Koko alaisa

"Every Samoan grew up eating Koko Alaisa... for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, it's a whenever dish!" shares actor Michael Logo. Koko Samoa blocks are often used as an ingredient for hot chocolate in Samoa. Here, they are utilised in a similar fashion to unsweetened cocoa powder (use this in it's stead if you can't get your hands on any koko Samoa blocks) to flavour this sweet rice pudding.

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Series. Cooking. Rated PG.

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The Cook Up with Adam Liaw

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Ingredients

• 1 cup short grain rice
• 5 cups (1250 ml) water
• ½ cup coconut sugar (or raw sugar)
• 400 ml tin coconut milk
• 5 fresh lemon leaves, plus extra to serve
• ½ cup finely grated koko Samoa (or cocoa powder)
• Toasted coconut flakes, to serve

Instructions

1. Place the rice into a fine mesh sieve and rinse until the water runs clear. Transfer the drained rice to a medium saucepan and pour over the water. Cover and bring to a boil, then place over very low heat. Stir through the sugar, coconut milk and lemon leaves, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and thickened. Stir through the koko, mixing until well combined, then remove from the heat. Discard the lemon leaves.
3. Divide the koko alaisa between bowls and top with coconut flakes and extra lemon leaves as garnish.

Note

Koko Samoa is a block cocoa available from specialist retailers. Cocoa powder can be used instead.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.