Look choop (mung bean fruit sculptures glazed in agar)

Boil the washed, peeled mung beans in a modest amount of water, adding a little more only if they dry out before cooking through; optionally add a knotted, bruised pandan leaf.

After about 20 minutes, when the beans are cooked and mushy, remove the pandan leaf.

Add sugar, a little salt and a modest amount of coconut milk; stir until dissolved.

Blend until completely smooth.

Transfer to a wide pan and cook on medium to medium low, stirring constantly and scraping the sides, until dough-dry, 20 to 30 minutes; do not let it brown.

Keep going until the dough no longer sticks to the spatula and starts to crack around the edges when pressed; it must be drier than you think or it slides down the toothpick.

Turn off the heat and cool in a bowl, kept wrapped.

Portion into pieces of about seven to eight grams and form rough balls, with spotlessly clean hands from here on.

Shape into fruits (orange, mango, chili, mangosteen, pumpkin) and stand each on a skewer in styrofoam or a halved cucumber.

Paint with diluted food coloring, light colors first; dab off excess on a paper towel. Let dry.

Sprinkle agar agar powder into water and bring to a full boil, stirring so it does not settle, until the solution is clear.

Let the agar cool slightly, then dip each piece once and lift it straight away so excess drips off; repeat three to five coats, letting each set.

Remove from the skewers and trim the dipping tail with tiny scissors or a paring knife; that end becomes the bottom.

Decorate with small leaves, removed before eating.