INTRODUCTION

This is a rather common Cantonese dessert in Hong Kong though it was not as popular in Singapore and Malaysia. The picture and the description captured my attention and I have the urge to prepare one to try out myself.  Why I was doing some marketing in supermarket, I saw some coconut being sold, I bought one and decide to give it a try.

This dessert is believed to improve the body complexion. It is flavoured by milk and coconut milk. It is very soothing and especially nice when chilled for serving.

Preparation is not difficult but the only more difficult part is break the coconut shell Well everybody have a first time and I have not done so for donkey years. You may want to ask  the male members in the family to assist you to break the husk. Otherwise, you can just forget about the coconut and steamed using a bowl.

As to whether old coconut or young coconut shall be used, it is up to individual. While the flesh of the coconut can easily be scrap out, however, there is a lack of coconut fragrance. As contrast to old coconut, it flesh is hard but the milk pudding are much more aromatic. After cooking this dish, you can  also use the old coconut flesh to boil some nutritional soup. Since it is a traditional dessert, in my humble opinion, the original version of this dessert shall be old coconut since young coconut is common in recent years.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, coconut has the following properties:

• Provide nutrition – Coconut has coconut sugar fats, proteins, Vitamin B, C and other minerals and hence enhance immunity system
• Have diuretic properties to reduce swelling
• Properties of killing tapeworms and other intestinal parasites
• Improve body completion and moisture retention

椰子：【食疗作用】

• 补充营养  椰子含有糖类、脂肪、蛋白质、维生素B族、维生素C及微量元素钾、镁等，能够有效地补充人体的营养成分，提高机体的抗病能力。
• 利尿消肿  椰汁含有丰富的钾、镁等矿物质，其成分与细胞内液相似，可纠正脱水和电解质紊乱，达到利尿消肿之效。
• 杀虫消疳  椰肉及椰汁均有杀灭肠道寄生虫的作用，饮其汁或食其肉均可驱除姜片虫和绦虫，用之于临床，不仅疗效可靠，且无毒副作用，是理想的杀虫消疳食品。
• 驻颜美容  椰汁含糖类、脂肪、蛋白质、生长激素、维生素和大量的人体必需的微量元素，经常饮用，能益人气力，补充细胞内液，扩充血容量，滋润皮肤，具有驻颜美容作用。” （Source: http://www.21nx.com/jkw/ywsc/zcy1/zcy/9-3-18222.htm)

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, milk has the following properties

• Thirst quencher
• Lubricate intestinal systems and aids in improving constipation
• Moisture retention for skin
• Improve energy

“中医学认为，牛奶味甘性微寒，具有生津止渴、滋润肠道、清热通便、补虚健脾等功效。把牛奶进行适当的加工，或和其他食物一起进行调配，可制成各种“食疗牛奶” (Source: http://www.cn939.com/zysl/yaoshitongyuan/77554.html)

WHAT IS REQUIRED

Servings: About 2 Adults

• One coconut
• 2 egg whites
• 15 grams of castor sugar
• 200 ml or grams of full cream milk

STEPS OF PREPARATION

• Use a big knife to cut open the coconut shell. Drain the coconut water and you can use this as a drink. Put the coconut on top of bowl. You may want to ask the male member to assist in the opening. Young coconut are much easier to open.

• Put sugar and full cream milk in a pot, heat under medium heat until hot. Off the heat before it starts to boil.

• Beat the egg white until slightly frothy.

• Pour the warm milk into the egg white. Whisk until well combined. Sift the milk into the coconut . Use a clingy wrap to wrap the opening. Steam under high heat for 30-45 minutes. The timing of the steaming will very much depend on the thickness of the coconut flesh and the size of the coconut . The bigger it is the longer it will take. Once the pudding has set (meaning when you push the coconut, there is no wavy pattern), off the heat and let it sit inside the steamer for another 15 minutes before transferring out for cooling. Serving can either be warm or chilled.

CONCLUSON

This is the traditional Chinese dessert series, I hope to introduce more of such desserts to our readers. Do not doubt the combination as I will not issue creative recipes for the time being. It has been consumed for many many years for the Cantonese. It is not here does not it is not in existence. Remember that if you do not have the confidence to break a coconut, you can always steam the milk puddings in a bowl.

Hope you like the post today. Cheers and have a nice day.

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