Buco Pandan Salad

I am in love with the smell of pandan, I remember having this plant in our garden and then having to do the errand of getting some for my mom before she cooks the rice. Unfortunately, this tropical plant is only available frozen in the US and so, after a recent trip to the newly opened Seafood City in Seattle, I re-stocked my frozen pandan leaves, grabbed a back of tapioca and of course some buco (shredded young coconut) and decided to make one of my favorite Filipino desserts, buco pandan salad.

Here's what you need:
- 2 packs of shredded young coconut/buco (I use Pamana brand)
- 1 bottle Nata de Coco
- 1 can condensed milk
- 1 cup Whipping Cream or 1 medium can of Nestle All Purpose Cream

SET A Saucepan
- 1 cup tapioca pearls cooked in
- 3 cups boiling water with
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 small drops of Green food coloring
- 3 small drops of Pandan extract
- 1 Pandan leaf

SET B Saucepan
- 3 small envelopes of Knoxx Gelatine dissolved in
- 2 cups of buco juice and 1 cup of water with
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 5 small drops of Pandan extract
- 1 pandan leaf
- 5 small drops of Green food coloring

How it's done:
Defrost shredded young coconut and strain for buco juice. (This juice can be used to dissolve Knoxx gelatin). Prepare Set A Saucepan and place over medium heat, let water boil and then add on all ingredients, simmer for an hour and then wash tapioca over running cold water. Set aside.

Prepare Set B Saucepan over medium heat and stir 'til all ingredients are dissolved. Strain green gelatin mixture and pour on any container. Place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or until gelatin has solidified.

Get a deep bowl and then add strained young coconut, tapioca and nata de coco. Pour condensed milk and whipping cream and mix with spatula.

Carefully slice green gelatin into medium cubes and then add to young coconut mixture. Gently mix with spatula. Done! Place salad in freezer for at least an hour before serving.

Kam's Tips:
- Some filipino stores sell cooked tapioca or sago, you can use that instead of preparing your own tapioca (Preparing tapioca can be time-consuming, buying sago can be a GREAT help)
- Nata de Coco can be substituted with kaong (Preserved sweets made from sugar palm fruits). Just make sure you buy the green ones.
- Too sweet for you? Decrease the amount of condensed milk for just a hint of sweetness.