Bánh chuối hấp, steamed banana cake, brings together banana and coconut. The ingredients are easy to find. Sliced bananas and a cooked mixture of flour, sugar and water go into a mould in two layers, are steamed, and then chilled before serving. Time: the cooked cake chills in the fridge for 1–2 hours. Ingredients 5–6 bananas (an Asian type, as in the pictures below) 1 tablespoon sliced coconut meat 80 g sugar 150 g flour 250 ml water Cooking oil, for the mould An aluminium mould 15 cm in diameter, or a ceramic bowl Roasted peanuts and coconut milk, to serve (optional) How to make bánh chuối hấp 1. Prepare the bananas Peel the bananas. Choose ripe ones. Boil water, add the bananas and blanch them quickly. Then take them out and put them on plates. Slice the bananas around 0.8 cm thick. 2. Cook the flour mixture Add the water, flour and sugar and stir. Cook over medium heat and keep stirring until the mixture is warm, then turn off the heat. Doing this keeps the flour from sinking to the bottom. 3. Layer and steam Rub cooking oil all over the mould or ceramic bowl. Put in half of the bananas, then pour the flour mixture over them until the mould is about ½ full. Sprinkle the sliced coconut meat on top. Put the mould into the steamer, cook over high heat and seal the lid. Steam until the flour layer on top is cooked, then add the remaining bananas and flour mixture. Steam until the cake is cooked. Every so often, open the lid and use a towel to wipe the water off the inside of the lid. 4. Chill and serve When the cake is cooked, take it out of the steamer, let it cool, then put it in the fridge for 1–2 hours. Serve it cold. If you like, sprinkle some roasted peanuts on top and pour over a little bit of coconut milk when you eat it. Share:
