If there’s any place on earth that could feel like a
“home away from home” for me and my family, that place would certainly
be Thailand. The Golden Kingdom, known colloquially to travelers as the
Land of Smiles, has long held a special
place in our hearts. It provided a safe retreat for my father’s extended family, as refugees fleeing the atrocities of war that
devastated the region. It became a welcoming home for my grandparents,
where my grandfather served in Bangkok as the Consul General representing the now-defunct Republic of South Vietnam. It has also
served as a centralized Asian travel hub and exciting reunion spot for
me personally, having visited four times already in the first quarter of
my life. Unsurprisingly, Thai culture, traditions,
and cuisine have permeated my paternal family’s way of life over
the last half century, giving us an opportunity to partake in a rich heritage that is similar and just
as ancient as our own, yet simultaneously distinct and wonderfully unique.
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| Wat Arun, or Temple of the Dawn, on the Chao Phraya River |
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| Colorful tuktuks in downtown Bangkok |
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| Thailand is a foodie's paradise, which street food gracing every alleyway |
The 14th of April is the official date
for Songkran, an ancient Vedic holiday marked by the thrilling and
chaotic Water Festival – essentially, Thai New Year. Back in Thailand,
the three-day long celebration is marked by colorful
temple visits, scrumptious banquets, and plenty of opportunities to get
drenched with water when you least expect it (by both friends and
elephants alike). While living in the US has meant that the festivities are
drastically more subdued, I still like to get into the spirit
of Songkran through the best possible medium – food. In this
post, I’ve written up a recipe for one of my favorite snacks/desserts, which are typically made for special occasions –
Khao Tom Mat, or sticky coconut rice cakes filled with banana and
steamed in banana leaves. While we have a similar dessert back in Vietnam
(as well as all throughout the rest of Southeast Asia), I’ve always been
a fan of the Thai-Lao version, which is sweeter and
really simple to make. Once you’ve tried the banana, feel free to
experiment with other fillings like sliced mango, jackfruit, or various fruit
combinations!
THE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sweet rice (will say "glutinous" on the package and can be found in any Asian grocery)
1.5 cups of coconut milk
1 cup ground palm sugar (can substitute with white cane sugar, but use 0.5 cup)
1 teaspoon salt
5 small sweet bananas, peeled and halved
Banana leaves, cleaned and cut into 6”x3” strips (roughly)
Optional:
0.5 cup of cooked black beans
Roasted sesame seeds
THE METHOD:
- Wash the sweet rice under cold water several
times to remove as much of the white starch as possible. Soak in a bowl
of cold water for minimum of 4 hours. This can be done during the day if
you plan to prepare the rice in the evening,
or even overnight if you plan to cook the next morning.
- In a pan, cook the coconut milk on medium heat and
add the ground palm sugar, stirring gently until thoroughly melted and well blended. Do not allow the coconut milk boil or curdle.
- Drain the sweet rice well and add it to the
simmering coconut milk. Stir continuously and allow the rice to cook and
absorb the coconut milk without burning. Fold the rice until the liquid
is mostly gone and it has achieved a thick, sticky consistency.
Take off the heat and allow to cool.
- Prepare the banana leaves, cleaning and cutting
them to workable dimensions. Clean them by carefully wiping with a moist
cloth in the direction of the grain to avoid ripping.
- When the rice has reached a suitable temperature
for handling, hold the banana leaf open and add a spoonful to
the center, flattening it on the leaf surface. Optional black beans and/or
roasted sesame seeds can also be added in this
step.
- Place a slice of banana on top of the rice then
cover with another spoonful. Carefully roll the banana leaf
sides over the rice-banana clump, folding the leaf shut to form a small
“package”. Refer to the photo below for folding
tips.
- Repeat this step until the rice and bananas are
finished. You can make any size “package” you choose, however I tend to
favor smaller, snack-size cakes.
- Bring a suitable amount of water to boil in a
steamer. Gently place the leaf-wrapped cakes in the steamer with folded leaf side facing down to prevent the cakes from opening (they can be
stacked if you’ve made a large amount) and allow to steam for 30-35
minutes.
- Carefully remove the hot cakes and allow to cool before serving!
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| General idea on how to wrap the banana leaves around the rice cake |
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| Place them in the steamer, folded side down so they don't pop open! |
Sweet coconut rice dishes and desserts are a stable food item that can be found all across Southeast Asia, which each country tweaking essentially the same recipe. Sometimes you can find vendors selling these delectable snacks on the roadside. In addition to Khao Tom Mat, one of my favorite related dessert snacks is Khao Lam (or Cơm Lam in Vietnam), which is a sweet sticky coconut rice grilled in bamboo tubes.
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| Childhood friend - the wandering Khao Lam vendor! |