1/2 c  Long-grain rice
2 c  Water
1 1/2 c  Water
1/2 c  Small tapioca pearls
1/4 c  + 1 Tbls. granulated sugar
1 1/4 ts Salt
2 1/2 tb Granulated sugar
2 c  Thick coconut milk

Soak the rice in the water overnight. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a
boil. Put the tapioca pearls in a sieve & rinse them very quickly
under running water. Add them to the boiling water & stir until they
become translucent. Add the sugar to the tapioca & water & stir until
the sugar dissolves. Remove the mixture from the heat & pour it into
small custard cups or an 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan. Traditionally,
the custard is poured into banana leaves that have been formed into
the shape of a cup. Wash the soaked rice in 2 or 3 changes of water
until the water runs clear, & drain it well. Grind the uncooked rice
with the salt, sugar, & 1 cup of the coconut milk until it is pureed.
Put the ground rice mixture into a pan with the remaining coconut
milk. Cook over med heat until it thickens slightly. Reduce the heat
to low & cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until it is very thick but
still pourable. If the mixture begins to dry out or gets too thick to
pour, add more coconut milk as needed. Remove the pan from the heat &
pour the mixture evenly over the layer of tapioca pudding. Serve at
room temperature.