Kanom Tarn or "Todday Palm Cake" is the well known ancient dessert of Thailand. This yummy dessert is made of raw toddy meat and will be left over the night to produce the natural yeast, which mean no need baking soda, yeast , or anykind of rising flour.
Toddy Palm is one of the natural homegrown palm species
that are widely known in Southeast Asia. With the unique taste
and beautiful amber yellow color, the toddy palm are usually
used to produced the wines and beverages in some companies.
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If you got a chance to try this cake before.. how does it taste it? and How much did you spend on this tiny little cake? First of all, let's see how we made it...
Pot and tools you will need. We are going to use the steamer to cook this one, so you have to prepare this one also.
Oops! picture is too big! Toddy palm , fell down and was found lonely on the ground..
Squeeze the toddy meat out (I will show you how to get it out), coconut, coconut milk 2 cups , rice flor,
sugar (1 cup+1/2) and some salt.
STEP 1 #
Clean the shell and use sharp knife to cut through the skin, it should be cut through so easily so because already riped, then peel the skin off...there you go ..gold bright yellow waves inside (smell like brown sugar+yeast)
STEP 2 #
After take all the peel out, you only need the meat this is what you have now....and then?
STEP 3 #
Rub, scratch, squeeze don't be too gentle , be hard on it because it's getting hard for you..use all power you have inside to squeeze the meat out through the drainer (soak it a little bit in the water).You can use anything you have in hand we're gonna end up with the same result. Rub it until there's no more meat and have only fluffy wave in your hand. ... take a deep breath and continue with ...
STEP 4 #
Lie the white thin clothes (can be cotton, or any thin fabric, muslin would be too thick) on the bowl, gently pour the toddy meat we have into the fabric
STEP 5 #
Grab the cloth up and squeeze out the meat through the fabric, this method will help prevent lumpy meat.
Then, put it back into the cloth again and now tie it up with something that hold the fabric up to let the juice run out from the meat through the cloth, leave it like that for 4-5 hours.
STEP 6 #
After that, you will have pure creamy toddy meat now. Gently pout the toddy meat into the flour and use the spoon the mix it together then add the sugar, salt and coconut milk (each step need to be completely done mixing)
STEP 7 #
Cover it the plastic wrap then leave it in the room temperature for 5-6 hours to let it produce the natural yeast, do not take care of it or worry too much that it will be rotten, by stirring or opening or move it around too much, If you are lazy (like me) leave it out for couple hours then throw it in the refrigerator over night.
STEP 8 #
Now you have a nice bright yellow creamy mixture, gently pout in the ceramic heat prove mold or the metal one is ok, best to use banana leaves though. oh! I forgot to tell you that you have to line the molds in the steamer and set the heat on high, water under the steamer, and warm those mold first...man..sorry.
STEP 9 #
Steam the mixture for 15 mins DO NOT open... no peeking it won't fluffff!
And then....
1....
2....
2.5....
ok..3!
Wallah!
another Wallah!
You can use spring the top with shreded coconut (optional)
Tips : - Everything must be clean
- If you have the canned version of toddy meat, you can skip all the squeezing steps and continue on mixing the ingredients.
- If you live in the high humidity area, hot like Thailand, don't leave it out more than 7 hours or it will be sour...we dont want that.
Over 10 hours has just flown by... like a dream come true. Can you guess how much you have spend to get this yummy cake?
0.14-0.18 $ / piece! at local market
WHAT!!! ?? Yes! 0.14 $ / piece :P
Next time when you visit Thailand, look for the tiny bright yellow cake on the treat at street food..
Do not forget to give it a try, and think of how hard it takes to make this one. Take a big bite... chew it slowly...feel the taste of culture :)
THANK YOU