Kanom Krok — Coconut Rice Pancakes / ขนมครก

Ingredients

• For the base batter
• 200 g rice flour
• 250 ml coconut cream
• 250 ml water
• For the topping layer
• 250 ml coconut cream, thick; reserved separately from base
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 scallions, finely sliced; or substitute corn kernels or diced taro
• Equipment
• 1 krok pan (cast iron, hemispherical-indentation griddle), well-seasoned

Method

1. 1
   Place the empty krok pan over medium heat and preheat for 5–10 minutes, so that the iron holds an even, steady heat all the way around each indentation rather than scorching only the centre. Test readiness by flicking a few drops of water onto the surface — they must dance and evaporate immediately. If they pool and steam, the pan is not yet hot enough.
2. 2
   Combine the rice flour, 250 ml coconut cream, and water in a bowl and whisk to a smooth, lump-free batter. In a separate bowl, stir the thick coconut cream with the salt and the scallions until the salt is dissolved, keeping the two batters apart so that the base sets as a distinct layer and the topping remains rich and soft rather than the two blending into one undifferentiated mass.
3. 3
   Brush or wipe each indentation of the hot pan lightly with oil so the set base releases cleanly rather than tearing when you lift it. Pour the base batter into each cup to approximately two-thirds full and allow it to partially set — the edges will begin to pull away from the iron and the top surface will lose its raw sheen, turning from opaque-wet to just-matt.
4. 4
   This is where the dish lives or dies: spoon the salted coconut-cream topping over the partially set base, filling each cup to the rim, then immediately cover the pan with a domed lid or a sheet of foil so that trapped steam cooks the topping gently from above while the base finishes from below, allowing the two layers to meet cleanly without the topping remaining raw and liquid at the centre. Without the cover the topping will not set; with too high a heat, the base burns before the interior is done.
5. 5
   Remove the lid and inspect: the base should be golden brown where it contacts the iron — visible at the edge of each cup — and the surface of the topping should be just-set and no longer liquid at the centre. Ease each kanom krok free with a thin spatula, working around the edge first so the crust comes away whole.
6. 6
   Pair each piece with a second piece, pressing the flat sides together while still hot so the residual warmth softens the join and the two halves hold together. Serve immediately — kanom krok deteriorate within 2 minutes of leaving the griddle and must be eaten at once.