Use your imagination as we take you through an incredibly brief tour of Thailand. Welcome to the home of the Siamese cats, creators of the wonderful Pad Thai that we all know and love, and their capital city, Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit, which is also known as Bangkok. Really.
The people of Thailand refer to moringa as marum. They utilize all parts of the plant, including the leaves, roots, and seed pods. In Thailand, moringa is used for flavor in many different dishes, from hot and sour soups to curries, as well as for health and medicinal purposes. Being fairly drought resistant and prosperous in lower quality soil, the marum plant grows throughout the rural areas of Thailand, usually in backyards, which gives these countryside residents easy access to one of the most versatile and nutritious green superfoods in the world.
I incorporated some Kuli Kuli moringa powder into this dessert recipe called Kluay Kaek. This is a common street food that’s sold by vendors all over Thailand. It’s basically battered and fried banana fritters. The recipe can vary from vendor to vendor and is often passed down from their ancestors. Here’s the one we’ll be using:
Recipe
- 2 – 3 bananas (a little green is good) or plantains
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 3 Tbsp wheat or all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup grated coconut, dried or fresh
- 1 rounded Tbsp Kuli Kuli moringa powder
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 ½ Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- ¾ cup water
- 1 to 1 ½ cup oil for frying (I used refined coconut oil)
Directions:
Step 1: Peel and cut the bananas in half. Then make 2-3 slices down the length with each half.
Step 2: In a bowl, mix the rice flour, wheat/all-purpose flour, coconut, moringa powder, sesame seeds, sugar, baking soda, salt, and water until it’s well combined.
Step 3: Heat up the oil to frying temperature. Usually about 350-375 degrees.
Step 4: Coat the bananas in the batter and fry for about 1-2 minutes on each side, or until it gets browned. Place the finished product on a rack or paper towel to drain the oil.
For best results, eat them while they’re hot! They taste great when dipped in chocolate, but you can also sprinkle them with powdered sugar or eat them plain–however you want to do it! They’re great for gatherings if you want to bring a Southeast Asian twist to the table and they’re easy to make since most of the ingredients can be found in your kitchen cabinet.
Enjoy!
You can find many more yummy moringa recipes on our blog!
