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Num kom
Num kom (នំគម): banana-leaf pyramids of soft glutinous rice dough around a palm sugar, coconut and sesame filling
Neat little green pyramids tied in pairs are a sign of celebration in Cambodia: num kom are folded by the tray for Khmer New Year in April, for weddings and for offerings at the pagoda. Inside the banana-leaf wrapper is a thin, soft, chewy skin of glutinous rice dough around a sticky filling of grated coconut cooked with palm sugar and toasted sesame. The leaf leaves a gentle tea-like scent, and the cakes keep well for a day at room temperature, which makes them good for sharing. A brittle leaf is what trips people up: straight from the packet it splits along the veins as you fold, and the dough leaks out. Chef's tip: pass each leaf piece briefly over a gas flame or dip it in hot water until it turns glossy and pliable before you start folding.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the filling
- 7 oz freshly grated or frozen grated coconutthawed
- 4 oz palm sugargrated or chopped
- 3 tbsp water
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp white sesame seedstoasted
For the dough
- 10 ½ oz glutinous rice flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For wrapping
- 4 banana leaveslarge, fresh or frozen and thawed
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Method
0/11 doneStep 1: For the filling, put 7 oz freshly grated or frozen grated coconut, 4 oz palm sugar, 3 tbsp water and ¼ tsp salt in a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, for 10–12 minutes, until the sugar melts and the mixture turns sticky, darker and holds together when pressed.
12 minStep 2: Stir in 2 tbsp white sesame seeds, spread on a plate and leave to cool completely. Roll into 16 balls about the size of a large marble.
20 minStep 3: Wipe 4 banana leaves clean with a damp cloth and cut away the thick central rib. Cut the leaves into 32 rectangles about 18 x 14 cm.
Step 4: Soften the pieces one at a time over a low gas flame for 2–3 seconds or by dipping in just-boiled water, until they turn glossy and bendy. Wipe dry and brush the shiny side lightly with ½ tbsp vegetable oil.
Step 5: Mix 10 ½ oz glutinous rice flour and ¼ tsp salt, then gradually stir in 1 cup warm water and knead for 3–4 minutes into a soft, smooth dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Add a little water or flour if needed; keep it covered.
4 minStep 6: Rub your palms with the rest of the ½ tbsp vegetable oil. Take a walnut-sized piece of dough (about 30 g), flatten into a 7 cm disc, put a filling ball in the centre and pinch the dough up around it to seal. Roll gently into a smooth ball. Repeat to make 16.
Step 7: Lay two leaf pieces crossways, shiny side in, and roll them into a cone with a closed point at the bottom. Drop in a filled ball and press gently into the tip.
Step 8: Fold the open top over the ball: push one side down flat, then fold the two corners inwards to form the third face of a pyramid, and tuck the flap underneath. It should sit upright with a sharp point. Repeat with the rest.
Step 9: Arrange the pyramids upright in a steamer basket, point up, with a little space between them. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
Step 10: Steam over a high heat for 25–30 minutes, topping up with boiling water if needed, until the dough is translucent and chewy when you open a test cake.
30 minStep 11: Leave to cool for at least 15 minutes before unwrapping, so the dough firms up and peels cleanly from the leaf. Serve warm or at room temperature within a day.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 54 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does num kom take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 75 minutes to prepare and 45 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.
- What can I use instead of palm sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
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