• 1/3 cup sweet rice flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp + 2 tsp almond powder
  • 1/4 cup sliced pitted red dates
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 3 tbsp cold milk, if needed
  • 3 cup cold milk

Sweet almond pudding with dates is a refreshingly delicious dessert that is ideal after any Chinese meal. To make it, first take a small bowl and mix the rice flour and almond powder together. Add cold water a little at a time to make a thick, smooth paste. Thin the mixture further with 1/2 cup of milk.

Pour into a heavy saucepan, add remaining milk, and slowly heat to just under boiling, stirring constantly. Keep stirring to prevent lumping and burning. Turn off heat, cover and remove to a cool place. You can prepare this first stage anytime ahead of dinner, keep covered and refrigerated.

The pudding should be finished just before serving to your guests. Just before serving, reheat pudding, stirring constantly. When hot, add sugar a little at a time. Keep stirring then add the sliced dates. Cook to just under boiling point for a minute.

Add some extra milk if pudding becomes too thick. It should have consistency of melted ice cream. Pour the sweet almond pudding with dates into individual bowls and serve hot to your guests.