Description
Steaming rice in coconut milk and pandan leaves gelatinizes starch and emulsifies fat to produce a fluffy, aromatic Malay rice dish.
Technical
During steaming at ~100 °C, rice starch granules absorb water and swell, undergoing gelatinization that transforms crystalline starch into a viscous, amorphous matrix. Coconut milk fat droplets are dispersed within this matrix, forming an emulsion that coats the grains and prevents separation. Volatile terpenoids from pandan leaves, such as eugenol and myrcene, vaporize and infuse the steam, imparting characteristic fragrance.
Science
Primary Reaction
Starch gelatinization and fat emulsion formation
Sensory Profile
Aroma ()
coconutpandanfragrantnuttycreamy
Origin & History
Civilization
Malay
Era