Thai cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Khanom Sai Sai

White rice flour dough wrapped around a sweet coconut filling, steamed in banana leaves into slim little packages.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 150 g rice flour
• 40 g tapioca starch (or substitute cornstarch)
• 550 ml coconut milk
• 120 g palm sugar
• 150 g grated coconut
• 4 banana leaves (or substitute parchment paper)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 pandan leaves

Instructions

1. For the filling, simmer the palm sugar with the grated coconut, 100 ml coconut milk and 1/2 tsp salt over low heat for 10–12 min until the mixture is thick and moldable; let cool and roll into 18 small logs.
2. Whisk the rice flour and tapioca starch with the remaining coconut milk, the sugar and the rest of the salt until lump-free, and pour through a fine sieve.
3. Warm the mixture with the knotted pandan leaves over low heat, stirring constantly, for 8–10 min until it thickens and falls from the spoon translucent; remove the leaves.
4. Soften the banana leaves briefly over a flame and cut into 15 × 20 cm rectangles.
5. Spread 2 tbsp of the dough cream on each leaf, place a filling log on top, fold the long sides over each other, and tuck or pin the ends underneath.
6. Steam the packages seam-side down over boiling water for 20–25 min until the dough looks translucent, and serve fully cooled.