What is Kanom Ko?
Kanom ko ขนมโค are small, soft and chewy dumplings the size of a marble, made with glutinous rice flour flavored with fresh pandan juice. They are filled with a crunchy piece of palm sugar and topped with salted shredded coconut. If that sounds incredibly delicious, that’s because they are!
Sometimes crispy roasted mung beans are mixed with coconut for an extra crunch, but the one I grew up with didn’t have that. Although they are quite rare in Thailand, in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia there is a similar dessert called Waveh Waveh OR klepon.
During my search for these long-lost treats, I discovered that they appear to have been rediscovered in Thailand only in Hat Yai. In fact, my searches led to ONLY ONE seller: an aunt who has been selling them for 40 years. (Although she doesn’t look like the same lady I bought from when I was a kid.)
They are always sold fresh, immediately after cooking because it is preferable to consume them while still hot. Watching the vendor prepare these dumplings with impressive speed, while inhaling the pandan-scented steam is a true joy.
