Nam wan (ນ້ໍາຫວານ) Lao Sweetened Coconut Milk with Tapioca Pearls
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.
- Prep time
- 14 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 cups mature coconut meat
- 4 cups hot water
- 50g pure palm sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 cups coconut milk
- 1 pandan leave
- 6oz tapioca pearls
- 1 can lychee coconut jelly
- 1 cup butterfly pea khao lod song
- 1 can jackfruit in syrup
- water as needed
Instructions
- 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
- 5
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.
- 6
Add coconut milk, salt, and pandan leaves then mix. Cook on low for 10 mins with no lid.
- 7
Chill for at least an hour
- 8
In a pan, add pearls and boiling water and steep for 15 mins with lid on
- 9
Strain water and put pearls in pot with new water and simmer on low for 15 mins with lid
- 10
Rinse in cool water
- 11
Put in a strainer and sit for 5 mins
- 12
Split in 3 bowls and add desired flavoring/color: light pink, purple, sky blue (1 drips)
- 13
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