This story has been corrected. See below.  Some dishes should be left to the professionals. I'd put the Halo Halo served at Alan Wong's Pineapple Room in that category. It's a lovely, light dessert that's heavy on effort—just look at the components here and you'll see why.

But Gail Oishi, who tasted the dish while visiting from San Jose, Calif., wanted the recipe, and Wong's staff was willing to break it down, so here it is. You've got to make five different things first, then layer them with a number of fruits (and sweet corn, too).

I'm not sure how many people have the wherewithal to follow this all the way through, but the individual recipes for the shaved ice, haupia, tapioca or kanten could stand alone as desserts. You could also buy some of the items pre-made and simply layer them, or purchase mixes to lessen the effort.

It's complicated, so I'll stop talking now. Good luck.

Haupia Tapioca Halo Halo

4 strawberries, quartered
1 tablespoon diced pineapple
3 1/2-inch cubes mango kanten (recipe follows)
2 1/2-inch cubes haupia (recipe follows)
2 1/2-inch cubes cantaloupe
2 1/2-inch cubes honeydew melon
1/2 cup Haupia Tapioca (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon azuki beans around the edge of the glass (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon tsubushian in the center of the glass
1 teaspoon sweet corn, around the edge
1 cup Coconut Shaved Ice (recipe follows)
3 1/4-inch-thick slices apple banana
1 raspberry
3 blueberries

Place 3/4 of strawberries in bottom of parfait glass. Top with pineapple and 1 cube each kanten, haupia, cantaloupe and honeydew. Add tapioca, then another cube of kanten and haupia.

Spoon azuki around edge of glass, with tsubushian in center. Layer with corn, shaved ice, banana, remaining strawberry, raspberry, blueberries and last cubes of kanten, cantaloupe and honeydew. Sprinkle top with a little more diced pineapple. Serve immediately. Serves 1.

Coconut Shaved Ice

1-3/4 cup coconut milk (Cortona brand preferred)
1-1/2 cups sugar
5 cups water

Combine ingredients in large pan; heat on medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Pour into 4-inch deep 11-by-16-inch pan. Freeze, uncovered.

For the first few hours stir mixture hourly, using a fork to break up large ice pieces.

Haupia

3 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch mixed in 1/4 cup water

Combine coconut milk, sugar and water in medium saucepan. Bring to boil.

Stream cornstarch mixture into boiling coconut mixture, stirring constantly as mixture returns to a boil. Pour into 8-by-8-inch pan, spread evenly, press plastic wrap on top.

Mango Kanten

1/3 teaspoon agar agar powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup mango puree
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons simple syrup

Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Combine agar powder with water and bring to boil. Turn off the heat and stir in mango puree and syrup. Pour into pan and refrigerate until firm.

Azuki Beans

1 cup dried azuki beans
2 cups sugar

Place beans in small saucepan. Cover with water and bring to boil. Drain immediately.

Return beans to pot and cover with just enough water to reach top of beans. Add sugar and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until beans are tender.

Coconut Tapioca

6-1/2 cups water
3 cups sugar, divided
1 cup tapioca pearls
2 cups coconut milk

Bring water and 2 cups sugar to boil. Add tapioca pearls. Boil until pearls are almost translucent. Remove from heat and let sit 30 minutes. Drain; discard liquid.

Meanwhile, bring coconut milk and remaining 1 cup sugar to boil. Add pearls to mixture and remove from heat. Cool and stir until the pearls and liquid are evenly mixed. Chill.

Nutritional information unavailable.

CORRECTION

  The recipe for Haupia Tapioca Halo Halo from the Pineapple Room contained an error in the amount of sugar listed for the Coconut Tapioca portion of the recipe.

The column now contains the correct recipe.