Serve these for dessert or breakfast.   The glorious translucent red jelly can be used to spread on toast and scones or to serve with roast pork or turkey. Yes, there’s a lot of sugar, but you will need it!
Rub skins of quinces and wash well.  Place in a pot packed fairly tightly.  Add the water, sugar and star anise.  Bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, for about 3 hours or until tender when pierced with a knife, rolling the quinces occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Add the juice of the lemons to cut excessive sweetness during the last stages of cooking and turn temperature down to prevent jelly burning. A simmer pad is very useful to prevent sticking and burning.  Serve cut into halves or quarters, drizzled with the pink syrup. Serve with thick cream. Every part can be eaten, including the core.
For quince jelly, add the juice of another lemon to the syrup and boil hard until it reaches setting point.
To make the black rice pudding: Drain rice and wash well. Place in a large saucepan, add the water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 30 – 40 minutes or until rice is soft -then add the palm sugar and cook for another 20 – 25 minutes or until the rice is soft but still firm. Stir through the sugar.  Serve warm with a little coconut cream poured over the top.  Garnish with shredded coconut (the fresher, the better).