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Mont kalama
Mont kalama (မုန့်ကလမား): dark, chewy sticky-rice and jaggery fudge, stirred for over an hour
Making mont kalama is a group effort: before weddings, shinbyu novice ceremonies and village pagoda festivals, Burmese families take turns stirring a giant wok of sticky rice flour, coconut milk and jaggery for hours until it turns into a dark, glossy mass. The result, sliced into thick bars and topped with toasted sesame, is chewy and elastic like a soft toffee, tasting of caramel, smoky palm sugar and coconut, much like Malay dodol. It keeps for days, which is why it is a favourite gift to carry home from celebrations. Stopping stirring or turning up the heat to save time is the classic error; it scorches on the bottom and the whole batch tastes bitter. Chef's tip: use a heavy non-stick wok and a sturdy flat wooden spatula, and switch hands often.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the kalama
- 10 ½ oz jaggery or dark palm sugarchopped
- ¾ cup water
- 9 oz glutinous rice flour
- 3 ¼ cups coconut milktwo 400 ml tins
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oilplus extra for the tray
For the top
- 2 tbsp white sesame seedstoasted
- 1 oz roasted peanuts (optional)chopped
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What you'll need
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Oil a 20 cm square tin. Dissolve 10 ½ oz jaggery or dark palm sugar in ¾ cup water over a low heat for 5 minutes, then strain through a sieve to remove any grit.
5 minStep 2: Whisk 9 oz glutinous rice flour and ½ tsp salt with about a quarter of the ¾ cup coconut milk to a smooth, thick paste, then gradually whisk in the rest of the 2 ½ cups coconut milk until no lumps remain.
Step 3: Pour the coconut mixture and the jaggery syrup into a large heavy non-stick wok or pan and stir over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until it starts to thicken and steam.
10 minStep 4: Turn the heat down to medium-low and keep stirring constantly with a flat wooden spatula, scraping the whole base every few seconds. Over 20–25 minutes it becomes a thick, sticky, lumpy dough.
25 minStep 5: Keep going, folding and pressing the mass against the pan, for another 30–40 minutes, until it turns dark brown and very glossy, oil starts to bead on the surface, and it pulls away from the pan as one smooth ball.
40 minStep 6: Stir in 2 tbsp coconut oil for the last 2 minutes to give a shine.
2 minStep 7: Scrape into the oiled tin and press flat with an oiled spatula. Scatter with 2 tbsp white sesame seeds and 1 oz roasted peanuts and press them in lightly.
Step 8: Leave to cool and set at room temperature for at least 3 hours, or overnight, before cutting into bars with an oiled knife. Keeps in an airtight box at cool room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mont kalama take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 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 jaggery or dark palm sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
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