Upside-down tako (two-layer coconut and pandan pudding cups)

Coconut layer: in a pot, stir rice flour into water until fully dissolved with no lumps; add coconut milk, sugar and a good amount of salt.

Cook, stirring constantly so the flour does not settle; high heat at first, then medium once it steams so it thickens slowly and evenly.

Done when it bubbles on pausing and no longer thickens for a solid 15 seconds; when in doubt stir another minute.

Spoon right away into the containers before it cools and stiffens; let it cool and firm while the top layer is made.

Top layer: blend pandan leaf with water and strain; pour the juice into a pot and add a little green food coloring if wanted.

Stir in mung bean starch and a little tapioca starch until dissolved; add sugar.

Cook the same way, stirring constantly, until translucent and unchanged for a solid 15 seconds, no more than about five minutes.

Stir in the canned young coconut for about a minute to heat through.

Spoon the hot mixture over the coconut layer, the two layers roughly equal.

Variation: red layer coloured with beets, with water chestnuts and jasmine extract.

Variation: yellow layer with canned pineapple, coconut water as the liquid and a little gold dust.

Serve at room temperature to keep the top clear; refrigerating turns mung bean starch cloudy without changing the taste.