Vietnamese grilled banana sticky rice (Chuối bọc nếp nướng)

Grilled banana sticky rice is my favorite all time snack and it's a popular Vietnamese treat. It made of banana, coconut milk and sticky rice then grilled to perfection. It's crispy, smoky and fragrant. You then enjoy it with a lightly sweetened creamy coconut sauce and a pint of roasted peanuts. If you are new to Vietnamese snacks or dessert, this banana treat is a must to try. In Vietnam, vendors sell this dish on the streets and you can find it easily on the streets of Saigon.

It's impossible to find it in New York city. I've been craving it for years so I decided to make it at home.

Here is the recipe for you to try:
Serving: 3pax

Ingredients:
1 cup glutinous rice (sticky rice)
1/2 cup water
1 can of coconut milk (14oz or 400ml)
1/4 tsp salt
5 tbsp sugar
3 bananas, peeled (Try to get small, sweet. It's tastier)
banana leaves (You can find the frozen banana leaves at any Asian store)
roasted peanuts (garnish)

Cooking:

1. Peeled bananas. Put them in a bowl, add water and 3tbsp of sugar then soaked it for at least 2hrs or overnight.

2. Wash and rinse the rice under cold running water. Then drain. Put the sticky rice, water and 200ml coconut milk (1/2 can) + 1/4 teaspoons of salt into a rice cooker. Cooked until done.
Transfer the rice to a bowl. Then add 2tbsp of sugar and stir it thoroughly. Let it cool.

3.  Divide the rice mixture into 3 equal pieces. Form a handful of rice into a patty, place a banana in the middle and wrap the rice around the banana then wrap it in banana leaves. Repeat the same procedure for the remaining rice & banana.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grilled the banana about 10 mins on each side or until charred & fragrant. Remove from  heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.

5.  Preheat a medium pan with the rest of the coconut milk + salt + sugar. Cook this sauce for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.

And tada.... Yum!

Good luck and enjoy :)