Cuisine: Thai Coconut Sweet Rice Cakes With Banana

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. 

Wat Arun, or Temple of the Dawn, on the Chao Phraya River

Colorful tuktuks in downtown Bangkok

Thailand is a foodie's paradise, which street food gracing every alleyway

The 14^th 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! 

General idea on how to wrap the banana leaves around the rice cake

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. 

Childhood friend - the wandering Khao Lam vendor!

Cuisine: Indonesia's Acclaimed Beef Rendang

 

Rendang Daging Minang (Minangkabau Spicy Coconut Curried Beef)

In my usual passionate attempt to seek out any form of cultural or culinary event here in Southern California, I recently attended an Indonesian independence festival at the Los Angeles consulate. Graced by wonderful gamelan music performances and elegant Balinese dancing, it felt thrilling to reacquaint myself with the exotic colors and flavors of Indonesia. But if one aspect of the festival instantly brought back sweet memories of my travels in this tropical paradise, it was most certainly the food! Nasi Goreng, Soto Ayam, Sate Babi, Gado Gado - I literally spent $40 in food for myself to gorge on (and also some to take home, don't be fooled). But of the many rich and savory dishes to come out of Nusantara, one in particular has rightfully gained international recognition for its complex flavor - Beef Rendang.

While many variations and preparations of this dish exist, I sought to recreate the original Sumatran version using traditional cooking methods (no short-cuts in this kitchen!). The recipe below is taken from the traditional slow-cooked method of the Minangkabau ethnic group, combining elements from my personal experience, advice from Indonesian friends, and online research. As one of the most complicated recipes I've ever attempted, it's a highly technical and time intensive meal, usually reserved for special occasions or guests. I actually first prepared it with beef shank and it took almost 7 hours, but using another cut of meat can help reduce the time. However, when done properly given all the time and effort, the flavors are utterly indescribable, with each bite starting off sweet before finishing with a spicy kick. I'll attempt to describe the procedure because nothing is customarily measured, but rather added based on personal preference or based on the taste/color/texture of the dish as seen fit.

Preparation of the dish is broken up into 4 parts: Making the spice paste, making the kerisik (roasted ground coconut), simmering the beef in the coconut curry, then quick frying the beef in the natural coconut oil extracted during the simmer.

INGREDIENTS & METHOD:

Making the Spice Paste:

5 shallots

1 inch peeled galangal root

1 inch peeled ginger root

3 inches of lemongrass (lower white part, but save the long stems)

5 cloves garlic or big tablespoon garlic paste

5-10 dried red chilies, based on preference (seeded, then soaked in 1 cup boiling water)

• Chop all of these ingredients and then place in a food processor/blender and grind/blend until a fine paste is created.
  
• Add a little of the water used to soak the chili to the blender if the paste is too dry. 
• Reserve paste in a bowl.

Making the Kerisik (Roasted Coconut Flakes):

6 tablespoons grated dry coconut

1 big teaspoon coriander seed

1 big teaspoon cumin seed

• Roast the grated coconut in a dry frying pan until golden brown, stirring frequently to not burn. 
• Before finishing, add the coriander and cumin seeds and quick roast (will hear popping sounds). Make sure not to burn the spices! 
• Add the roasted mixture to a stone mortar and pestle and grind until fine. It's fine if it has a paste-like texture.
• Reserve in a bowl

Making the Coconut Curry:

5 tablespoon sesame oil

1.5 pound boneless stewing beef (cut into cubes)

8 cloves

4 star anise

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

0.5 teaspoon ground cardamom

0.25 teaspoon ground tumeric 

1 lemongrass (yellow part, cut into 3-inch lengths, pounded once)

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup beef stock

4 tablespoons tamarind juice/concentrate

6 big kaffir lime leaves (very finely sliced)

1 large tumeric leaf (very finely sliced) **you may not be able to find this ingredient in the West

4 tablespoons ground palm sugar (or to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

• Lightly fry the whole spices - the cloves, anise, and lemongrass - in the sesame oil to release aroma.
  
• Add the beef cubes to the pan and brown nicely.
• Add the spice paste, stirring frequently to not let it burn. 
• Add the liquids - the coconut milk, beef stock, and tamarind juice. 
• Throw in the ground spices - the cinnamon, cardamom, tumeric, and palm sugar.
• Stir the whole thing well so the ingredients are evenly distributed and the curry covers most of the beef. Keep on medium heat for 5 minutes.
  
• Add the sliced lime leaves, tumeric leaf, and the ground kerisik, stirring them into the curry well.
• Bring the heat down to low, partially covered, and allow the curry to simmer until nearly all of the coconut liquid has evaporated and the meat is tender. This step can vary anywhere from 2 to 4 hours depending on the cut of meat and amount of liquid. Stir occasionally to prevent the scorching of the meat and to ensure all the pieces are evenly cooked.
  

Finishing with a Fry:

• As the curry begins to evaporate/get absorbed into the meat, you will start to notice a layer of natural coconut oil separating from the mixture and resting on top. When most of the coconut liquid has gone, raise the heat to med-high and quick fry the meat in this oil, stirring prevent burning.
• The finished product should be what is described as a "dry curry", with a rich darkened meat coated in natural coconut oil and spice paste
• Serve immediately with rice or save overnight for the next day. The flavor will get richer with time. The flavor should be complex, with a sweet beginning followed by a spicy kick at the end.

Selamat Makan and Enjoy!