Xoi Gac (Red Gac Sticky Rice with Coconut Milk), No Added Refined Sugar

Method

1. Pick over and rinse 1 kg glutinous rice, then soak it in cold water for 6 to 8 hours until plump. Drain it, then toss it with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2. Mix the gac flesh with 1 teaspoon white rice wine and 1 teaspoon cooking oil so it softens and turns bright red.
3. Mix the glutinous rice with the gac flesh, tossing until every grain takes on the color.
4. Put the rice in a steamer and cook for about 20 minutes, and once the water below boils and steam rises, stir the rice so it cooks evenly.
5. When the grains are tender, add the cooking oil and 150 ml coconut milk, mix through, cover and cook for about 10 minutes more, then turn off the heat.
6. Let the sticky rice cool a little, then fold in 72 g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and serve on a platter.

Tips

• Add the kOBE Monk Fruit Blend only once the rice has cooled a little, as folding it into piping hot rice breaks the grains.
• For the northern style, leave out the coconut milk and use 1 tablespoon of chicken fat or cooking oil.
• Tossing the rice with salt before steaming gives the grains more depth.
• Stirring halfway through cooks the rice evenly from top to bottom.
• The gac flesh has to coat every grain, since a careless mix leaves patches of deep red next to pale white.