Xoi La Dua - Vietnamese Coconut Pandan Sticky Rice

Ingredients

2 Cups Glutinous Rice (soaked for 5 hrs or overnight)
1 1/2 Cups Coconut cream powder
2 Tbsp Pandan extract
2 Tsp salt
3 Pandan leaves (fresh or frozen)
1 Cup shredded coconut
1 Cup coconut milk
Pinch of salt
1/2 Cup sugar (more or less depending on taste)
Green food coloring - optional
Roasted sesame seeds or roasted peanuts - optional

Things you'll need:

Steamer
Cheesecloth

Method

1 - Soak rice with 2 tsp of salt for 5 hours or overnight, to lessen cooking time.
2 - In a small pot bring coconut milk, sugar, and pinch of salt to a simmer. Remove from heat, set aside.
3 - Line steamer pan with two layer of cheesecloth. This is to prevent rice from slipping through the steam pan. Preheat the steamer by bringing the water to a boiled.
4 - Drain rice then mix in 1 1/2 cup of coconut cream powder, and 2 tbsp of pandan extract, mix well to incorporate ingredients.
6 - Add 1 to 2 drops of green food coloring to give rice extra color if desire. - optional.
7 - Cut pandan leaves into third, place leaves in steamer then add rice.
Use a spoon to spread the rice evenly on the pan, leaving a small empty space in the middle of the pan allowing steam to rise.
8 - Steam until rice is soft and sticky.
9 - Drizzle sticky rice with coconut milk. Remove from heat.
10 - Remove and discard pandan leaves.
Serve sticky rice with shredded coconut and crushed roasted peanut or sesame seeds.