Recipe: Kha Nom Tom (Thai Glutinous Rice Balls)

Posted onAuthoreggbanana4 Comments

We’ve had a request for more recipes and more food-related content from Sadie. Understandable – Thailand is like some magical wonderland of culinary delights. At least three times a day we lean back in our seats after some orgasmic Thai dish, and can barely refrain from weeping with joy.

Please note, we are not food photographers, but these little balls are deliciously chewy, and the sweet mixture inside bursts in the mouth. We learned how to make Kha Nom Tom while staying in Pai.

Sadie, this one’s for you!

THE FILLING

First, make up a mixture of shredded coconut and brown sugar. About a cup of each, if you want to get technical. Melt those together over a low heat in a saucepan until you’ve got yourself some sugary, goopy goodness. Go ahead and eat a spoonful. You won’t regret it.

THE DOUGH (AND THE COOKING. AND, WELL, EVERYTHING ELSE)

Get yourself a bowl, a mixing paddle of some kind, and a bag of glutinous flour. We didn't use any kind of measureing apparatus, just threw a bunch of flour into the bowl. Your yield will vary, of course, but you'll be okay. Life will continue regardless of how many rice balls you produce. Stop worrying so much.

Get yourself a bowl, a mixing paddle of some kind, and a bag of glutinous rice flour. We didn’t use any kind of measuring apparatus, just poured some flour into the bowl. Your yield will vary, of course, but you’ll be okay. Life will continue regardless of how many rice balls you produce. Stop worrying so much.

Pour in some water. There's no measurement here either, you're ultimately going for a consistency that's like a soft dough, that's not sticky

Pour in some water. There’s no measurement here either, you’re ultimately going for a consistency that’s like a soft dough – not sticky

Add table salt salt in as you stir the mixture. About 1000 grains of salt should suffice, give or take.

Add table salt as you stir the mixture. About 1000 grains of salt should suffice, give or take.

When you've got your putty-like dough ready, press it into flat discs

When you’ve got your putty-like dough ready, press it into flat discs

Spoon some of that sugary coconut goodness into the centre of each disc, then fold it up indide and roll it into a ball

Spoon some of that sugary coconut goodness into the centre of each disc, then fold it up inside and roll it into a ball

Align your balls in a pattern that seems random at first, but is actually an intricate network of patterns and codes.

Align your balls in a pattern that seems random at first, but is actually an intricate network of markings and codes.

Throw your balls in boiling water. They're ready to eat when they float to the surface

Gently submerge your balls in boiling water. They’re ready to eat when they float to the surface

What you may want to do - what is normally done - is roll your balls around in dessicated coconut. We didn't have any at the time.

What you may want to do – what is normally done – is roll your balls around in dessicated coconut. We didn’t have any remaining.

Nom nom mmmm

This dish is best served with a glass of Merlot

~~~

Just an ordinary train

4 Replies to “Recipe: Kha Nom Tom (Thai Glutinous Rice Balls)”

  3. Love your laid back recipe instructions although you do know that you’ll have some people counting 1000 grains of salt don’t you? haha! Ah the joys of things made with glutinous rice, we recently learnt to make the Cambodian version of this (nom play aye) – very similar to your Khanom Tom but the ands down winner of the best filled glutinous rice ball dumplings has to go to Malaysia for their (your) ondeh-ondeh!

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