PUTUGAL

Makes one 25-cm (10-in) square cake

This recipe for steamed grated tapioca with grated coconut and banana was given to me by Mrs Lena Fox. According to her, this dessert was a favourite among the Eurasians. It was typically served during funeral wakes, so those who came to pay their respect would have something to eat, and as a result, stay on to keep the family company for longer.

Grated skinned coconut 400 g (14⅓ oz)
Sugar 1 Tbsp + 100 g (3½ oz)
Water 250 ml (8 fl oz / 1 cup)
Grated tapioca 300 g (11 oz)
Blue food colouring ½ tsp
Green food colouring ½ tsp
Banana leaf 1
Ripe bananas (pisang rajah) 5

1.   Steam half the grated coconut. Leave to cool, then add 1 Tbsp sugar and mix well.
Keep refrigerated until needed.

2.   Mix remaining grated coconut with 125 ml (4 fl oz / ½ cup) water. Place into a
muslin cloth and squeeze out about 125 ml (4 fl oz / ½ cup) coconut milk.

3.   Add remaining water to grated tapioca and drain liquid into a bowl. Set aside grated
tapioca and let drained liquid settle. Drain water, leaving starch at the bottom of bowl.

4.   Mix grated tapioca, coconut milk, sugar and starch thoroughly. Divide into 2 portions.
Divide the first portion in half and mix one part with blue food colouring and the other
half with green food colouring. Leave other portion colourless.

5.   Line a 25-cm (10-in) square baking tin with the banana leaf. Scoop 4 heaped
tablespoons of blue coloured mixture into 4 corners of tray, then repeat to do the
same with the green coloured mixture followed by the colourless mixture. Allow the
colourless mixture to fill the gaps between the coloured mixtures.

6.   Peel and slice bananas diagonally into 1-cm (½-in) thick slices. Insert banana slices
randomly into mixture, then use the back of a spoon to smoothen out the surface.

7.   Place into a steamer and steam for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

8.   Cut cake into diamond shapes. Coat with steamed grated coconut before serving.

NOTE

•  Pisang rajah is traditionally used in this cake, but other varieties of banana such as
pisang kapok and pisang tanduk, which are usually used for frying, can also be used.

•  Grated tapioca is available from supermarkets.

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EURASIAN HERITAGE

Cooking