Author: ezythaifood

Steamed Layered Coconut Cake (Kanom Chun)

Coconut milk imparts a rich oiliness to the layers, so a few pieces go a long way. The aroma and taste, a fragrant perfume of sweet jasmine and nutty pandan, is as unique as the stodgy texture of this dessert. When you pull the cake from the tray after it’s cooled, don’t worry about being too delicate as the thick sheet of khanom chan will handle a bit of stretch and pull without tearing. If you don’t have a 10 x 10 inch tray, use any heatproof square or rectangular tray-like container.

Ingredients

  • One 400 millilitre tin coconut milk (NOT reduced fat)
  • 250 grams white sugar
  • 100 grams arrowroot flour
  • 40 grams tapioca flour
  • 30 grams non-glutinous rice flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 200 millilitres jasmine water (made by steeping a few jasmine flowers – dried are fine – in water overnight OR with a few drops of jasmine essence)
  • 3-4 pandan leaves, chopped into ¼ inch pieces OR a combination of pandanus extract and green food dye
  • Food colouring (optional)

Directions/Method

  1. Combine the coconut milk and sugar in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat just until the sugar is dissolved, avoiding bringing the liquid to the boil. Set aside until completely cool.
  2. Add plenty of water to the base of your steamer (recommended: a tiered metal Chinese steamer) and heat to a slow steady boil. Place a 10 x 10 inch tray onto a tier in your steamer and leave for 20 minutes to until very hot.
  3. Mix the flours and salt together in a bowl. Whisk the cooled sweetened coconut milk into the bowl, ensuring there are no lumps by straining the mix through a fine mesh sieve. Evenly divide the mixture into two portions.
  4. Make the pandan water by blending half of the jasmine water with the pandan leaves. Strain the pandan water into one half of the divided coconut mix with a fervour, pressing with as much effort as you can muster to extract all of the liquid (and flavour). Add the remaining 100 millilitres of jasmine water to the other half of the coconut mixture.
  5. Pour a very thin layer of either mix into the tray, aiming for just a couple or 3 millimetres in thickness (around ⅓ cup per layer in a 10×10 tray). Tip the steamer slightly, if necessary, so that the dough evenly covers the bottom of the tray. Steam for 12-15 minutes, during which time the layer will set and will appear dry with an even opaque look. Carefully remove the lid, wiping it with a tea towel to keep water from dripping onto the cake (if using a Chinese steamer with a domed lid).
  6. Add the second layer, again with the same minimal thickness, and steam for a further 12-15 minutes. Repeat, alternating white and green layers, until you have used all of the slurry. Remember to top up the steaming water if it gets low and to always wipe the lid each time you remove it. After adding the final layer, steam for 20-25 minutes to set.
  7. Set aside to cool completely before cutting and serving. Khanom chan is best on the day it’s made, but will last a few more at a stretch and about a week in the fridge (although the texture may become slightly less chewy.

Pad Thai

Pad Thai video recipe

  • 4 ounces fettuccine-width rice stick noodles
  • ¼ cup peanut oil
  • 1 to 4 tablespoons tamarind paste
  • ¼ cup fish sauce (nam pla)
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • ¼ cup chopped scallions
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 small head Napa cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)
  • 1 cup mung bean sprouts
  • ½ pound peeled shrimp, pressed tofu or a combination
  • ½ cup roasted peanuts, chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 limes, quartered

PREPARATION

  1. Put noodles in a large bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let sit until noodles are just tender; check every 5 minutes or so to make sure they do not get too soft. Drain, drizzle with one tablespoon peanut oil to keep from sticking and set aside. Meanwhile, put 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, fish sauce, honey and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and bring just to a simmer. Taste and add more tamarind paste if desired. It should be piquant, but not unpleasantly sour. Stir in red pepper flakes and set aside.
  2. Put remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when oil shimmers, add scallions and garlic and cook for about a minute. Add eggs to pan; once they begin to set, scramble them until just done. Add cabbage and bean sprouts and continue to cook until cabbage begins to wilt, then add shrimp or tofu (or both).
  3. When shrimp begin to turn pink and tofu begins to brown, add drained noodles to pan along with sauce. Toss everything together to coat with tamarind sauce and combine well. When noodles are warmed through, serve, sprinkling each dish with peanuts and garnishing with cilantro and lime wedges.