khanom-tom

Appetizers Collection

Khanom Tom

This recipe for traditional Thai coconut balls is all about the coconut. First, skip the preshredded stuff (the filling won't hold together with it) and get yourself to the produce department for a fresh one. Look for a coconut with a brown husk (rather than one with a white fibrous exterior, often labeled "young Thai" coconut). Brown-husked coconuts have firmer flesh that's easier to shred. Editor's note: Brooke Siem learned to make these coconut balls from a woman named Ratachanee on the Thai island of Koh Phangan.

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup palm sugar (see Tips) or brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water plus 1/2 cup, plus more if needed
  • 1 ½ cups finely shredded fresh coconut (see Tips), divided
  • 1 ¼ cups glutinous rice flour (see Tips), plus more for dusting

Directions

  1. Put a large pot of water on to boil.

  2. Heat sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup coconut and cook, stirring frequently, until the coconut has absorbed most of the syrup and the syrup has darkened, 2 to 3 minutes. (Watch carefully as this can burn very quickly.) Immediately transfer the caramelized coconut to a bowl to cool.

  3. Combine rice flour and the remaining 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl and knead into a soft dough. It should be slightly tacky but not wet, similar to Play-Doh. If necessary, add water, a tablespoon at a time, to get the right consistency. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest.

  4. Dust a work surface with more rice flour. Using about 1 teaspoon each, shape the still-warm filling into 24 balls. Then pinch off a 1-inch chunk of the dough and flatten it into a disk about 1/4 inch thick. Place a coconut ball in the center and pinch the dough around it. Roll between your palms to create a round dumpling and seal the seams. Place the khanom tom on the flour-dusted surface. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

  5. Spread the remaining 1 cup coconut in a shallow dish. Working in 2 or 3 batches, gently drop the khanom tom into the boiling water and cook until they float to the surface, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to the shallow dish and immediately roll in the coconut. Transfer to a wire rack or plate.