Crispy Rice Dumplings

Crispy Rice Dumplings with Banana and Palm Sugar Syrup

4 servings or 12 small dumplings

Ingredients
300g steamed sticky rice, cooled
8 tbsp fresh coconut, shredded
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp each of black and white sesame seeds, plus extra for garnish
Pinch of salt
4 baby bananas, each cut into 3 pieces
Sunflower oil for deep frying
8 tbsp palm sugar syrup, for garnish
Sesame seeds, extra

Method
To make dough, mix sticky rice with coconut, white sugar, sesame seeds and salt. Divide dough into 12 pieces.
Shape into large coins and put 1 piece of banana in each centre. Shape into small dumplings and make sure the dough is sealed.
Let rest for 10 minutes in the fridge.
Deep fry dumplings on medium-high heat for 3 minutes.
Drain on a paper towel and serve topped with palm sugar syrup and extra sesame seeds.

This desert tastes incredible as is, but you could serve it with coconut sorbet and slivers of red chillies if you're looking to impress.

From Spiders to Water Lilies

The non-profit Friends-International's restaurant, Romdeng is putting Cambodian cuisine on the menu with the launch of their second cookbook From Spiders To Water Lilies, now available in Australia.

If you can't get to Cambodia, traditional Cambodian cooking it is available to bring home with the launch of From Spiders To Water Lilies Cambodian cookbook all proceeds go directly back to Romdeng.

A collaboration of Cambodian recipes by Gutav Auer, head chef and the -Romdeng' team, From Spiders to Water Lilies features over 160 pages of mouth-watering traditional recipes, exquisite photography and inspiring stories from one of Asia's most fascinating countries, Cambodia.

Unlike any other cookbook available, From Spiders to Water Lilies is a unique journey of cuisine as well as culture, hope, change and joy. Ongoing support is needed to continue to run these significant and life changing programs. Proceeds of From Spiders to Water Lilies go directly back to Friends-International projects.

Romdeng is located in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penha and is Cambodia's first social enterprise restaurant and has a serious social mission of getting young people off the streets and empowered through education, vocation training and ultimately employed to build a sustainable future.

Celebrating their fifth anniversary in 2010, Romdeng means -friends' in Khmer (Cambodian) and is renowned within the local community. The restaurant is completely staffed by former street kids who do everything from design the menus, prepare and cook meals, wait tables, and even paint the artwork featured on the walls as well as sew the silk cushions for the chairs.

True to traditional Cambodian cuisine, there are no entrees or mains served at Romdeng (all meals come at once) and there are also no knives, so don't wait for anything more than your fork and spoon!

From Spiders To Water Lilies
Friends-International
www.cambodiancooking.com.au
Price: $45.00