Many Thai desserts use bananas as a main ingredient. The Nam Wah banana variety (Sugar banana) is the most commonly used, and it can be used both slightly underripe and very ripe. My kitchen had some very ripe ones, so I used them to make a type of steamed dessert called Khanom Kluay (Steamed Banana Cakes). It's a classic Thai dessert that's easy to make, delicious, and has a chewy texture. It's fragrant with banana and coconut milk, with a soft, delicate flavor.
The Nam Wah banana variety
RECIPE : Khanom Kluay
INGREDIENTS
500 grams ripe Nam Wah bananas (mashed)
100 grams rice flour
40 grams tapioca starch
1/2 tablespoon arrowroot flour
100 grams palm sugar
200 ml coconut milk
A pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
I use very ripe Nam Wah bananas for their sweet, fragrant flesh. Peel them and then mash them thoroughly. Set aside.
Prepare a mixing bowl. Add the rice flour, tapioca starch, arrowroot flour, and pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
Pour in the coconut milk and mix until there are no more lumps of flour.
Add the palm sugar and mix until it is fully dissolved.
Add the mashed bananas and mix everything together well.
Pour the batter into the steaming molds, smoothing the tops.
Bring water to a rolling boil in the steamer. Place the desserts in the steamer and steam over high heat.
Steam until the cakes are cooked through.It took me about 25 minutes for the cakes to be cooked. However, you can steam them for longer, up to 40 minutes, to get a darker color and a chewier texture, this is a matter of personal preference. (The water must be boiling and the heat high throughout).
Once fully cooked, remove them from the steamer and let them cool down.
Cut into pieces of your desired size. Plate and they are ready to be served!
The finished dessert has this beautiful color and a perfect texture. It's sweet and fragrant from the bananas, with a soft, chewy, and sticky consistency from the flours. It's a very satisfying and delicious sweet treat.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by. See you next time!...Bye~ 😀
