Asian street food - Khmer fast food - Cambodia street food - banana and ...

Asian street food - Khmer fast food - Cambodia street food - banana and bread fast food 2019 🍪🥓🍪

Asian street food - Khmer fast food - Cambodia street food - banana and bread fast food 2019 🍪🥓🍪

In Cambodia, Cambodian New Year is one of our greatest national holidays and during this time most family will be making many Cambodian desserts —Num Ansom Chek is one of the more popular Khmer dessert during this festivity.

It is three to four days of festivities, so, therefore, cooking is a large part of our whole morning routine. I remember my mother cutting and prepping everything overnight and waking up earlier than the birds (at 4 am) to start making all the dishes she wants to serve at the local wat (temple) to appease the spirits of our ancestors. And the one thing that took a really long time to make was, one of my favourite Cambodian dessert, Num Ansom Chek and Num Ansom Chrouk (pork version). Not because it was difficult to make, or that it had a large number of ingredients, it’s because I made so many of it, we could have served the whole town with it. Trust me, I am definitely not exaggerating. Ask any other Cambodians you know. But the great thing about Num Ansom Chek is that the ingredients are so simple, yet so healthy: baby bananas, glutinous/sweet rice, coconut milk, actual coconuts, red beans, palm sugar and salt.

As I mentioned, this is a very healthy Cambodian dessert, so the word “dessert” is relative –those expecting anything in the realm of chocolate or Chinese moon cakes, will surely be disappointed. It is of a more mellow, delicate flavour, and soft texture. The only crunch you will taste in it would be the texture of the red beans, but the flavour of the sweet banana, the little hint of salt, and the aromatic scent of the banana leaves sync so well, that its such an exceptional experience.

In this version of Num Ansom Chet, I am adding jackfruit into the mixture to give it a more sweet, less delicate taste. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed!