Creamed Coconut Rice with Jasmine Tea Poached Pears

4 pears, peeled

3 cups strongly brewed Jasmine Tea (or Earl Grey, Green, Lapsang souchong)

½ cup white sugar

1 clove

1 cinnamon stick

1 Star anise

Creamed Coconut Rice

400 ml can coconut milk, shaken well

1 cup cream, as needed

⅓ cup sugar

1 split vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence)

¼ tsp ground cardamom

1 ½ cups cooked Jasmine Rice (you can also use any short grain)

To Serve

Toasted Flaked coconut, and pistachios to serve

To poach the pears, cut a sheet of baking paper into a circle just big enough to cover the entire surface of the liquid and cut a small hole in the centre. Place the 3 cups strained tea, sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick and clove into a large saucepan and bring to the boil

Peel and core the pears with a melon baller. Add the pears to the liquid, making sure they are fully covered, and cover with the baking paper. Gently simmer on a low heat until tender – about 15-20 minutes, depending on ripeness of pears. Test by piercing with a sharp thin knife

Remove pears from liquid and set aside in a large bowl, cover with a cup of the liquid to keep them moist. Remove cinnamon stick, clove and star anise from water and return 1 cup of the liquid to the pan, simmer on medium heat until reduced to a light syrup consistency, about 6-7 minutes

While pears are cooking, make the coconut rice

Whisk the coconut milk until smooth. Add to a large high sided pan with half cup of the cream, the sugar, vanilla and cardamom. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and add rice. Stir for 6-7 minutes until rice is creamy, stirring while it cooks. Add more cream or milk if it is too dry

To serve, spoon rice onto bowls and scatter with pistachios and toasted coconut. Place pear on top, and spoon over the syrup

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Creamed Coconut Rice with Jasmine Tea Poached Pears