What's up Hive people? Here in Cambodia, we are in the midst of the Pchum Ben celebrations. Though a triangle or log-shaped Nom Kom sweet is shared among Cambodian people during Pchum Ben and other special celebrations such as Khmer New Year, I decided to make a poppy seed roll to offer to my neighbors in return for the Nom Kom they made for us.
Nom Kom is a sticky rice cake with a filling that usually consists of shredded coconut and palm sugar. These traditional Cambodian sweets are steamed in banana leaves.
Though I couldn't find the post back on Hive, find 
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Pchum Ben is a 2-week Cambodian Buddhistic festival to honor the ancestors. Together with Khmer New Year in April, Pchum Ben is the most important festival in the Khmer religious calendar.
I always compare it with Christmas in the West as it is also a Holiday spend with family. Unlike Khmer New Year where people get onto the streets with water guns and baby powder.
According to their belief, during Phchum Ben, souls and spirits come to receive offerings from their living relatives. Therefore, Cambodian people try not to miss a visit to the pagoda during these 2 weeks to dedicate food and offerings to the dead.
Though this year mass gatherings at pagodas are forbidden to avoid the spread of COVID, this isn't stopping the monks and people to do their prayers and make their offers. We live close to a pagoda and the past few days we woke up to the calming, fortunately not too loud, rytmic chanting.
Happy Pchum Ben to all my Khmer brothers and sisters!!!
Let's celebrate with a 💯 percent plant-powered poppy seed roll.
VEGAN POPPY SEED ROLL
Ingredients (makes 1 roll)
For the filling
- 1 heaping cup poppy seeds (about 150g)
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup plant-based milk (I used homemade cashew milk --> see notes)
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp coconut cream
- 1/3 cup raw palm sugar
- 1/2 to 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 to 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 heaping cup dried red peaches, chopped
- 1/4 heaping cup candied papaya, chopped
- 1/3 cup walnuts, chipped
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds
FYI: I used dried peaches and candied papaya as the dried fruit part of the filling because that is what I have available. You can substitute for whatever dried fruit you have such as raisins, goji berries, mulberries, candied orange peel, etc.
For the dough
Dry ingredients
- 1 cup or 125g flour, sifted
- 2 tsp instant dry yeast
- A pinch of Himalayan pink salt
- 2 Tbsp raw palm sugar
- Pinch of turmeric for color (optional)
FYI: to give your roll a funkier color you could use pandan powder, matcha powder, or moringa powder instead of turmeric. Next time I am making a roll it's definitely going to be a green one 💚
Wet ingredients
- 1/4 cup plant-based milk (I used homemade cashew milk --> see notes)
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
Topping
- Icing sugar
- Water
Instructions
To make the filling
Grind poppy seeds in a coffee or spice grinder. You can use a meat grinder too.
To soften the peaches before chopping, I soaked them in boiling water for 10 minutes. The candied papaya was already soft enough, so no need to presoak. Chop in small pieces.
Heat the milk until just boiling. Pour over the poppy seeds, mix well and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add all other filling ingredients to the poppy seeds and mix well.
Cover and let set in the fridge while preparing the dough.
To make the dough
In a bowl, sift the flour and add all other dry ingredients. Mix well. Then add the plant milk and mix with a fork before adding the coconut oil.
Knead the dough using your hands for about 10 minutes or until elastic. Knead as you would do when making bread. If it sticks to your work surface, dust the surface with flour.
Place the dough in the middle of a flour-dusted bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Proof for 1.5 to 2 hours. It should be doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 180C or 350F.
Roll the dough in a 3 mm thick rectangle.
Add the filling in an even layer, leaving a 2 cm margin.
Roll the dough into a log. Gently press the end to the dough, add some water or plant-based milk if needed to make sure the bottom doesn't break open.
Wrap the roll in baking paper, leaving about a finger-wide gap so the dough has room to expand.
Place the roll, seam side down, in the middle of a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned and cooked.
Remove baking powder and allow it to cool.
I topped mine with a paste made from icing sugar and a little water.
Apply when the roll is still a little hot and let harden before serving. Serve immediately or store in the fridge.
Taste is personal... We liked the roll straight after cooking and cooling, but we liked it even better when chilled in the fridge for an hour or 2
Notes
Cashew milk is one of the easiest plant milks to make. Since the nut is so soft you don't need to presoak or strain. That's why we mostly use cashew milk in our recipes.
Store-bought varieties are super expensive here and hard to find. Plus they come with a whole list of additives. We like it clean and simple. Cashew nuts and water.
To make cashew milk simply blend cashew and water for a minute or two in a blender.
Ratio: 1/2 cup raw cashew nuts + 2 cups filtered water
If you don't have a powerful enough blender you can always soak the cashews for a few hours in water. Or use the quick soaking method --> boil water, turn off the heat and soak nuts in the hot water for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY AND HEALTHY DAY ღ ღ ღ
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