Soak the red bean in water for 2 hours, or up to 12 hours/overnight. After soaking, drain off the water and transfer the red bean to a pot. To this, add the sugar and water. Bring it to a boil and turn it down to a simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the beans are almost breaking apart and is a thick, pasty consistency. Stir in the coconut milk and let the red bean paste cool down.

Sprinkle the gelatine powder into the milk (or water), and leave it for 5-10 minutes to bloom/hydrate. Meanwhile, add the cream, sugar, and vanilla essence in a saucepan, and heat until it starts to steam. Add the gelatine mixture into the cream, bring it to a quick boil and immediately turn it down. Stir until all the gelatine dissolves, take it off the heat, and let the mixture cool down slightly (you still want it to be warm, not cold).

Now you’re ready to assemble! Ready a few small teacups/glasses. (Depending on the size of you cups/glasses, this recipe should yield 4-6 portions.) Place 40-50g (~3 tablespoons) of the red bean paste into the bottom of the cups. Tap the cups on a flat surface to level off the red bean paste. Then, pour the panna cotta mixture into the cups/glasses until about ¾ full. (If the panna cotta mixture has formed a skin as it was cooling in the saucepan, pour it through a sieve into the cups.)

Then, place plastic wrap over the top of the cups, and let the panna cotta set in the fridge for at least 3 hours so that it fully sets.

In a saucepan, add the sugar, water, orange juice, orange peel, knob of turmeric, and beetroot juice. Bring to a boil, making sure the sugar dissolves fully, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes for the flavours and colour to really meld together. You should have a deep orange (pinkish, even) liquid. Strain the liquid, and discard all the aromatic bits. Let the liquid cool to room temperature before transferring them to a small container.

Fill a separate medium pot two-thirds full with water, and bring to a rolling boil. Add in the tapioca pearls and stir continuously, maintaining that rolling boil. Let it cook this way for roughly 10 minutes, until the pearls turn translucent all the way through. Sift out the tapioca pearls, and immediately wash with running cold water (or plunge in an ice bath). Transfer the tapioca pearls into the orange syrup and let it chill in the fridge (literally) for at least a day, or up to 5 days.

Scoop out a teaspoon of faux-ikura, sans liquid, and place on top on the panna cotta. Be real tricksy and serve it as chawanmushi. ;)