Vietnamese pomelo rind pudding

Instructions

1. Dice the pomelo rind into 1 cm cubes. Place in a large bowl, cover with water and stir through 2 tablespoons of salt. Leave to soak for 1 hour, then gently squeeze about half the water from the rind cubes, ensuring they retain their shape. Rinse with fresh water. Repeat this process, using fresh water and 2 tablespoons of salt each time, five times.
2. Place the rind cubes in a dry bowl, then toss through the sugar and chill in the fridge for 1 hour to marinate and firm.
3. Sprinkle the tapioca flour over the rind cubes and toss to evenly coat. Prepare a bowl of iced water.
4. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the rind cubes and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until they are translucent and float to the surface. Drain and immediately plunge the rind into the iced water to cool. Drain on paper towel.
5. Meanwhile, to make the chè, place the bashed pandan leaves in a saucepan, cover with 1 litre of water and bring to the boil. Add the rock sugar and stir to dissolve, then add the mung beans and cook at a medium boil, skimming off any surface foam, for 40 minutes or until tender.
6. Combine the tapioca flour and 2½ tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl to make a slurry, then add it to the pan and stir for 3–4 minutes, until the chè has thickened. Add the pomelo rind cubes and cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to the boil. Remove and discard the pandan leaves, then set aside to cool.
7. To make the nước cốt, place the coconut milk and salt in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat until hot.
8. Combine the tapioca flour and 100 ml of cold water in a small bowl to make another slurry. Stir the slurry through the coconut milk for 2 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve, then add the bashed pandan leaves to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until it’s the consistency of thickened cream. If it’s not thick enough, continue to cook, stirring, for another minute or two until you reach the desired consistency. Remove the pandan leaves, then transfer the sauce to a heatproof bowl and set aside in the fridge until cold.
9. Divide the chè and pomelo rind among the bowls. Drizzle with the thickened coconut milk sauce, sprinkle with a few crushed salted peanuts or toasted sesame seeds and served.

• Cut the base off the pomelo. Use a sharp knife to score from the stem to the base eight to ten times around the pomelo. Take care not to break the segment walls and cut the flesh. Starting at the base, peel the skin and rind,
  leaving behind the pith and segments.
• Stick your two thumbs into the base cavity of the pomelo and break it into two halves.
• Using a knife that’s longer than the entire segment, and working with one segment at a time, slice through the core thread to detach the segment wall, including the two ends, then use your hand to peel back and remove the segment wall.
• Run the knife the entire length of the segment to detach the pulp sacs, or vesicles, from the next segment wall, then use the palm of your hand and thumb to separate the segment pulp from the skin wall.
• Still holding the segment firmly, use your other hand to hold the pith and roll the segment away from the pith entirely.
• Discard the leftover skin and pith and repeat with the remaining segments.
• Tip: If too much rind is still attached to the pomelo, the base pith will be very difficult to remove. Use a paring knife to gently scrape away some of the rind.