Kanom Jeeb Hua Nok (Steamed Bird Head-Shaped Rice Dumpling with Ground Chicken Filling) Traditional Thai Appetizer

Ingredients for Flour Mixture:

½ cup rice flour

½ cup glutinous rice flour

1 ½ teaspoons tapioca flour

1 ½ teaspoons arrowroot flour

½ cup + 2 tbsp. water

1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons tapioca flour— for dusting

2 tablespoons rice flour— for dusting

Brass tweezers — to make a design outside of the snack pieces

Banana leaf for lining the steamer

Method: Sift the 4 kinds of flours together well. Place the flour mixture into a brass skillet. Add ½ cup of water. Knead rice flour, glutinous flour, tapioca flour, arrowroot flour for about 10 minutes, then add the remaining water. Knead until all the flours well combine with the water, then slowly add oil and stir until well mixed.

Heat up the pan on medium-low, add the mixture flour. Stir quickly until the flour form a ball and does not stick to the skillet. Remove from heat. Transfer the dough into a mixing bowl and let the dough stand until it is warm.  Knead the dough until it is uniformly soft. Cover with a piece of moist cheese cloth and let stand for about 20 minutes.

Method: Shape the prepared dough into 1 ½ -teaspoons round pieces. Flatter the pieces into 1 ½ -inch diameter pieces. Place bout 1 ½ teaspoons of filling on the flattened dough pieces. Bring the ends together. Use tweezers to make folded design around the outside of the pieces. Bring the top of the dough up so the piece looks like a vase. Squeeze the end to make a bird’s head as shown in the photo. Cut small triangle pieces of carrot to make the beaks and press 2 black sesame seeds on the sides to make eyes.

Wipe the banana leaf clean. Line the steamer with banana leaf and brush the banana leaf with vegetable oil. Arrange snack pieces on the banana leaf.  Steam over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Brush with garlic flavored oil. Serve with lettuce, coriander leaves and small bird’s eye chilies or serve with bilimbi fruit.

Ingredients for filling:

1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons finely ground garlic, coriander root and white pepper

½ cup ground chicken fillet

½ cup finely chopped onion

2 sugar

1 tablespoon fish sauce

¼ teaspoon salt

Method: In mortar and pestle, finely pound the coriander roots, pepper and garlic together until well mixed. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the ingredients until aromatic. Mix the minced chicken, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Adjust the seasoning to a well-balanced taste. Sauté until the mixture is dry. Let cool.

Fried Garlic

½ cup minced garlic

½ cup vegetable oil

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Then fry garlic until light brown. Remove from heat. Set a side.