Thai
Vegan
Gluten freeKalamae (Thai coconut caramel sticky rice sweet)
Glutinous rice flour, coconut milk and palm sugar stirred slowly into a dark, chewy, glossy sweet
Kalamae is the Songkran sweet of Central Thailand: in villages, neighbours take turns at a huge wok for hours, and the finished trays go to monks and elders at the New Year, the long shared stirring standing for a community pulling together and the sweetness for a sweet year ahead. Glutinous rice flour, coconut milk and palm sugar slowly turn from milky beige to a deep mahogany paste that is chewy, a little smoky and rich with coconut. Cut it into small squares and serve with jasmine tea, or wrap the pieces in banana leaf to give away. A home batch takes about two and a half hours at the stove, so put on some music and keep a wooden spoon moving. Chef's tip: use the widest heavy pan you own; more surface means faster thickening and less risk of scorching.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 160 min
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Serves
- 16
- Per serving
- 250 kcal
Ingredients
For the kalamae
- 7 oz glutinous rice flour
- 5 cups coconut milkfull-fat, from 3 cans, shaken
- 10 ½ oz palm sugarchopped
- 3 ½ oz light brown sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 pandan leaves (optional)tied in a knot
- 1 tbsp coconut oilfor the tray
To serve
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 banana leaf (optional)cut into squares, for wrapping
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Whisk 7 oz glutinous rice flour with 400 ml of the 1 ¾ cups coconut milk in a bowl until completely smooth, with no lumps left.
5 minStep 2: Put 10 ½ oz palm sugar, 3 ½ oz light brown sugar and 100 ml of water in a small pan over a low heat and stir until melted, then pour through a sieve to catch any grit.
8 minStep 3: Pour the rest of the 3 ¼ cups coconut milk into a wide, heavy wok or pan with ½ tsp salt and 4 pandan leaves and bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat.
8 minStep 4: Stir in the sugar syrup, then pour in the flour mixture in a thin stream, stirring all the time. It will thicken to a loose porridge within a few minutes.
5 minStep 5: Turn the heat to medium-low and keep stirring and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon for about 2 hours. It goes from beige to caramel to dark brown, and gets thicker and harder to stir. Common mistake: turning the heat up to save time; the bottom scorches and the whole batch tastes bitter.
120 minStep 6: It is ready when it is very dark, glossy, comes away from the pan in one mass, and the coconut oil starts to shine at the edges. A little dropped on a plate should hold its shape and not stick to a wet finger. Fish out the pandan.
10 minStep 7: Brush a 20 cm square tin with 1 tbsp coconut oil and scrape in the paste. Smooth the top with an oiled spatula.
4 minStep 8: Leave to cool and set at room temperature for at least 2 hours, then cut into 16 squares with an oiled knife. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds and wrap in 1 banana leaf if you like. Keep in an airtight box at cool room temperature for 3 days, or in the fridge for a week (warm slightly before eating).
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 35 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kalamae (Thai coconut caramel sticky rice sweet) take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 160 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 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.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
- What can I use instead of palm sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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