March 29, 2025

Like all Southeast Asian countries, Cambodge has its own sweet culinary specialties. Among the must-try desserts and treats, you'll find the famous num ansom chek. This is a sticky rice cake filled with various savory or sweet ingredients and steamed in banana leaves. Today, we present the recipe for num ansom chek, a sweet version containing bananas!

What is num ansom chek?

Num ansom chek is a traditional Cambodian cake made from sticky rice sweetened with pieces of banana, all wrapped in a banana leaf folded into a cylinder shape before being steamed. Although you can find them on street food stalls, these cakes are traditionally prepared for Cambodian New Year festivities, during Pchum Ben (a Buddhist celebration honoring ancestors), as well as for religious ceremonies and weddings.

Good to know: There are several versions of num ansom. Some recipes replace bananas with jackfruit or mung bean paste. There is also a savory version: num ansom chrouk, in which pork replaces the fruit. Moreover, while the authentic recipe follows steaming, it's not uncommon to see locals frying or grilling num ansom.

How to make num ansom chek like in Cambodge?

Prep time: 30 minutes (not including rice soaking)

Cooking time: approximately 1 hour

Ingredients for about ten pieces:

• 2 cups sticky rice;
• 3 or 4 ripe bananas;
• 1 fresh coconut, finely grated (or 400 g pre-grated coconut);
• 120 ml palm sugar syrup (jaggery);
• 1 pinch of salt;
• Banana leaves;
• String or toothpicks to secure the wrapping.

Instructions:

Step 1: The day before or several hours before preparation, soak the rice for at least 3 hours (ideally overnight). Rinse the rice and drain it.

Step 2: Once the rice is drained, add the salt, palm sugar and grated coconut and mix everything together. Let the mixture rest for about 15 minutes so the rice absorbs the flavors.

Step 3: Meanwhile, prepare the banana leaves. These should have been exposed to the sun for a few minutes to harden. Clean them and wipe them with a clean cloth, then cut pieces of equivalent size: approximately 15 x 20 cm.

Step 4: Place the banana leaves with the shiny sides facing down on your work surface. Spoon some of the sticky rice mixture in the center (about 3 teaspoons). Add pieces of banana or half a banana on top and press lightly into the rice mixture. Repeat the operation on each banana leaf until the rice is used up.

Step 5: Fold the banana leaves to form cylinders and secure them with string or toothpicks. Not sure how to do it? You can follow this video tutorial: How to fold the banana leaf?

Step 6: Place the cakes in a steamer and cook for 1 hour. Once cooked, let cool before serving.

Enjoy!

Florine Dergelet

Florine DergeletA web writer for over 10 years, Florine Dergelet is a traveler driven by the desire to discover the world with an open heart. Each of her articles is an invitation to slow down, to listen, to understand. Because for her, traveling is not about checking countries off a map, but about weaving connections—often invisible but always powerful—with places, peoples and all sorts of creatures in the animal kingdom. Her motto? Advise travelers with ethics, raise awareness about animal welfare, respect for cultures, and the importance of humble and sustainable tourism. Because the most beautiful memories often arise far from the spotlight, in the shadow of a trail, at the edge of a conversation, or in the quiet breath of a world we finally take the time to listen to…