the sweetened coconut milk the day before and keep it chilled in a jug, until you are ready to serve. The red rubies you can make and cook ahead a few hours ahead of time, and keep them submerged in a bowl of room temperature water.
Thai Red Rubies Dessert
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tbsp water
8 - 10 drops of red food colouring
300g water chestnuts, peeled
3/4 cup tapioca flour
4 - 5 pcs of jackfruit, seed discarded and sliced thinly
Ingredients for sweetened coconut milk
1 packet (330ml) Ayam Brand™ Premium Coconut Milk
200ml water
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 pandan leaf, tied into a knot
Method
Make sweetened coconut milk: In another saucepan, combine the coconut milk, water, sugar and pandan leaf. Heat gently and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool. Discard pandan leaf and leave in the refrigerator to chill.
Make red rubies: Combine 2 tbsp of water with red food colouring in a bowl and mix well.
Cut the water chestnuts into small bite-sized cubes. Add the water chestnut cubes to the bowl with the red food colouring mixture and toss to coat evenly. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Stir in half the tapioca flour and mix until the chestnuts are coated, Remove from the bowl and shake off the excess flour. If you want larger, chewier rubies, spray the coated rubies with a bit more water and toss in tapioca flour again.
Boil red rubies: Fill a saucepan with water and bring to boil. Add the water chestnut cubes into the pot and boil for about 1 min until they turn bright red. Drain and set aside.
To serve: Divide the red rubies and jackfruit slices into small dessert bowls. Pour over the chilled sweetened coconut milk and serve.