Ingredients:

  • 6 pandan leaves, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 3/4 cups (660ml) water, divided (3/4 cup / 180ml for pandan extraction, 2 cups / 480ml for agar agar)
  • 1 tbsp agar agar powder (around 7g)
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp pandan extract (optional)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) water
  • 1 tbsp agar agar powder (around 7g)
  • 1 can (13.5 oz / 400ml) full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot

Instructions:

  1. Blend pandan leaves with 3/4 cup water until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing to extract all the juice.
  2. In separate saucepans, combine agar agar powder with water for the pandan layer and with water for the coconut layer. Let sit for 15 minutes to bloom.
  3. Add sugar, optional pandan extract, and salt to the pandan-agar mixture. Heat over high heat, whisking constantly, until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute.
  4. Add coconut milk, sugar, salt, and knotted pandan leaves to the coconut-agar mixture. Heat over high heat, whisking constantly, until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Remove pandan leaves.
  5. Pour 3/4 cup of the pandan mixture into the baking dish. Refrigerate for 6 minutes, or until set.
  6. Gently pour 3/4 cup of the coconut mixture over the set pandan layer (using the back of a spoon to prevent disruption). Let set until firm (tap the edge to test), usually around 6 minutes.
  7. Repeat steps 5 and 6, alternating between pandan and coconut layers, until both mixtures are used up (aim for 3 layers of each).
  8. Refrigerate the layered jelly for 15 minutes to fully set.
  9. Invert the dish onto a cutting board. Trim the edges and cut into 9 equal pieces.