Ingredients
Batter
- 200 gtapioca flour
- 80 grice flour
- 50 garrowroot flour
- 350 gcaster sugar
- 700 mlthick coconut milk
- 1/2 tspsalt
Colouring
- 80 mlpandan extract, from blended pandan leaves
- or butterfly pea flower infusion for blue
Equipment
- a square or round steaming tin, about 20 cm
- a large steamer
- a cloth for the steamer lid
Directions
- Chop a bunch of pandan leaves and blend them with a little water. Strain the pulp through a cloth, squeezing hard. The extract should be deep green and smell strongly of pandan. Let it settle and use the liquid rather than the sediment. Sift all three flours together into a large bowl. Add the sugar and the salt to it.
- Pour in the coconut milk gradually while whisking. Whisk until it is completely smooth with no lumps at all. Strain the batter through a fine sieve into a jug. Divide the batter into two jugs. Stir the pandan extract into one of them.
- Adjust with a little coconut milk so both jugs hold the same volume. Now the steamer, which must be set up carefully. Fill the steamer with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Wrap the lid in a cloth so condensation cannot drip onto the layers. Grease the tin very lightly with oil.
- Set the empty tin in the steamer and let it heat for five minutes. A hot tin sets the first layer evenly. Pour a thin layer of the white batter into the hot tin. Use roughly a ninth of one jug for each white layer. The layer should be about three millimetres deep.
- Cover and steam it for five minutes until it is set and no longer wet. Test it by touching the surface, which should feel firm and tacky. Pour the green batter over the set white layer. Steam it for another five minutes. Continue alternating white and green until you have nine layers. Each layer must be fully set before the next goes on.
- Steam the top layer for eight minutes rather than five. The whole block should feel firm and springy when pressed. Take the tin out and let it cool at room temperature. Do not refrigerate it, since cold makes the starch go hard and chalky.
- Let it cool for at least three hours until fully set. It should be firm enough to cut cleanly. Oil a sharp knife or use a plastic knife. Cut it into diamonds or squares, wiping the blade between cuts. The cut face should show every layer distinctly. Serve it at cool room temperature. It keeps for two days covered at room temperature.
Technique
- Each layer must be fully set before the next is poured, or they merge.
- Wrap the steamer lid in a cloth, since a single drip pits the surface.
- Never refrigerate it, as cold makes the starch hard and chalky.
Substitutions
- Butterfly pea flower infusion for blue layers instead of green.
- Bottled pandan extract, though fresh is much better.
Variations
- Made in blue and white with butterfly pea.
- Rolled up rather than cut into blocks.
- With more layers, which some cooks make as a display piece.
History
An auspicious Thai sweet made with nine layers, since the Thai word for layer also suggests promotion.
Frequently asked questions
What is Khanom Chan?
Khanom Chan is a dessert from Thailand: steamed layers of coconut milk and tapioca flour, peeled apart one by one. An auspicious Thai sweet made with nine layers, since the Thai word for layer also suggests promotion.
How long does Khanom Chan take to make?
Khanom Chan takes 30 min of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The recipe makes 9 layers, about 24 pieces. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Khanom Chan?
Yes, within limits. Butterfly pea flower infusion for blue layers instead of green. Bottled pandan extract, though fresh is much better.
What is the most important thing to get right in Khanom Chan?
Chop a bunch of pandan leaves and blend them with a little water. Strain the pulp through a cloth, squeezing hard. The extract should be deep green and smell strongly of pandan. Let it settle and use the liquid rather than the sediment. Sift all three flours together into a large bowl. Add the sugar and the salt to it.
