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Kem chuối (Vietnamese frozen coconut banana)
Pressed bananas wrapped in thick coconut cream and peanuts, frozen on a stick
Kem chuối is the frozen treat of Saigon's alleys and the Mekong towns, sold from home freezers and school gates through the long hot season. Small, very ripe bananas are pressed flat, coated in thick sweet coconut cream, rolled in roasted peanuts and frozen on a stick; you can also wrap them and slice them into coins. The banana freezes dense and chewy rather than icy, and the coconut coating stays soft and rich. It is naturally egg-free and dairy-free: the coconut cream is cooked with a spoonful of tapioca starch, which thickens it so it clings and holds a thin layer around the fruit, and the banana's own sugar keeps the middle from freezing rock-hard. Kids love making these. Chef's tip: use bananas with plenty of brown freckles; the common mistake is using firm yellow ones, which freeze bland and starchy.
- Total time
- 260 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 8 small ripe bananaspeeled; or 4 large ones, halved
- 1 ¾ cups coconut cream
- 2 ⅛ oz sugar
- 1 tbsp tapioca starchmixed with 2 tbsp water
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 ⅞ oz roasted peanutsfinely crushed
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Warm 1 ¾ cups coconut cream with 2 ⅛ oz sugar and ¼ tsp salt in a pan over a medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
4 minStep 2: Stir in the 1 tbsp tapioca starch mix and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cool completely; it will thicken more.
3 minStep 3: Lay each of the 8 small ripe bananas between two sheets of baking paper and press down with a flat-bottomed plate until about 1.5 cm thick, without splitting it.
8 minStep 4: Push a wooden stick into the end of each flattened banana.
3 minStep 5: Spread 2 ⅞ oz roasted peanuts and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds on a plate. Spoon the cold coconut cream all over each banana, then press it into the peanuts on both sides.
10 minStep 6: Wrap each one tightly in cling film or baking paper and lay them flat on a tray.
5 minStep 7: Freeze for at least 4 hours, until firm right through. Rest 3 minutes out of the freezer before eating so the banana softens slightly.
240 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kem chuối (Vietnamese frozen coconut banana) take?
- About 260 minutes in total: 250 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 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.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of small ripe bananas?
- Mango, same weight (in smoothies and shakes).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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