Filipino Rice Squares

This recipe is from James McNair's Rice Cookbook. I made one adjustment: the recipe called for using two kinds of rice, but in my experience they did not cook at the same rate so, I switched to using sticky rice only.

Ingredients

• 3 cups white glutinous rice, aka sticky rice
• hot water
• 6 cups coconut milk (4 cans, rounded up)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup ground unsalted roasted peanuts
• 3 eggs lightly beaten

Wash and drain the rice. Add enough hot water to cover, let stand for 10 minutes. Drain.

Do not shake the cans of coconut milk. Spoon off 2 cups worth thick cream from top and set aside. If using fresh coconut milk it has to be chilled first till thick cream rises to top.

In large pot combine rice, 4 cups of coconut milk, granulated sugar, salt. Bring to boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer till rice is tender, but not mushy, ca 30 minutes.

While rice is cooking, in a saucepan combine the reserved thick coconut cream, brown sugar, ground peanuts and vanilla. Cook over medium heat till sugar dissolves and mixture thickens, ca 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Slowly mix several tablespoon of the hot syrup into the beaten eggs, then gradually and constantly whisking mix the egg mixture into the syrup. This has to be done carefully, if the egg is too cold or added too fast you'll get peanut eggdrop soup.

Preheat oven to 425º F.

Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. When rice is done transfer it into the pan. With your fingers press down the top, making it flat and even. Pour the coconut/peanut syrup on top. Put in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

*Alton Brown would recommend using actual grinders for grinding peanut, since most food processors will turn it into peanut butter. However my small Black & Decker "Super Chopper" does excellent job pulverizing nuts without mushiness.