C – This is my favorite Cambodian dessert.
Sadly, I have not perfected this recipe yet. My dad is the master at making this recipe. I don’t know what he puts in it, but it is amazing. Even sadder, I have watched him make this pudding countless times. I still can’t make it like he does. He has even watched me make it. He has stood by my side when making this recipe. I still couldn’t get it as good as his.
He must be throwing something in it when I am not looking. (I really can’t say this because my father is a strong Buddhist meditator, so he doesn’t lie.)
There are a few things that can make or break this tapioca pudding. First, the right kind of bananas. The bananas that you use in this recipe have to be ripe. Not over-ripe where the skin is completely black. They just have to be ripe enough that the skin has black dots. If it is under-ripened, the bananas in the pudding will be sour. If you like sweet and sour desserts, under-ripened bananas is the way to go. Second is the right amount of bananas. If you use too little, the pudding won’t taste like bananas. If you put use much, you won’t get a nice tapioca pudding mixture. Lastly, always remember to add a bit of salt to balance out the dessert. Salt will make the dessert sweeter.
This recipe isn’t my dad’s recipe. It’s my own. It’s not super sweet. It could be sweeter. My dad’s recipe is much sweeter. I like that I can eat more because it isn’t super sweet. I added a lot of coconut milk because I wanted a strong coconut smell and taste. My dad doesn’t add a lot of coconut milk. But, somehow he actually has more coconut flavor than mine. He adds lots of bananas. I needed to add more. I just didn’t have enough ripe bananas to make this.
| Coconut Banana Tapioca Pudding |
- 10 cups filtered water
- 4 – 5 ripe bananas
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup tapioca, small pearls
- 12 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ tsp salt
- In a large pot, place water and bring to a boil.
- Add tapioca pearls. Cook until translucent, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally so tapioca doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Peel and slice bananas ¾ inch thick.
- Add banana, salt and sugar into pot. Cook until bananas are tender, about 7 minutes.
- Turn off heat and add coconut milk.
- Let cool. Pudding will continue thickening as it cools.
- Serve warm or cold. Store in refrigerator. After 24 hours, pudding will be really thick.
- Enjoy!
I liked that I made this recipe my own. It’s a nice treat when I get to go home to visit my family and my dad makes this for me. His is a nice treat. Mine is unique in its own way. It think that’s what my dad would anticipate me doing. Making things my own.
Thanks, Dad, for showing me this great recipe. I hope I haven’t changed it too much.