Nam Wan (ນ້ໍາຫວານ)

What is Nam Wan?

Nam wan is a classic Lao dessert and it translates to sweetened water. You can think of the word “nam wan” as an umbrella word for many other types of sweetened coconut milk drink desserts. It is typically made with sweetened coconut milk with various toppings. I made this one with dyed mini tapioca pearls, coconut jelly, and jackfruit in syrup, but you can put your other favorite Southeast Asian fruits in there too. The coconut milk is cooked on low with a pandan leaves to give it that very slight herbal scent and flavor.

Young Coconut Versus Mature Coconut

There are many differences to how old a coconut is. You want to make sure you use a mature coconut for this dessert if you are hand making the coconut milk. Mature coconuts typically have brown husk and they have less coconut water but have a lot more coconut meat in the shell. The thicker coconut meat makes a fattier and thicker coconut milk. Young coconut is used more for the delicious and sweet coconut juice and tender meat.

Cooking Tapioca Pearls

There are many ways to cook these mini tapioca pearls. I like buying them in the white color since I custom dye it to my liking. To get a more bouncy pearl, I steep the pearls in water for a few minutes and then it becomes half cooked and speeds up the actual cooking process. You can go ahead and boil then for a few additional minutes until it becomes translucent. The pearls can be made the day before to save you some time.

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Yield: 6-8

Author: Saeng Douangdara

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Nam Wan

This traditional Lao dessert is refreshing with its sweetened coconut milk and floating jackfruit and tapioca.

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 10 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 30 M

Ingredients

Fresh Coconut Milk

• 2 cup mature coconut meat (1 standard coconut has 2 cups meat)
• 4 cups hot water

Sweetened Coconut milk

• 50g pure palm sugar (2 large palm cubes or about 6 tbsp granulated sugar)
• 1/2 cup water
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 cups fresh coconut milk (two 13.5 fl oz can coconut milk full fat)
• 1 pandan leaves

Toppings

• 6oz white mini tapioca pearls
• Lychee Coconut jelly
• Butterfly pea khao lod song
• Jackfruit in syrup
• Water as needed

Instructions

EXTRACTING COCONUT MILK

1. Use a mature coconut and hit the coconut in a circular manner with a cleaver until it cracks; have a cup ready to get the juice
2. Scrape out all of the coconut meat
3. In a blender, add coconut, 2 cup hot water then blend
4. Squeeze out the milk with a cloth; repeat 1 more time

SWEETENED COCONUT MILK

1. In a pot, add sugar and melt sugar on low for about 8-10 mins until lightly golden then add in ½ cup water and melt sugar.
2. Add coconut milk, salt, and pandan leaves then mix. Cook on low for 10 mins with no lid.
3. Chill for at least an hour

TAPIOCA PEARLS

1. In a pan, add pearls and boiling water and steep for 15 mins with lid on
2. Strain water and put pearls in pot with new water and simmer on low for 15 mins with lid
3. Rinse in cool water
4. Put in a strainer and sit for 5 mins
5. Split in 3 bowls and add desired flavoring/color: light pink, purple, sky blue (1 drips)

ASSEMBLE

1. Add sky blue pearls, purple pearls, pink pearls, little ice, butterfly pea khao lod song, jelly, jackfruit pieces, coconut milk, top with blue pearls and mint leave

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @saengdouangdara on instagram and hashtag it #eatmorelaofood