Steamed banana cake with coconut milk

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Peel 800 g ripe bananas, cut them on the diagonal into slices about half a centimeter thick, then toss with 120 g granulated sugar and let them sit for about 20 minutes. The sugar draws out some moisture and sweetens the bananas, helping them turn a lovely pink as they steam. The bananas are ready when they've released a syrupy liquid and the slices have softened slightly.

   Suggested time: about 20 minutes.

   Mark step 1 as done

2. Step 2

   In another bowl, stir 220 g tapioca starch with 150 g coconut milk, 80 g water, 3 g vanilla extract and a pinch salt until dissolved. Dissolving the starch in the liquid first keeps it from clumping when it meets the bananas. The mixture is ready when it's milky white and smooth, with no starch settled at the bottom.

   Mark step 2 as done

3. Step 3

   Pour the batter into the bowl of bananas along with all the syrup they released, and fold gently with a flat spatula so every slice is coated. A light hand keeps the banana slices whole instead of mashed. The mixture is ready when every slice is glossy with batter and there are no separate pools of batter.

   Mark step 3 as done

4. Step 4

   Bring water to a boil in a steamer and brush to taste vegetable oil all over a 22 cm round pan. The thin layer of oil keeps the chewy cake from sticking when you unmold it. The pan is ready when every corner is shiny with oil and none has pooled.

   Mark step 4 as done

5. Step 5

   Stir the mixture again, pour it into the pan, smooth the top and steam over medium heat for about 45 minutes, wiping the lid every fifteen minutes. Medium heat cooks the batter from the outside in without leaving it pitted. The cake is done when the batter has turned from milky white to clear and the bananas are pinkish orange.

   Suggested time: about 45 minutes. Medium heat.

   Mark step 5 as done

6. Step 6

   Lift out the pan and let the cake cool completely at room temperature for about an hour and a half. The tapioca only sets as it cools, making the cake firm enough to cut. It's ready when the top is cool and feels chewy and springy, not sticky, when you press it.

   Suggested time: about 90 minutes.

   Mark step 6 as done

7. Step 7

   Put 250 g coconut milk, 30 g granulated sugar, a pinch salt and 10 g knotted pandan leaves in a saucepan, dissolve 10 g tapioca starch in a splash of water and pour it in, then cook over low heat, stirring constantly. Low heat keeps the coconut milk from curdling or splitting. The sauce is ready when it's lightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon in a thin layer.

   Low heat.

   Mark step 7 as done

8. Step 8

   Put 40 g roasted peanuts in a bag and crush them into small pieces with a rolling pin, then toast 8 g white sesame seeds again in a dry pan. Moderately sized peanut pieces give a nutty crunch that contrasts with the chewy cake. The topping is ready when the peanuts are broken into small, still-crunchy bits and the sesame is golden and fragrant.

   Mark step 8 as done

9. Step 9

   Unmold the cake, cut it into squares with an oiled knife, drizzle with the coconut sauce and sprinkle with the peanuts and sesame. The coconut sauce adds a rich, lightly salty note that brings out the sweetness of the bananas. The plate is ready when every piece is glossy, topped with white coconut sauce and a few golden brown peanuts.

   Mark step 9 as done