Kanom Mor Kaeng (ขนมหม้อแกงเผือก) | Phetchaburi’s favorite cake you must try

I have failed it twice, and I wanted to give up.

The instruction gives me 5 steps how to make Thai taro custard cake, but I could not make it like what I ate in Phetchaburi, Thailand.

That soft smooth egg with the burnt firm surface is the texture of Kanom Mor Kaeng. The smell is more like fried onions and pandan collaborated on the egg layer. I even mix up with steamed taro root to complete the party.

After the bake, onion oil creates another layer, a fragrant smoky top. I’m now falling for the cake and can’t resist myself to visit back Amy’s hometown, the capital city of Phetchaburi, home of sweet treats.

“Amper Mueang Phet” is what local people call the heart of the Phetchaburi province. The city grows palm trees, coconut trees, and canes well, so the area is a fantastic source of sugary products.

Do you know what I mean now?

Sugar = dessert!

What is Kanom Mor Kaeng?

I used to drive to Phetchaburi twice a year when I wanted to visit Cha-Um beach(another well-known beach for tourists in Thailand). On the way, I passed the capital city, Ampur Mueng Phet, to stop by and eat.

There was a huge fresh market full of street food stalls, shophouses, local groceries, food carts, traffic and people from around the world coming to eat. I was stunned every time I’ve visited, and I knew I needed to stuff all the food.

The highlight of the trip couldn’t be anything else but the dessert, Thai Taro Custard Cake.

Kanom means dessert. Mor Kaeng stands for a curry pot. So, together is dessert in a curry pot(does it make sense?)

For 100 years from generation to generation, Phetchaburians have invented this sweet from a palm sugar mixed with beaten chicken eggs and duck eggs, stabilizing the fragrance with fried-onion oil, pandan leaves, and then baked in moderate-high heat.

There are 3 choices to choose from: original, mung bean and taro.

Original custard cake is also called Thai egg custard cake. It has only eggs, and nothing else added to it, such as beans and taro.

For Thai mung bean custard cake, you add mashed mung bean to it. 

But, in today’s recipe, we’re going to learn the taro one which is the most delicious—I say so:)

Ingredients

The 5-step Instructions

I’ve received this recipe from a Phetchaburian who makes Thai taro custard cake for a living. But I was stubborn trying to adjust the kind of sugar to be quick and easy to make.

For the first attempt, I used granulated brown sugar along with a pinch of salt.

Well, it tasted weird sweet and too dark in brown. I didn’t feel like it.

So, for the second attempt, I used palm sugar.

Palm sugar appeared in hard chunks. I couldn’t melt it by hands in room temperature, so I melted in a saucepan for a couple of minutes and then mixed with the egg mixture and continued the process.

Smell good. Taste gorgeous sweet. But the cake was broken…

Here is the third attempt and I was satisfied.

Let’s watch “Thai Taro Custard cake(Kanom Mor Kaeng)” [2-min video]

1.  Steamed Taro

First, peel the taro root and cut in small dices. Boil water on a steaming pot using a cheesecloth to wrap the cubed taro, and then close with the lid for 5 mins or until it is cooked thoroughly.

Use a big spoon to mash or use anything that convenient for you.

*Do not boil directly into the water

2.  The Egg Mixture

Crack 6 eggs in a bowl(if you could find duck eggs, you would make the cake rich-looking—use 3 duck eggs and 3 chicken eggs)

Add coconut sugar, and pandan leaves in the mixture bowl, then squeeze together by hands(try to tackle the sugar chunks while pressing the leaves)

I don’t recommend using a food processor or hand mixer because it will make messy bubbles.

You need to be patient to get through this process

3.  Scrambling

After that, mix the smash taro in the mix and pour onto a non-stick pan over medium-high heat(in Thailand, we use a brass pan)

Drop 2 tbsp of fried-onion oil, keep stirring until it dries out.

4.  The Fried Onions And Its oil

See post: how to prepare fried garlic and fried onions like a pro

If you have ready fried onions in advance, you can use the oil to enhance the Thai taro custard cake, and the fried onions can be on top as well.

The smell will be unique from the typical cake you’ve ever had!

Next, pour the thick egg mixture in a ceramic bowl, aluminum tray, or something that deep around 2 inches.

Spread and flatten the top.

5.  Baking

Place a rack on a middle shelf and preheat the oven to 400F.

Bake for about 30-40 mins or until the surface looks browny.

How did it smell now?

Conclusion

Thai taro custard cake can be enjoyed either cold or warm. Refridge immediately if you want to enjoy it later when it’s cold.

Before eating, don’t forget to sprinkle the fried onions.

When you have a chance to visit Phetchaburi, Thailand, don’t forget to try Kanom Mor Kaeng as a favorite dessert there.

However, if you want to cook it yourself, this isn’t a rocket-science recipe to try out, but I’ve been playing with types of the sugar a couple of times.

For the third attempt, I’m fortunate to find coconut sugar, and it works the best.

Have you known this recipe before?

Give me some love by leaving a comment below 🙂