I was going to eat them right out of the can but changed my mind when thought about how I have not post any recipes up for awhile. I decide to take the quick and easy route by making បង្អែមបបរខ្នុរ (Baw Baw Knaow) Jackfruit & Tapioca Pearls in Coconut Milk aka Jackfruit Pudding. Ingredients and steps are similar to my Corn & Tapioca Pearl in Coconut Milk. Some people like to make this using sticky rice. I did not have the patience to soak my sticky rice for several hours or wait until tomorrow to make this so I took the quick and easy way out.

Jackfruit & Tapioca Pearl in Coconut Milk (makes 3-4 servings)
(Baw Baw Knaow) បង្អែមបបរខ្នុរ

Ingredients
1  can jackfruit (20 oz size)
1 ½ cup water
4 tablespoons small size tapioca pearl (more if you prefer a thicker consistency)
1 can coconut milk (13 oz)
1/3 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method:
Strain jackfruit from can and slice them. Set aside.

In a pot bring water to a boil and add tapioca pearls. Cook for 2-3 minutes then simmer for another 10 minutes or until the pearls turns translucent (no whites). Stir occasionally so they don’t stick. Larger tapioca will take longer to cook.

Add the remainder ingredients and cook for about 5-7 minutes stirring. Then simmer low until the sauce thickens. Again, stir occasionally so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your preference. Turn off the heat.

Add slice jackfruit.

Serve warm or cold.

Note: The warm heat will soften the jackfruit. If you prefer a crunchy texture then allow the coconut milk mixture to cool completely before adding the slice jackfruit.  Another option is to add when warm but allow the entire pot to cool in the fridge.  This will also thicken it up.

Another one of my creations. This yummy dessert follow the same steps as my Mung Bean Dumpling in Coconut Milk recipe. The difference is the flavor. For those who doesn’t like mung bean now you can try my Taro Dumplings in Coconut Milk គ្រប់ត្រាវក្នុងខ្ទៈត្នោត. I like them both. If you like sweet dessert then you can sweeten the dough by adding granulated sugar. If you want to thin out the syrup you can add a little bit of water.

Ingredients
1 lb taro, peeled and cut into chunks
1 ¼ cup glutenous flour
¼ cup granulated sugar (optional)
½ cup palm sugar
1 ½  can coconut milk (13.5 oz can)
a pinch of salt
2 splashes of vanilla extract
8 cups of water
toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Method:
Steam or boil taro chunks until soften, about 20 minutes.

In the meantime make the coconut syrup by bringing 1 can of coconut milk and palm sugar and salt to a boil and then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Remove cooked taro and mash with the back of a fork. Mix mash taro with flour (and granulated sugar if you like to sweeten the dumplings) and use knead into a dough.

Pinch a small amount of dough and roll into a ball. If it’s too sticky, dust your hand with some flour. If it’s too dry, dip your fingers in a little bit of water and pat on the dough.

In a big pot bring water to a boil. Drop taro ball and cook until it floats up. Do it in batches if needed. Do not overcrowd. Drain with a stainer and add to coconut syrup.

Add the remainder coconut milk, a vanilla extract. Bring to a boil again and turn simmer another 2 minutes. Serve cool or at room temperature. Sprinkle some toasted sesame before serving.

I remember looking through a magazine and saw this beautiful looking dessert which was made with fried wonton. I was like how can something so simple looks so nice and expensive. Now it’s my time to recreate it. Recently blueberries was on sale for like $1 a pound. I didn’t have any recipe planned at the time of purchase but I thought I can always eat them fresh as is. But this evening I stumble across a very easy fresh blueberry sauce that I was able to adapt to my taste. With some wonton skins sitting in the fridge and a new bucket of vanilla ice cream in the freezer I quickly whip up this delicious Fried Wonton Ice Cream with Blueberry Sauce គៀវចៀនការ៉េមនឹងទឹកBlueberry. It’s a very easy and, to me elegant, looking dessert. My ice cream looks a bit of out shape because I just could not wait until the blueberry sauce cools down.

Ingredients
2 wonton skin
2 scoop of your favorite ice cream
oil for frying

Fresh Blueberry Sauce
1 cup water
¾ cup sugar
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:
Combine 1 cup water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Add blueberries and remaining ingredients to pan; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 4 minutes or until berries pop, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Heat about 3-4 tablespoons of oil (if you use a small sauce pan you can even use less oil as you only need a little amount to fry it). Toss wonton skin one at a time and fry til brown. Remove and let drain on paper towel.

It’s now time to plate it up. Lay one wonton skin follow by a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle a little bit of blueberry sauce. Repeat this step for the next layer and top with blueberries and more sauce.

Sweet Lil' Rice Dumplings

They said that food is both a friend and enemy of stress. This is so true especially when it comes to desserts. It’s an enemy because, well you know, desserts are loaded with calories so it’s going to make you blow up like a balloon (unless you have it in moderation which is doubtful when you are under stress). I’m feeling a bit stress out lately and I find that cooking especially making Cambodian desserts helps ease my mind and turn my focus on my dishes. Many Cambodian dessert requires a lot of patience and attention to detail such as this Sweet Lil’ Rice Dumplings ​​​នុំផ្លែអាយ made with glutinous rice flour stuffed with luscious sweet palm sugar and topped with shredded coconut Mmmmmmmm. It’s another one of my favorite Cambodian dessert.

There’s a funny story behind this dessert and it’s nickname. My first time experiencing this dessert was at an Asian Market. I didn’t know what they were called then and I had a hard time describing it to my Mother. She told me that it’s also refer to as “Num somlap pdey នុំសម្លាប់ប្តី” which translate to “dessert that kills your husband”. How could a delicious dessert turns into a murder weapon? I later found out that because glutinous rice flour has this soft, smooth, and chewy texture it can sometime be a choking hazardous if not eaten carefully. In addition, because there are palm sugar nested inside it might still be hot when you bite into it. Assuming that the husband doesn’t realize this he might swallow one without giving much thought. Next thing you know…? Well you can play with your imaginations. LOL So all, please be carefully when enjoying these sweet lil’ dumplings. It might not be suitable for small children or elders with dentures. If serving to your significant others, you might want to let them know what’s inside.

Ingredients
makes about 35 balls

¾ cup shaved palm sugar (If they come in blocks, use your knife to shave it off)
1 ½ cup glutinous rice flour
½ cup hot/warm water
1 pkg shredded coconut
1 tablespoon sesame seed
1 teaspoon salt

Method:
Pinch off pieces of palm sugar and roll them into small balls about the size of a dime. Once done transfer it to the freezer so that they say nice, firm and round ^{(figure 1)}.

In a mixing bowl add rice flour and make a well in the center and gradually pour in the water, drawing in the flour from the sides. Begin kneading to form a dough. You should not use more than ½ cup of water otherwise the dough will get too sticky to handle and you will end up adding more flour. The heat and pressure from your hands will help warm the dough so that it’s easier to knead. Separate them and form a sausage-like roll. Make equal size marking ^{(figure 2)}.

Remove palm sugar balls from freezer.

Roll the divided dough into a ball and then flatten it into a circle (you will want to make the same number of rice flour circles as there are sugar balls). Place a ball of palm sugar in the center and seal it by pinching and rolling the dough to smooth the edges. Repeat with the remaining dough and palm sugar balls ^{(figure 3)}.

Once the balls are made bring 8 cups of water to a boil and drop in the filled dumplings and cook for a few minutes, until they rise to the surface. Once cooked, drain the dumplings on paper towel or a colander. They tend to stick to paper towels sometimes.

Lightly toast the sesame seeds on medium heat. DO NOT STEP AWAY from it. Toss or shake them so they toast evenly until light brown and crisp. Transfer it to a mortal & pestle and pound briefly to release their flavor. Mix the sesame seeds with the salt.

Now it’s time to plate it up. Arrange dumplings on a plate and sprinkle with the sesame-seed mixture topped with shredded coconut. Serve immediately.

Mung Bean Dumplings in Coconut Syrup

For my love of mung beans in dessert here is my attempt to put them into use again.  I have to add this dessert to my list of favorites. It’s so G-O-O-D and since it’s in a soupy form it goes down quick as well unlike my Sweet Jackfruit Seed dessert which was in a cookie form that can be savor little by little.  This one is very similar to my other favorite which is the Sweet Rice Dumplings stuffed with Mung Bean in Ginger Syrup in Khmer called Banh Ja’neuk បាញ់ចានឿក. This is sort of like similar; instead of the mung beans inside the glutinous rice ball, it is combined together with the rice flour to create this very heavenly smooth, sweet and yummy taste when you bite into it. The syrup is very simple; coconut milk with palm sugar with pinch of salt to balance it out and a touch of vanilla extract for that nice aroma. I wonder how it would be if I were to use the Ginger Syrup for these cute little mung beans dumplings?  Hmmmm… my curious mind, perhaps next time I will put it to the test. In the meantime enjoy my recipe for this mouthwatering Mung Bean Dumplings in Coconut Syrup​ (Krop Sondake Knong Ktiss Tnawt) គ្រាប់សណ្តែកក្នុងខ្ទៈត្នោត .

Ingredients
3 oz split mung beans
1 can coconut cream (13.5 oz)
2 oz pure palm sugar
½ cup glutinous rice flour
^1/₃ cup of water + ½ cup of water for syrup (optional)
1-2 drops of pure vanilla extra
a pinch of salt
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed (optional)

Method:
Soak mung beans in warm water for at least 3-4 hours. It’s best to do it overnight. Rinse and drain the mung bean. If possible, wrap in cheesecloth. This helps prevent it from sticking. Steam for about 20-25 minutes until soften. Transfer small amount at a time to a mortar & pestle and mash to a paste. If your blender is capable of blending dry ingredients, then by all means use it. It will help save a lot of time. Or you can get a nice arm workout by pounding as well.

Reserve 1 cup of coconut milk and pour the remainder in a pot. Add palm sugar, a pinch of salt and water (optional). We don’t like our dessert too sweet so I thin it out. Stir until the palm sugar dissolves then turn off the heat.

Mix the mash mung beans with glutinous rice flour. If you want to sweeten the dough you can add granulated sugar. Pour warm water a little at a time and start forming a dough. You should not use more than ^1/₃ cup of water.

• As you form the dough use your hands and palm to knead the dough until soften ^{(figure 1)}.
• Once the dough is form divide and roll it out  like sausage with the palms of your hands. Then use a knife to mark about ½ inch a part. This serves as a guide so your dumplings are of equal size ^{(figure 2)}.
• Now comes the fun part. Grab the dough by the marking and start forming a ball. If the dough cracks you can dip your fingers in warm water and press it. Make about 50 dime size ball and set aside ^{(figure 3)}.
• In a pot of boiling water drop the dumplings in batches. Don’t overcrowd them. It will float to the top when it is cook. Remove them from the boiling water and add to the coconut syrup. This will prevent them from sticking together ^{(figure 4)}.

Once all dumplings is in the syrup add the reserve 1 cup of coconut milk and a couple drops of vanilla extract. Turn the heat back up and bring to a boil then simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Wait until cool before serving. Sprinkle some toasted sesame seed when serving.