(how not to make) Sticky rice cakes with Coconut filling – Nom Kom
I always think that no matter what the missing ingredient is for a certain recipe, I can make it work with whatever I have on hand. And usually that is not such a bad way of thinking either as it generally gets the job done and has given me some surprisingly delicious new recipes in the process. However when it comes to rice flour I do not have a very good track record. Remember I made the pretty steamed rice cakes before where the first attempt wasn’t too successful either? This was kind of a similar thing… Maybe it is the combination of steaming and rice flour that short circuits my brain… 
The recipe is from Cambodia and these (normally pretty) little cakes are traditionally used for ceremonies such as weddings. Nom kom symbolizes womanhood to the Cambodians. It is also traditionally supposed to be soft and sweet, not hard and chewy.
First of all I decided that I could use regular rice flour instead of the sticky rice flour the recipe called for. Secondly it told me to use freshly grated coconut but I did not have a coconut lying around so I used the dried variety and figured if I added a little extra water and a bit of coconut I could sort of make it resemble fresh. The dough came together fairly well, even though I kind of felt that it should have been a different texture, but I thought it would work. And well it did work in a way, just not the way it was supposed to.
I then had a hard time filling the dough with the coconut. Not because the coconut was falling apart but because the dough wasn’t wrapping around it nicely making it kind of a messy ball which then had to be wrapped in a banana leaf. I keep packages of banana leaf in my freezer so I just had to defrost a few and they were ready to go. However, wrapping a round thing into a banana leaf…. Not my thing I guess. Not sure if I squashed them flat during the wrapping process or if the wrongness of the dough made them flat during the steaming process. Either way; they came out looking fairly flat with the exception of the very last one which ended up looking almost round!
Which goes to show that practice makes perfect right? Then taste…. I did NOT add enough sugar into the dough and/or the coconut mixture. So it tasted mostly bland. I fixed that by making a little mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and voila, I had sort of a dip, that made it all taste quite good! Maybe not anything a true Cambodian would put out on the table but still quite good for having a little dessert snack mid-day.
I highly recommend you do not follow this recipe but if you must…. here it is!
Sticky rice cakes with coconut filling
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 25 mins
The original recipe calls for using sticky (glutonous) rice flour and freshly grated coconut. It also mentions to smoke the coconut filling to create a unique flavor to the dish. That would have taken hours and require beewax. I went without that process too. So the below recipe is my version of the original and - you've been warned - it's a bit flawed!
Ingredients:
- rice flour
- water
- palm sugar
- grated coconut
- cardamom
- cinnamon
- brown sugar
- salt
- sesame seeds
- banana leaves (cut into round shapes and greased with oil)
- toothpicks
Directions:
To make the dough, place the rice flour into a mixing bowl and add water and a little palm sugar until it resembles a smooth pliable dough that is not too wet and can hold it's shape. If it crumbles, it is too dry and you have a to add a little bit of water. If it is too soft, add a bit of flour. Leave dough to stand for 30 minutes
In the meantime you can prepare the filling. Heat a pan over low heat. Add some palm sugar in there and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the grated coconut and some cinnamon and cardamom if you want. Simmer over low heat until the coconut becomes sticky and has absorbed all the sugar and spices. Remove from heat, sprinkle with sesame seeds and allow to cool.
Grease your hands with a little oil, then take a piece of dough between your hands and form a ball of around 4 cm in diameter. Flatten the ball and place coconut filling in the centre. Bring the edges of the dough up over the filling and seal the ball by pinching the sides together. Much like making a dumpling. Roll the dough into a ball.
Shape the banana leaf into a cone or try to shape the banana leaf into a cone. I did that for the first two and that didn't work out so well, so I ended just folding the banana leaf over the ball and in the end that got me the one round ball, so you might want to consider following this less then perfect method too. Secure the banana leaf with toothpicks.
Repeat these steps until all the dough and filling is used.
Put the banana leafs into a steamer and steam for about 15 minutes.
Rather heavily adapted from 'Authentic Cambodian Recipes' by Sorey Long with Kanika Linden
Appetizer
Asian
Bread
Breakfast
Desserts & other sweets
Healthy
Wonderful cxakes and recipe! I am addicted to sticky rice cakes.
Fabulous pictures as always.
Cheers,
Rosa
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Simone (junglefrog) — March 8th, 2013 at 12:53
Thanks so much Rosa! I love them too, now just to know how to make them.. Lol
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I think you did a pretty good job given the limitations. We make something very much like this.
We use regualr rice flour but cook it like choux pastry dough which makes the dough easy to work with since there’s no gluten here.
The other trick to make the banana leaves pliable is to wilt them slightly on the gas flame. It will make wrapping the cakes for steaming, much easier.
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Simone (junglefrog) — March 8th, 2013 at 12:53
Thanks so much for the tips Aparna. I’ll be trying that for the next time for sure. Still have more banana leaves and more riceflour so I can give it another go!
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Regular rice flour is made from regular white rice, sticky rice flour is made from glutinous rice. Cooked textures are very different. I am thinking may be aluminum foil would give a beter shape.
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Simone (junglefrog) — March 8th, 2013 at 12:54
Thanks Norma. yes I think that will definitely be easier to roll into the right form then a banana leaf, although I like the use of the banana leave too as it does give a bit of flavor as well.
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Probeer het de volgende keer eens met Ketan meel, dan valt het niet uit elkaar en blijft het goed samen. Klepon wordt daar ook van gemaakt en Ketanmeel blijft langer zacht.
Wel hele mooie foto’s!
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Of ketan rijst..
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Ik had een reactie gegeven maar zie het niet.. Je kan het misschien beter met ketanrijst of ketanmeel proberen. Wanneer je iets met ketanmeel maakt is het kleveriger en het blijft langer zacht. Ik heb een keer klepon gemaakt met rijstmeel en het werd na gelang harder en met ketanmeel blijft het zachter.
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Simone (junglefrog) — March 8th, 2013 at 11:52
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The Empress — March 8th, 2013 at 13:10
Oooo sorry voor mijn vele reacties…
Ja, kan je gewoon bij de Toko kopen. Is vaak te vinden waar ook de rijstmeel is. Rijstmeel heeft vaak blauwe opdruk\ tekst en Ketanmeel heeft vaak groene opdruk\ tekst.
Ik ben je hele site aan het door klikken, wat een top site zeg!
Simone (junglefrog) — March 8th, 2013 at 13:12
Maak niks uit hoor… Ben gek op veel comments!
En dank je wel voor de complimenten! Ik ga op zoek naar ketanmeel!
We make something similar to this in South India (esp. in the state of Kerala, where I belong) the slight difference being that instead of brown sugar we use jaggery
I adore the lovely pictures!!!
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Simone (junglefrog) — March 9th, 2013 at 18:21
Thanks so much Shema!
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I’m just always in awe that you try so many new things without hesitation! I should let you inspire me more. I wouldn’t even have ever tried making these. They do look really good, Simone. But messing them up only means you get to try making them again!
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Simone (junglefrog) — March 9th, 2013 at 18:20
That is so true Jamie.. I just never really think about it when I go out and try to recreate dishes like this. I just think it would be good Nd then I start. Usually half way through the process I learn that I should have done some things differently maybe!
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I’ve never tried sticky rice cakes but I love the sound of the coconut filling!
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Simone (junglefrog) — March 9th, 2013 at 18:21
Yes it’s quite good (when using the right ingredients!)
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This is the funniest post but it shows you can make your less than favorite dish into stunning photographs.
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Simone (junglefrog) — March 9th, 2013 at 18:22
Thanks Maureen… The magic of a little bit of styling distracting from the failed subject!
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Wowwww… Looks simply amazing and tempting.. Awesome pictures too.. First time here.. Happy to follow your space
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I think they look beautiful Simone. Don’t be so hard on yourself regarding how they turned out…Asian sweets are always tricky! Stunning shots as always!
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Simone (junglefrog) — March 11th, 2013 at 07:50
Thanks Peter… They are indeed tricky sweets… Probably also because they are so different from what we eat over here…
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