Khanom Krok (Coconut Rice Cakes)

Khanom krok are a Thai breakfast/snack/dessert dish that use a rice flour and coconut batter, traditionally cooked in small circular hollows in a round cast iron tray called a 'krok'. They have a texture a bit like Japanese mochi; slightly bouncy, chewy with a pleasing crispy outer layer. They're usually topped with colourful ingredients like pumpkin, spring onion or as used here, sweetcorn.

This recipe is for an oven baked version of khanom krok; although it is possible to get the cast iron krok pans here in the UK (I've seen them on our visits to Raan Thai in Birkenhead) they're also relatively expensive and need a gas burner underneath. Unfortunately our ceramic hob wouldn't work for such a cooking method so I've come up with both an alternative cooking method and utensil in which to cook them.

Those in the UK and possibly also the US, may be familiar with the famous Yorkshire pudding (a crispy egg/flour batter based baked item often served with roasted meats, vegetables and gravy). I've used the same cooking method and shallow 4-holed baking tray to make the khanom kroks. You can also use a muffin/cupcake tin but make sure that whatever tray type you use, just don't fill the batter to more than 3cm/1 inch deep or they won't fully cook through.

For 8 khanom kroks, you'll need:

• 1 400ml can coconut milk- divide it into two parts- the thicker cream and the thinner milk.
• 1/2 cup water
• 50g sugar
• 3/4 cup of rice flour
• 1/4 cup of tapioca flour
• a pinch of salt
• a tablespoon or so of corn kernels (frozen/tinned is fine)
• a small drizzle of vegetable oil

Get the oven heating up before beginning to make the batter- turn it to it's hottest temperature and put your Yorkshire pudding/ cupcake/muffin tray in to get really hot.

For the outside batter, mix the rice flour, salt, thinner coconut milk and water together, mixing until there are no lumps left- it should have the consistency of thin/single cream.

Also make the inner batter; mix the tapioca flour, sugar and thicker coconut cream together, again, whisking/beating until the mixture reaches a smooth, lump-free, cake- icing like consistency.

Get the tin out of the oven (obviously using an oven mitt or something!) and pour a drop of oil into each hole. Use a piece of kitchen roll to make sure all the inside surface is well oiled.

Pop the tray back in the oven for a few more minutes to heat up again.

Working quickly now, get the the tray out and pour about a tablespoon of the thinner outer batter into each hole; you should hear it sizzle. Gently holding the tray (still in a gloved hand!!) roll it a little, so some of the batter touches the sides of each hole.

Pop the tray back in the oven to allow the skin of the outer batter to form- and leave to cook for 3-4 minutes.

Now get the tray out again and this time, use the thick inner batter, spoon out a generous tablespoon into the middle of each hole, on top of the almost cooked outer batter.

Drop a few corn kernels on to the top of each lot of the mixtures.

Place back into the oven for 10 minutes until fully cooked. Use a table knife to carefully lift the khanom kroks aways from the surface of the baking tray and lift out with a spoon.

As I only had the one Yorkshire pudding tray, I then repeated to give me 8 in total.