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Num kong
Num kong (នំកង): crisp-shelled rice flour rings, fried dark and glazed in sticky palm sugar with sesame
Stacked on trays at morning markets across Cambodia and pressed into the hands of guests at Khmer New Year, num kong are rings of glutinous rice dough sweetened with palm sugar and fried until deep bronze. Bite through the crackly, caramel-glazed shell and the inside is soft and chewy, almost like mochi, with a smoky toffee flavour from the palm sugar and a coating of toasted sesame. They go with strong iced coffee or jasmine tea. Most failures come from oil that is too hot: the outside darkens in a minute while the inside stays raw and pasty, and trapped air can make a ring pop and spit. Chef's tip: knead the dough until it is completely smooth and crack-free, then fry at a steady 160 °C for a good 6–7 minutes; patience gives the shatter-crisp crust.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 ⅞ oz palm sugargrated or chopped
- ½ cup water
- 7 oz glutinous rice flour
- 1 ¾ oz rice flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 litre vegetable oilfor deep-frying
For the glaze
- 2 ⅞ oz palm sugargrated or chopped
- 3 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp white sesame seedstoasted
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Warm 2 ⅞ oz palm sugar and ½ cup water in a small pan over a low heat, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool until just warm.
3 minStep 2: Mix 7 oz glutinous rice flour, 1 ¾ oz rice flour, ½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt in a bowl. Pour in the syrup a little at a time, stirring with a spoon, then bring it together with your hands.
Step 3: Knead for 4–5 minutes, until the dough is smooth, soft and supple, like an earlobe, with no cracks when you squeeze a piece. Add a teaspoon of water or flour if needed. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
15 minStep 4: Divide into 12 pieces. Roll each into a rope about 15 cm long and 1.5 cm thick, then join the ends into a ring, pinching and smoothing the seam so it won't split. Keep the rings covered with a damp cloth so they don't dry out.
Step 5: Heat 1 litre vegetable oil in a deep, heavy pan to 325°F; a cube of bread should take about 30 seconds to turn golden. Never fill the pan more than half full.
Step 6: Fry 3 or 4 rings at a time for 6–7 minutes, turning now and then, until they puff slightly and turn an even, deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Stand back as you add them, and keep the temperature steady.
7 minStep 7: Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Fry the rest in batches, letting the oil come back to temperature between each.
14 minStep 8: For the glaze, put 2 ⅞ oz palm sugar and 3 tbsp water in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Bubble for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until thick and sticky and the bubbles turn large and slow.
3 minStep 9: Turn off the heat, add the fried rings and toss quickly until each is coated in a thin shiny glaze.
Step 10: Scatter over 3 tbsp white sesame seeds while the glaze is still tacky, turning the rings so the seeds stick all over. Cool on baking paper for 10 minutes; the glaze sets crisp. Eat the same day.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does num kong take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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.
- What can I use instead of palm sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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