Glutinous sticky rice mixed with coconut milk and palm sugar, wrapped around a whole or halved banana (or taro, black beans, or sweetened coconut), folded in banana leaf, and grilled over charcoal or steamed. Khao tom mud is one of the most widely eaten Thai dessert street foods — the banana leaf imparts a subtle, slightly smoky aromatic to the rice during grilling; the banana inside softens and sweetens against the rice's neutral stickiness; the coconut milk rice provides a rounded, sweet-fat richness that holds the preparation together.
**The sticky rice preparation:** - Glutinous rice: soaked overnight (Entry TH-14), steamed until just cooked. - While still warm: fold in sweetened coconut milk (thick cream, palm sugar, salt — as for khao niew mamuang, Entry TH-27). - Allow to cool to handling temperature — the rice must be warm but not hot for wrapping. **The banana:** - Nam wa bananas (small, sweet) — used whole. Alternatively, halved Cavendish bananas. - The banana should be ripe but firm — it will soften further during grilling or steaming. **The banana leaf wrapping:** 1. Soften the banana leaf by passing it briefly over a gas flame or through steam — this prevents cracking when folding. 2. Place a rectangle of softened banana leaf flat. Add a portion of the sweetened sticky rice. 3. Place the banana across the centre. 4. Fold the banana leaf over the rice to enclose the banana completely — the rice forms a complete seal around the banana. 5. Fold the ends up and secure with a toothpick or strip of bamboo. **Grilling vs steaming:** - Grilling over charcoal: the banana leaf chars slightly on the outside, imparting a subtle smoky-grassy aromatic to the rice inside. 10–12 minutes per side over medium charcoal. - Steaming: the banana leaf imparts a clean, grassy aromatic without the smoke note. 20–25 minutes in a covered steamer. Decisive moment: The banana leaf temperature before wrapping — it must be softened enough to fold without cracking. A cracked banana leaf seal allows the sticky rice to escape during grilling. Pass through a gas flame for 5 seconds per section — just enough to soften, not enough to char or break.
David Thompson, *Thai Food* (2002); *Thai Street Food* (2010)