pandan tapioca with coconut cream

Delicious as it was, I didn't really intend to make this recipe.

You see, I set out to make something green for this month's #LetsLunch and happened upon the green tapioca while at the local Asian supermarket. I inspected the bag looking for an indication of why the tapioca was green. No clues.  I thought it might be pandan leaf... or maybe just food coloring.  Since I wasn't sure,  I picked up some pandan leaf extract before I left.

My original intention was to make a light green tapioca pudding. You know... something with full-fat milk, egg yolks, and perhaps a bit of the pandan extract. I was rather surprised that I couldn't find a lot of non-fast-cooking tapioca recipes that used coconut milk. Then I came across one that sounded simple and delicious. The recipe described cooking the tapioca until it was mostly translucent and topping it with simple syrup and coconut cream. This wasn't totally unfamiliar territory. On our trip to Vietnam we frequently had the dessert called che which typically included tapioca, coconut, mung beans, and azuki beans. The resulting dessert was very similar just minus the beans. Cool and creamy with a hint of nutiness from the pandan leaf.

Perfect for a nice warm day like today and perfect for our letslunch theme. Enjoy!

This post is part of the monthly, Twitter-based #LetsLunch series -- every month, participating food bloggers share recipes and stories centering around that month's theme. This month's theme is on green food! Want more? Be sure to check out the posts from the other LetsLunchers!

• How to Brew a Better Pot of Tea from Grace at HapaMama
• Green Chorizo from Felicia at Burnt-Out Baker
• Kale Chips from Spice Box Travels
• Natanya’s Guacamole from Lisa at Monday Morning Cooking Club
• Notos Pesto from Ellise at Cowgirl Chef
• Matcha Green Tea Cupcakes from Cathy at ShowFood Chef
• Green Bean and Vidalia Spring Onion Soup from Lucy at A Cook and Her Books
• Asparagus with Poached Egg from Karen at Geofooding