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Kauk nyin baung
Kauk nyin baung (ကောက်ညှင်းပေါင်း): steamed sticky rice with boiled peas, coconut and sesame salt
At sunrise on Yangon street corners, women sit behind bamboo baskets of steaming sticky rice wrapped in cloth, spooning portions onto squares of banana leaf for people heading to work. The glutinous rice is soaked and steamed until each grain is glossy, chewy and slightly translucent, then topped with soft pe pyot peas, freshly grated coconut and a sprinkle of toasted sesame pounded with salt. It is a plain, satisfying breakfast, sweet from the coconut, salty and nutty from the sesame, and usually eaten with a cup of green tea; some vendors use purple sticky rice for a darker, nuttier bowl. Boiling the rice like ordinary rice is the mistake that ruins it, turning it to glue, so always steam it. Chef's tip: soak the rice overnight; a short soak leaves hard white centres in the grains.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the rice
- 14 oz glutinous (sticky) ricesoaked in cold water for 6–12 hours
- ½ tsp salt
For the sesame salt
- 4 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 1 tsp salt
To serve
- 7 oz boiled yellow peas (pe pyot)warm
- 3 ½ oz fresh grated coconutor desiccated, soaked in hot water and squeezed
- 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots (optional)
- 1 banana leaf (optional)cut into squares, for serving
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Drain 14 oz glutinous (sticky) rice and rinse until the water runs clear. Toss with ½ tsp salt.
Step 3: Steam over boiling water, covered, for 20 minutes, then flip the rice over with a spatula and sprinkle with 2 tbsp water.
20 minStep 4: Steam for another 10–15 minutes, until every grain is shiny, chewy and translucent with no chalky centre. Keep the water topped up.
15 minStep 5: Meanwhile, toast 4 tbsp white sesame seeds in a dry pan over a medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until golden and popping. Pound with 1 tsp salt in a mortar until coarse and fragrant.
4 minStep 6: Warm 7 oz boiled yellow peas (pe pyot) gently if needed.
Step 7: Spoon the hot rice onto plates or 1 banana leaf squares and top with the peas, 3 ½ oz fresh grated coconut, a generous pinch of sesame salt and 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots. Serve straight away with green tea.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 90 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kauk nyin baung take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
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