Streamed Rice Hearts (dairy and gluten free)

When I was young, I luv eating a Thai dessert called bua-loy song-krueng. It's a sweet dessert made with cooked glutinous rice flour dough that is served in a sweet coconut sauce. The original dessert has a lot of food coloring to make it beautiful. Since I haven't make anything with artificial food coloring for years, I tested this dessert using beet juice.

From the original recipe, the little rice dough balls are cooked in a boiling water. Since I've worked with rice flour dough before, I knew that steaming rice flour dough could be done. I wanted to make a Valentine's day dessert, so I steamed a few heart shape rice dough. They turned out really good. A perfect dairy free and gluten free Valentine's day dessert.

My steamed rice hearts recipe is super easy and fast to make. Here's the catch. As you work on the dough, you decide how sweet or how red you want your steamed rice hearts to be. If you notice in all of the pictures I posted here, each rice heart or rice ball has different shade of red. If you don't want to use beet juice, that's fine too. The dough would just be white. The beet juice just adds that vibrant red color. Remember, my kids eat with their eyes first.

Brek said the steamed rice hearts tasted like gummy snacks. In another word, he luvs them... and asked me to make some more. I "heart" my kids.

Steamed Rice Heart
inspired by Health & Easy Thai Cooking's Bua-Loy Song-Krueng
makes about 15, depending on the size

1/3 cup (1.5 oz.) rice flour
3-4 Tablespoons palm sugar
2-3 Tablespoons coconut milk
3-5 teaspoons beet juice
Tapioca flour for dusting

1. Heat the water in a bottom pot that includes a top-tier steamer. NOTE: I use the stainless steel 2-tier steamer. Any steamer would work as well.
2. While the water is coming to a boil, cut a parchment paper with little holes, like a paper snowflake, to fit the top of the double boiler. Set aside.
3. Place the rice flour and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
4. Pour the coconut juice into the flour mixture.
5. Mix then knead the dough.
6. Add beet juice until the color red is in your liking. NOTE: If the dough is too wet, add extra rice flour. If the dough is too dry, add coconut milk. Remember to add either the flour or milk a little bit at a time. Add more beet juice to the dough until you achieve the desired color red.
7. Dust the nonstick mat with tapioca flour.
8. Pat the dough until it is bout 1/4 inch thick. NOTE: If the dough is thicker than 1/4 inch, be sure to add extra steaming time.
9. Dust the top of the dough with tapioca flour.
10. Using a heart cookie cutter, cut the dough and place the heart shape dough in a top-tier pot lined with parchment paper.
11. Steam for 12 minutes.
12. Take the steamed rice hearts out of the double boiler and place them on a wiring rack to prevent them from getting soaky. Serve warm or at a room temperature with sweet coconut sauce.

Sweet Coconut Sauce
makes 1/4 cup

1/4 cup (2 oz.) coconut milk
2-3 Tablespoons palm sugar

1. Place coconut milk and sugar in the sauce pan.
2. Heat the milk over a medium-low heat until the sugar melted, about 2 minutes.
3. Serve warm or at a room temperature with steamed rice hearts.

STORING: The steamed rice hearts are best eating the day that are made but can be kept in an air tight container at a room temperature for up to 1 day. The sweet coconut sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm both in a microwave for about 10 seconds before serving.

TIP: If you want to make the original bua-loy song-krueng, make little dough balls and coat them with tapioca starch to prevent the dough from sticking together. Then add them in a boiling water. Once the little rice balls float to the top, they are done. Scoop them out and place them in a cold water to prevent them for sticky together. Place the cooked rice balls in a serving bowl with diced and cooked Japanese potatoes, warm sweet coconut sauce. For a cold dessert, add shaved ice. 

Allergy Info: These steamed rice hearts are free from dairy, egg, corn, legume (soy), wheat, nuts (not coconut or palm), and fish. If you are sensitive to nuts, such as coconut or palm, substitute palm sugar with granulated or light brown sugar. For the dough, substitute coconut milk with nut-free milk or water. I can't think of a replacement for coconut milk in the sweet coconut sauce. If you can have dairy, try substitute a coconut milk with a heavy cream.