Num ansom chek

Step 1: Drain 14 oz glutinous (sticky) rice and 1 ¾ oz dried black beans. Simmer the beans in water for 20 minutes, until just tender, then drain. Skip this step if you're leaving them out.

Step 2: Warm 1 cup coconut milk, 3 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt in a wok or wide pan over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the rice and beans and stir for 6–8 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is glossy and sticky but still raw in the centre.

Step 3: Wipe 8 banana leaves clean and soften them over a flame or in hot water. Lay one leaf shiny side down and spread about 70 g of the rice into a 10 x 15 cm rectangle in the middle.

Step 4: Lay one of 8 small ripe bananas on top and fold the leaf so the rice wraps round the banana, pressing it into a sealed log. Roll the leaf tightly into a cylinder, fold the ends under and tie firmly with string in two places. Repeat with the rest.

Step 5: Stand the parcels in a large pan, cover with boiling water and weigh them down with a plate. Simmer, covered, over a medium heat for 50–60 minutes, topping up with boiling water to keep them submerged. Common mistake: wrapping loosely; water gets in and the rice turns mushy instead of firm and sticky. Roll and tie as tightly as you can.

Step 6: Lift them out and leave to cool for at least 20 minutes before unwrapping. Cut a test parcel: the rice should be translucent and dense, and the banana soft and rosy. Eat warm or at room temperature on the same day, or slice and toast in a dry pan the next day.