Prowling John Street in Cabramatta, hunting for grandmothers.
Last time I was here I was thwarted by monolingualism from purchasing a snack from an enterprising old lady surrounded by take-away containers filled with her home-cooking. This time I come bearing a piece of paper with a Vietnamese message written for me by a work colleague: I’m a vegetarian, I don’t eat any meat but I eat eggs and milk. Holding up this baby should get me some kind of mystery food.
Ah-ha! An elderly woman sits on one of the many benches. She has three piles close to her; one of round yellow-orange cakes; one of congeeled black in containers; and a pile banana leaves wrapped around hidden treasures.
The woman next to me in the crowd points to the yellow cakes. “What are they?”
I don’t hear much of the answer, only that they cost $5 so that’s a bit out of my planned budget. But I can tell that it was in English. Darn it, I was looking forward to busting out my sign.
Waiting for her to finish the transaction, then gesturing for her attention. “What’s inside the banana leaves?”
“Coconut rice, banana. $1.20.”
That’s more like it! I pass over the coins, and now I’m holding a warm moist bundle, looking for somewhere to sit and devour.
Unwrapping the leaf. Inside the long flat rectangle of rice is yellow-cream and sticky. I can see an occasional purple-black lump, looks like black beans.
Trying to tear it in half. White starch sticks to my fingers. Inside… it’s purple! The steaming has turned the bananas purple, though I can see the occasional dark pattern of banana seeds same as ever. The rice around the banana has also stained mauve.
Bite.
The rice is long grain and willingly breaks apart in my mouth, sweet and coconut-flavoured, light and not too creamy. The banana has all its flavour despite the colour, the mush contrasting nicely with the slightly firm rice.
The combination of coconut and banana is sweet without being sugary. It all tastes so fresh!
Don’t like the black beans much though. Little pockets of dry dusty blandness. But there’s only about five of them so they can be easily ignored.
Licking my fingers. Glad that this woman is happy to share her skills with strangers; it’s a pleasure to eat freshly-made real food.
Rating: 
Specifics: Coconut sticky rice with banana and black beans (probably khao tom mad) bought from a clever home cook in Cabramatta
Coconut Sticky Rice with Banana and Black Beans
Prowling John Street in Cabramatta, hunting for grandmothers.
Last time I was here I was thwarted by monolingualism from purchasing a snack from an enterprising old lady surrounded by take-away containers filled with her home-cooking. This time I come bearing a piece of paper with a Vietnamese message written for me by a work colleague: I’m a vegetarian, I don’t eat any meat but I eat eggs and milk. Holding up this baby should get me some kind of mystery food.
Ah-ha! An elderly woman sits on one of the many benches. She has three piles close to her; one of round yellow-orange cakes; one of congeeled black in containers; and a pile banana leaves wrapped around hidden treasures.
The woman next to me in the crowd points to the yellow cakes. “What are they?”
I don’t hear much of the answer, only that they cost $5 so that’s a bit out of my planned budget. But I can tell that it was in English. Darn it, I was looking forward to busting out my sign.
Waiting for her to finish the transaction, then gesturing for her attention. “What’s inside the banana leaves?”
“Coconut rice, banana. $1.20.”
That’s more like it! I pass over the coins, and now I’m holding a warm moist bundle, looking for somewhere to sit and devour.
Unwrapping the leaf. Inside the long flat rectangle of rice is yellow-cream and sticky. I can see an occasional purple-black lump, looks like black beans.
Trying to tear it in half. White starch sticks to my fingers. Inside… it’s purple! The steaming has turned the bananas purple, though I can see the occasional dark pattern of banana seeds same as ever. The rice around the banana has also stained mauve.
Bite.
The rice is long grain and willingly breaks apart in my mouth, sweet and coconut-flavoured, light and not too creamy. The banana has all its flavour despite the colour, the mush contrasting nicely with the slightly firm rice.
The combination of coconut and banana is sweet without being sugary. It all tastes so fresh!
Don’t like the black beans much though. Little pockets of dry dusty blandness. But there’s only about five of them so they can be easily ignored.
Licking my fingers. Glad that this woman is happy to share her skills with strangers; it’s a pleasure to eat freshly-made real food.
Rating:
Specifics: Coconut sticky rice with banana and black beans (probably khao tom mad) bought from a clever home cook in Cabramatta