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Kluay buat chi (bananas in coconut milk)
กล้วยบวชชี · small bananas simmered in salty-sweet coconut milk
Rows of pots of this simple sweet sit on home stoves all over central Thailand, and it is often the first dessert a Thai cook learns. The name compares the pale bananas in white coconut milk to women ordained as nuns in white robes. Small, sweet namwa bananas soften without collapsing, and the milk is seasoned so salt and palm sugar balance. Eat it warm or at room temperature, as an afternoon snack or after a spicy dinner. Chef's tip: boiling the coconut milk hard is the usual error; it splits and turns oily, so keep it at a bare simmer.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 8 small bananasnamwa or lady finger, ripe but firm; or 4 regular bananas
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk
- ¾ cup water
- 2 ⅛ oz palm sugarchopped
- ⅔ oz sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 pandan leavesknotted
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Peel 8 small bananas and cut each into 2 or 3 pieces on the diagonal (cut regular bananas into 4).
3 minStep 2: Put 1 ¾ cups coconut milk, ¾ cup water, 2 ⅛ oz palm sugar, ⅔ oz sugar, ½ tsp salt and 2 pandan leaves in a saucepan over a medium-low heat and stir until the sugar has melted.
5 minStep 3: Add the bananas and keep the pan at a gentle simmer, with just a few bubbles, until they are tender and slightly translucent at the edges but still hold their shape.
8 minStep 4: Taste: it should be sweet with a clear salty finish. Remove the pandan and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kluay buat chi (bananas in coconut milk) take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
- What can I use instead of small bananas?
- Mango, same weight (in smoothies and shakes).
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
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