Steamed Coconut-Pandan Cake (Khanom chan)

Khanom chan is a unique Thai dessert made with steamed batter of several starches, typically rice, tapioca, and arrowroot flour, coconut milk, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Making this Thai delicacy is a laborious process, but definitely worth the time and effort.

The batter is divided into two halves - one flavored only with jasmine, whereas the other is flavored both with jasmine and pandan. The pandan leaves’ extract gives the latter a typical green color and a nutty flavor. The dessert is then steamed into several individual layers, traditionally nine, alternating between the coconut-infused batter and the coconut-and-pandan-infused one, which results in its distinctive two-toned look.

Although the traditional khanom chan has white and green layers, different food dyes can be added to the batter to achieve a more colorful dessert. This silky delicacy is usually decorated with jasmine flowers and pairs perfectly with a cup of tea.