Khanom kluay maphrao on (steamed banana cake with young coconut) is a Thai dessert that is easy and delicious to make, and its ingredients are easy to find close to home. Today MK Unigroup shares the method and steps for anyone interested in learning how simple it is to make.
The Story of Thai Desserts
Thai desserts are made in every region of Thailand and are especially popular at ceremonies, such as merit-making and feeding monks, and auspicious occasions like birthday merit-making, weddings and house-warming ceremonies, where Thai desserts are mostly served to welcome guests, both to the monks and to visitors, to bring good fortune. In the old days, Thai people made desserts on important days, such as merit-making ceremonies, major festivals or to welcome important guests. Some Thai desserts take a great deal of time and many hands, and to produce the very best for each auspicious occasion, the makers would take enormous care. Today we recommend khanom kluay maphrao on. Let's look at the ingredients and steps; you will see it is much easier than you think.
Ingredients
- 15 very ripe nam wa bananas (about 900 to 950 g)
- 20 g arrowroot flour (paeng tao yai mom)
- 100 g rice flour
- 60 g tapioca starch
- 350 g coconut cream
- 180 g sugar
- 300 g young coconut flesh
- ½ semi-mature coconut, shredded
- 1 tsp fine salt
- Banana-leaf cups or small thalai cups
Method
- Peel the ripe bananas and cut them into small pieces.
- Knead the rice flour, arrowroot flour, tapioca starch, salt, sugar and a little coconut cream together.
- Knead the mixture for about 5 minutes to soften the dough.
- Add the bananas and squeeze them into the mixture until fine, then pour in all the remaining coconut cream and mix well.
- Add the young coconut flesh and mix again.
- Bring water to the boil with pandan leaves. Spoon the batter into the thalai cups and top with banana and shredded semi-mature coconut.
- Steam over medium heat for about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Once cooked, your delicious khanom kluay is ready to eat.
Tips for Making Khanom Kluay
- Choose ripe nam wa bananas, as their flesh is soft, mashes easily and tastes sweet, making them easy to squeeze smooth.
- Steam the shredded coconut first, as this helps stop it from spoiling quickly.
- The flour mix is crucial. You need three flours: rice flour, tapioca starch and arrowroot flour. Too much rice flour and the cake won't hold together and will crack easily; too much tapioca starch and it won't set and will be mushy; too much arrowroot flour and it won't be soft. So stick to the amounts given.
- Use freshly squeezed coconut milk, as it gives a natural richness and sweet aroma that is ideal for desserts.
- Khanom kluay is made mainly from banana, flour and coconut milk, steamed until delicious. Wrapping it in banana leaf or pandan leaf adds their lovely fragrance too.
