Name: Vietnamese Steamed Banana Cake (Banh Chuoi Hap)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 100 grams tapioca starch; 50 grams rice flour; 80 grams sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 drops yellow gel food coloring; 200 mL water (room temperature); 3 ripe large bananas (about 1 lb); 200 mL water; 1 fresh pandan leaf; 2 tablespoons sago or small tapioca balls; 1 small can coconut milk (165 mL); Pinch salt; 25 grams sugar; Vegetable oil (to grease pan); Toasted crushed peanuts (optional); Toasted white sesame seeds (optional)

Description

A traditional Vietnamese steamed banana cake that’s bouncy, not too sweet, and dressed with a creamy coconut sauce.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Batter

100 grams tapioca starch
50 grams rice flour
80 grams sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 drops yellow gel food coloring
200 ml water (room temperature)
3 ripe large bananas (about 1 lb)

Coconut Milk Sauce

200 ml water
1 fresh pandan leaf
2 tablespoons sago or small tapioca balls
1 small can coconut milk (165 mL)
Pinch salt
25 grams sugar

Other Ingredients

Vegetable oil (to grease pan)
Toasted crushed peanuts (optional)
Toasted white sesame seeds (optional)

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Instructions

Prepare batter: In a medium bowl, combine tapioca starch, rice flour, sugar, salt, yellow food coloring, and water until completely dissolved. Mash 2 of the 3 bananas with a fork. Mix this into the batter.
Peel the last banana and slice into ⅛-inch thick circles. Set aside. This will be used to decorate the top.
Grease a 9-inch baking pan and pour the batter in. Place the banana slices across the top. Gently press them down into the batter so that batter thinly covers the top.
Steam over medium heat for about 35 minutes or until the cake is firm and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Wipe down the inside of the lid at the halfway point to prevent water droplets from falling onto the cake.
Prepare coconut sauce: In the meantime, in a small sauce pan, bring water to a boil. Add tapioca/sago balls and cook on a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes or until tapioca/sago balls are translucent. Discard pandan leaf. Add coconut milk, salt, and sugar. Simmer for 2 more minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly to thicken.
Finish: Allow the banana cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan then cut into pieces. Drizzle the coconut milk sauce over the cake before serving. Top with toasted crushed peanuts and sesame seeds (optional) and enjoy.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese