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Tub tim grob (red rubies)
Water chestnut in coconut milk
ทับทิมกรอบ · crunchy water-chestnut 'rubies' in coconut milk over crushed ice
On a sticky afternoon in Bangkok, from the food courts of Siam to roadside dessert carts, this is the bowl people order to cool down. Each 'ruby' is a cube of water chestnut wrapped in a chewy, glassy coat of tapioca, so you get crunch inside slipperiness, all floating in jasmine-scented syrup and salted coconut milk with shaved ice. Some shops add jackfruit strips. Chef's tip: shake off excess starch before boiling; a thick coating turns into a gluey lump instead of a thin, see-through skin.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the rubies
- 9 oz water chestnutstinned, drained, cut into 7 mm dice
- ¼ cup beetroot juiceor a few drops of red food colouring in water
- 3 ½ oz tapioca starch
For the syrup and coconut milk
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 2 pandan leavesknotted
- 1 ¼ cups coconut milk
- ¼ tsp salt
- 14 oz crushed ice
- 3 ½ oz jackfruit (optional)ripe, in strips
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Simmer 5 ½ oz sugar, ¾ cup water and 2 pandan leaves over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear, about 5 minutes. Cool.
5 minStep 2: Warm 1 ¼ cups coconut milk with ¼ tsp salt over a low heat just until steaming, stirring, then cool and chill.
4 minStep 3: Toss 9 oz water chestnuts in ¼ cup beetroot juice and leave for 10 minutes until deep pink. Drain well.
10 minStep 4: Tip the cubes into a bag or bowl with 3 ½ oz tapioca starch and shake until each one is coated. Tip into a sieve and shake off all the loose starch.
3 minStep 5: Drop the rubies into a large pan of boiling water, stir and cook until they float and the coating turns clear with a red heart, about 2–3 minutes after floating.
5 minStep 6: Lift them straight into iced water for 1 minute so they turn firm and glossy, then drain and toss in a spoonful of the syrup so they don't stick.
2 minStep 7: Divide the rubies and 3 ½ oz jackfruit if using between bowls, spoon over syrup and coconut milk, and top with 14 oz crushed ice. Serve straight away: the rubies harden if left in the fridge for hours.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tub tim grob (red rubies) take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
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Perfect for:Summer coolers