PANDAN CAKES

It’s called “Ọm Chiết” in Khmer. The cake name comes from the pandan fragrance blended in the cake. When cooked, the dough goes through a sieve to shape the cake and it is therefore called sieve cakes. The Khmer are very honest and hard-working which is well expressed in their culinary culture. Even though this is just a simple cake, they would make it with all their hearts. Choose the best sticky rice, soak and mixed with pandan leaves to create fragrance. After that, leave the mixture to dry and finely grind it. The cake stuffing consists of grated coconut meat mixed with sugar or palm sugar, and pounded roasted peanuts. The mixture is fried until it become dry and aromatic. Prepare a hot pan, scoop the powder into the sieve, and sift to remove large raw powder crumbs that affect the cake smooth texture. The powder should be sifted quickly, into a thin round layer in the pan. When the edge is cooked to curve up, spread the stuffing on the surface, and fold the cake into a square or half a circle. Finally, scoop it out onto banana leaves. When the cake is well done, its unique fragrance fills the air. With one bite, one can be surprised by the smooth crispy cakes, a wonderful combination of sweet greasy sticky rice, coconut and peanuts. Cakes are sold in Kien Giang, Soc Trang and Tra Vinh where many Khmers live. Although I have tried many expensive cakes, this cake form my childhood has always makes me homesick living away from home away from home. During my times living far from my hometown Soc Trang, I always look forward to find pandan cakes at some corner of the market, to see the skillful hands making them, and to smell the sweet fragrance. Unfortunately, the only way to enjoy this cake is to go back to my hometown.

Collected by Linh Trang