Pastel Rainbow Kuih Lapis

Pour 500g hot water into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 155g caster sugar and 2 pieces knotted pandan leaves, stirring gently with a spatula. Cook until the sugar dissolves completely and syrup comes to a boil. Remove from heat, take out pandan leaves, and let cool completely to room temperature.

In a large glass bowl, combine 170g rice flour, 60g tapioca flour, and 1g salt. Whisk thoroughly with a hand whisk, then create a well in the center.

Stir 195g coconut milk into the cooled pandan syrup until combined. Gradually pour the syrup mixture into the flour bowl while whisking at medium speed from the center outwards until smooth and lump-free. Strain the batter 3 times through a fine mesh strainer to completely eliminate lumps and air bubbles, finishing in a measuring cup (total volume abt 900ml).

Prepare 9 small bowls and divide the batter evenly among them (100ml or ~106g per bowl). Add tiny drops of food coloring into each bowl to create a pastel rainbow sequence (1.Red-Orange, 2.Red, 3.Pink, 4.Orange, 5.Yellow, 6.Green, 7.Blue, 8.Purple, 9.Purple-Blue), stirring thoroughly with small spoons.

Grease the inside of a rectangular glass mould (18.5cm x 13.5cm x 6cm) thoroughly with cooking oil using a paper towel. Fill the steamer pot with ample water (without touching the steam rack) and place the greased mould inside. Wrap the steamer lid securely with a clean cloth and tie it tightly with a rubber band around the top handle. Cover and heat on high until water boils vigorously, then turn heat down to medium-high.

Stir batter briefly before pouring. Pour bowl 9 (Purple-Blue) into the mould, cover and steam on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Test with the back of a spoon to ensure surface is set with no liquid batter, then stir and pour bowl 8 (Purple) and steam covered for 5 minutes. Repeat for bowl 7 (Blue) and bowl 6 (Green), steaming each layer covered for 5 minutes until firm.

After layer 4 (Green) is steamed, check the water level in the steamer base. Carefully add some hot boiling water to ensure the steamer keeps boiling vigorously. Continue by stirring and pouring bowl 5 (Yellow), bowl 4 (Orange), bowl 3 (Pink), and bowl 2 (Red) in order, steaming each layer covered on medium-high heat for 5 minutes until firmly set.

Refill hot water again. Stir and pour bowl 1 (Red-Orange) over layer 8, then gently scoop away all small bubbles on the surface with a spoon. Cover and steam on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue steaming uncovered for another 5 minutes to dry the top surface before removing from heat.

Place the glass mould on a cooling rack and let cool completely at room temperature for several hours. Wrap a chef knife tightly with plastic cling wrap to prevent sticking. Run a flexible scraper around the inside edges of the mould to loosen the cake, then invert onto a silicone mat or baking paper to release it. Cut into 4 long strips (about 3cm wide). Make an angled cut to form an equilateral triangle guide, then slice parallel along the same angle into beautiful diamond-shaped pieces to serve.