Hello and Nyob Zoo everyone!

Fresh corn season is here! Here’s to another cooking session with my grandma as she teaches me how to make her version of Ncuav Pob Kws (fresh corn cake). In Hmong, ncuav means rice cake, and pob kws means corn. Since fresh corn is in season, I wanted to learn how Grandma makes her ncuav pob kws, and it was super simple! It’s basically just freshly grated corn mixed with glutinous rice flour and cooked in banana leaves. Yes, that’s it! 🙂 I love learning as much as I can from Grandma and sharing that knowledge with you all. Today, I’ll be showing you two versions of corn cakes: Grandma’s version and my version. Grandma’s version is simple, quick, and full of nostalgia. She doesn’t add any sugar because she doesn’t like her ncuav to be too sweet. She says that if the corn is sweet enough, that’s all the sweetness it needs!

For my version, I’ll be adding sugar and coconut cream for those who enjoy a little extra sweetness and coconut flavor. So, if you’re making ncuav pob kws for someone who doesn’t like things too sweet, give Grandma’s version a try. If you prefer something sweeter and richer, try my version instead. Both are equally delicious in their own way! This rice cake is gluten free, can be vegan friendly without the butter, full of corn flavor, chewy but soft, and has just the right amount of sweetness. So give it a try and happy cooking! 

Hello Grandma!

This is my grandma. She’s teaching us her way of making corn rice cakes. 

Main Ingredients

FRESH CORN: Fresh corn creates a much more flavorful corn rice cake. It also adds natural sweetness. Fresh corn also releases its own starches to the batter which will help bind the overall batter better than if you were to use frozen or canned corn. So if you can, I recommend using fresh corn. Frozen or canned corned can be used but the flavor is not as good as fresh corn. The corn are blended and then added to the starches.
FLOUR/STARCHES 

• Rice flour: Rice flour adds structure and firmness once the rice cake cooks
• Glutinous rice flour: Glutinous rice flour adds the chew and stickiness. Without it, this rice cake would not have that soft, bouncy, sticky, and chewy texture.
• Coconut flour: Adding coconut flour adds flavor, texture, and also extra structure. 

Grandma uses only glutinous rice flour and regular rice flour. I like the coconut flavor in mine. So the option is yours to decide. Adding sugar, salt, and coconut cream adds more flavor to the rice cakes. Use coconut cream for a much richer coconut flavor.
Mixing: The consistency of the batter should be thick but hydrated. A runny batter will make it harder to wrap and create too soft of a rice cake.
This rice cake is delicious wrapped and cooked fresh banana leaves. It gives it a nice flavor when it cooks on the griddle.
Grandma cutting the banana leaves into squares
Putting the mixture in the banana leaf before cooking

Ways to cook

1. Cook on a pancake griddle: This method is my grandma’s go-to method. It involves fewer steps, but it does take a little time and attention to make sure the rice cake cooks thoroughly. Wrapping it in banana leaves helps steam the cake so it cooks evenly. The leaves also add a subtle flavor as the cake cooks.
2. Cook right on on pancake griddle without banana leaves: This method works best if the griddle is lightly oiled or buttered. However, you can also cook the rice cakes on a dry griddle if you prefer not to add any extra fat. Scoop the raw batter onto the griddle and flatten it slightly. Set your pancake griddle to 300°F and keep a close eye on the cakes as they cook. For best results, loosely cover the cakes with foil to help trap the steam. I like to add a little water to create extra steam, then cover the cakes with foil. The steam helps the rice cakes cook thoroughly all the way through. Flip them as needed and cook both sides until golden brown and fully cooked.
3. Steam in banana leaves and foil then finish on the griddle. I like this method because it makes the rice cake much softer and chewier. Steaming helps retain moisture while ensuring the rice cake cooks all the way through. It can be quite sticky when hot, so I recommend letting it cool completely before removing the banana leaves or foil. Then, finish cooking it on the pancake griddle to get that golden, crispy exterior. Once it’s done on the griddle, I like to spread a little softened salted butter on top and enjoy!

Once cooked, enjoy! Or wrap it plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge or freezer to enjoy later in the year 🙂  These rice cakes are best rewarmed on a low setting pancake griddle or in the microwave until softened.
Grandma’s version
Pancake version A look at how each method of cooking turned out.

From left to right: Cooked straight on the griddle with a little butter version, steamed version, and cooked in banana leaf on the pancake griddle version
So PRETTY! All about that crispy browning. I like to enjoyed these while they are at room temp for the best chewy texture. If you eat it hot, they can be quite sticky due to all the starches. So enjoy them at your own pleasure.

Happy Cooking!

Fresh Corn Cakes: Ncuav Pob Kws

These corn rice cakes are called Ncuav Pob Kws in Hmong. These are gluten free, can be vegan friendly without the butter, full of corn flavor, chewy but soft, and has just the right amount of sweetness. The perfect snack to make during corn season.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Course rice cake, Snack

Cuisine Hmong

Servings 10 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Grandma's Version

• 15 whole fresh corn (grated)
• 40 oz glutinous rice flour (2 lbs 8oz)
• 16 oz rice flour (1lb)
• Banana leaves
• Sugar is optional

Cindy's Version

• 3 lbs fresh corn off the cob (from about 6-7 whole corn)
• 24 oz glutinous rice flour (688g)
• 1/2 cup rice flour (65g)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour (65g)
• 1/2 tsp salt (4g)
• 2/3 cup sugar (148g)
• 1/2 cup coconut cream (113g)
• Banana leaves & foil
• Butter

Instructions

 

Grandma's Version

• Using a grater, grate the corn over a big bowl. Then add in the glutinous rice flour and regular rice flour. Mix well until you get a pliable dough. You can add sugar if you desire. Get your banana leaves ready and cut them into big enough squares for filling. For each square place a good scoop of the corn dough on one side. Flatten it well and fold with the other banana leaf end. Place each cake on a pancake griddle set to 250' and cover with foil. Let it steam and cook for about 15 minutes each side. Cook until the cake is fully cooked and both sides have good browning. Once cooked, let it cool. Then take the banana leaves off and wrap each cake in plastic wrap. Put it in a ziplock bag and store it in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat when you want to eat it again.
• You can also steam the cakes and then pan fry them to get the golden color. Steam for 30 minutes, let it cool and then pan fry them if you desire.

Cindy's Version

• With a knife over a bowl, cut the corn kernels. Add the kernels into a blender and blend them well. It may take 3 cycles to get them blended if you have a small blender. If you have a food processor it will work too. Blend the corn to your desired texture and pour it into a big bowl for mixing.
• Mix in the glutinous rice flour, regular rice flour, coconut flour, sugar, salt, and coconut cream. Mix well.
• Wash and cut the banana leaves to be ready to fill. Fill with about 1/2 to 2/3 cups worth of the corn batter on top of the banana leaves and wrap/seal well with foil (if you will be steaming them use foil).

For steaming then griddle

• Place the wrapped corn cakes in steamer and steam for 30 minutes. Let it cool, remove the foil, and then pan fry with or without the banana leaves to get both sides crispy and brown.

Cooking in banana leaves on the griddle

• On a pancake griddle set to 250', place the banana wrapped corn cakes on. Cover with foil and let it cook for about 10-15 minutes on each side. Once it is fully cooked in the center, let it cool and peel off the banana leaves. Wrap in plastic wrap to retain the moisture and store.

Cooking straight on the griddle

• On a pancake griddle set to 250', spread some unsalted butter on. Scoop about 1/3 cups of the corn batter and flatten it like a pancake. Let it brown up for about 2-3 minutes. Flip it and then add in about 2-3 Tbsp of water and cover with foil to allow it to steam and cook the cakes all the way though for about 3-5 minutes. Keep flipping them to brown evenly on both sides and to cook it all the way through. Once cooked, let it cool to room temp and enjoy! 🙂

For storing

• Wrap each cake individually in plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag. Put it in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for about 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan when you want to eat it again.

Notes

Frozen corn and or canned corn can be used. HOWEVER, the flavor may be a little off. You may also need to add more or less liquid/flour since the moisture content is slightly off when using frozen/canned. Sugar level may also need to be adjusted. Using fresh corn is highly suggested 

Keyword Rice cake

How did you do? Share a pic!@CHerCreations

Share your pics here