Ingredients
For base
150g kamut couscous, or any other variation
350 ml water (or less) - change as appropriate
75g ground almonds
4 tbsp rice/barley malt syrup
For filling:
1/2 punnet fresh raspberries
150g organic frozen raspberries (Natural Cool brand are the ones I often use)
300ml apple juice
3 tsp agar agar flakes or 1 1/2 if it's powdered
1-2 tsp kuzu root starch thickener
A few flakes or tiny pinch of salt
Preparing yin dishes, like fruit kanten, can be calming in itself. You don't use an oven as you would if you were baking a dessert, so you don't get overheated and it's perfect for summer. Method is revised as it is simpler with less complicated grammar. Any variation on wheat couscous is fine: rice, barley, spelt, or kamut. They are not always easy to find, but I think whole wheat couscous would be too heavy.
Method
Simmer apple juice in saucepan and add tiny pinch of salt.
Dissolve agar agar in the apple juice, stirring constantly. Let simmer on low heat for 7 or 8 minutes.
Dissolve kuzu in small cup of cold water and add to the pan and stir rigorously.
Then stir in the frozen berries and allow to cook on until berries are thawed.
Set aside to cool, but not completely, otherwise it will start to solidify.
In a small skillet toast the ground almonds, stirring constantly, until you can smell a strong fragrant toasted smell, just before they go golden. Remove from heat but still stir, as pan will hold a lot of heat and it will possibly burn the bottom layer.
Heat water for couscous in a pan and bring to a boil. Add kamut couscous. Put on a mat and simmer on low heat with a lid until all the liquid is absorbed.
Add syrup to the couscous, and cook for 1 minute longer. Fluff with a fork and whisk in almonds. Allow to stand for a little while.
Pack down couscous into a flan dish firmly, leaving a rim, so as to make an enclosure for the filling. Shape rim with fingertips to create fluted pastry effect.
Pour in the raspberry filling, add fresh raspberries to garnish and chill for at least 40 minutes or in a fridge if you prefer it to be ready sooner.
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