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Pisang rai
Bananas in rice-flour batter
Pisang rai: Balinese bananas wrapped in rice-flour batter, poached and rolled in fresh coconut
Pisang rai is a Balinese market sweet, wrapped in banana leaf and sold alongside klepon and lak-lak in the early morning. Small ripe bananas are coated in a thick rice-flour batter and dropped into boiling water rather than oil, so they come out soft, chewy and pale, ready to be rolled in salted grated coconut and drizzled with palm-sugar syrup. Some cooks colour the batter green with pandan. Chef's tip: the bananas are done when they float and the batter turns translucent at the edges; another minute firms the coating without making it gluey.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the bananas
- 6 small ripe bananasor 3 large, halved
- 4 oz rice flour
- 1 oz glutinous rice flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp pandan extract (optional)
For the coating and syrup
- 3 ½ oz freshly grated coconut
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 ½ oz palm sugarchopped
- ¼ cup water
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 3 ½ oz freshly grated coconut with ¼ tsp salt and steam it for 5 minutes in a heatproof bowl over boiling water, which keeps it fresh for longer. Spread on a plate.
6 minStep 2: Melt 3 ½ oz palm sugar in ¼ cup water over a medium heat and simmer for 3 minutes, until syrupy. Leave to cool.
4 minStep 3: Whisk 4 oz rice flour, 1 oz glutinous rice flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 pinch salt, ½ cup water and ½ tsp pandan extract into a thick batter that clings heavily to a spoon. Common mistake: a runny batter; it slides off the bananas in the water.
3 minStep 4: Bring a wide pan of water to a rolling boil. Peel 6 small ripe bananas, dip each in the batter to coat completely and lower into the water. Cook over a medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes, until they float and the coating looks glossy and slightly translucent.
7 minStep 5: Lift out with a slotted spoon, roll straight away in the coconut and serve warm with the syrup.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pisang rai take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 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 ripe bananas?
- Mango, same weight (in smoothies and shakes).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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