Khanom Dok Bua- Lotus Flower Cookies

 

This lotus flower cookie is called Khanom Dok Bua or Khanom Dok Jok. It's a crispy cookie that is deep fried, not baked. They are like Italian Rosettes. They are light and crispy. Not overly sweet, sesame seeds give them a great flavor, so does Pandan extract. The sesame seeds are what is more commonly used. I made these ones green and pink, Pandan and almond for our Christmas Cookie boxes in 2017. Which isn't really traditional, the almond flavoring that is.

The mold for these cookies can be found on Amazon, that is where I purchased mine. You can search Lotus flower cookie iron or mold. Rosette molds can be used also.
I use Lime water to make these cookies extra light and crispy, this ingredient can be left out. The cookies will still taste good and be crispy. Lime water is simply water that is stirred into White Lime Paste or food grade limestone. This mixture is left in the fridge, the limestone then settles to the bottom of the jar, with little white specks floating on top. When needed the water is poured off leaving the settled lime paste in the jar. As mentioned Lime Paste is food grade limestone, chemical name being Calcium Hydroxide. Many Thai and Lao recipes will use lime water in batter that is going to be deep fried, it gives the batter a crispy crunchy texture. It can also be used in pickled vegetable recipes to give them a firm crisp crunch.

 I wrote the recipe without the lime water but included a note if you should want to include it. I simply omit 1/2 cup of milk from the recipe and add 1/2 cup of the lime water.
 This recipe makes a lot of cookies, 100 depending on the size of your mold. You can halve this recipe if needed.

Khanom Dok Bua (Kahnom Dok Jok, Lotus Flower Cookies)

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups tapioca flour

4 cups rice flour, regular not glutinous

4.5 cups milk or water

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups of canned coconut milk

2-3 cups sugar

6 eggs beaten

Oil for frying the cookies

Optional add ins, choose one not all-

3-4 tablespoons black sesame seeds

Pandan Flavoring 

Food coloring

Tools needed:

Lotus cookie mold or rosette molds

Small bowls to set cookies on so they can cool into a curved shape

Wooden spoon, skewer, or wooden chopstick to test oil temperature

Note: 

For crispier lighter cookies replace 1 cup of milk/water for 1 cup of Lime water.
Lime Water: Mix food grade Lime Paste with water, about a 1:5 water to lime paste ratio. I do this in a mason jar. Shake well and place in the refrigerator. The Lime Paste will gradually sink to the bottom. Only the water on top will be used for cooking. Do not shake or stir before use, just pour the water from the jar leaving behind the solid Lime Paste.

To make cookies:

1.  Place oil in a fryer or deep dutch oven to heat. Add oil to about half way up the sides of the vessel leaving room for expansion when you drop the cookies in. 
2. Place the flower mold into the oil so it also heats with the oil. 
3. Stir flours together in a large bowl.
4. Stir in milk/water, lime water if using, coconut milk, salt, sugar, and eggs.
5. Use a whisk to mix batter well, it will be fairly runny.
6. Stir in sesame seeds if using. (Pandan extract or food coloring can be added with this step.)
7. Dip a wooden spoon handle skewer, or wooden chopstick in the oil, the oil around it should have tiny bubbles. If not the oil is not hot enough.
8. Once the oil is hot enough, give the batter a quick stir.
9. Dip the hot mold into the batter, until the batter goes about 1/2 way to a 3/4 ways up the sides. (Do not cover the mold completely with batter, or the cookie will not release from the mold.)
10. Dip the mold into the oil, holding the handle so that the mold doesn't sit on the bottom of the pot.
11. As the cookie cooks gently shake the mold to release the cookie from it.
12. Flip the cookies over with a pair of tongs once. Cook only until golden brown, they can burn easily.
13. Place cookies petal side up on small inverted bowls so they can cool with a slight curve.
14. Place the empty mold in the oil so it can reheat between each cookie, it is helpful to have two molds so one can sit in the hot oil while the other is being utilized.
15. Repeat steps 8-14 until all the cookies have been made. Stirring the batter occasionally.
16. Store cookies in an air tight container lined with paper towels to absorb any oil.

Helpful tips:

• When you first get your mold, boil the flower part in water for a few minutes to clean it well. Then scrub it and dry. Soak the flower part of the mold in oil for a few before the first use.
• To speed up the cooking process having two molds is helpful. One mold can sit in the oil and heat while the other is being used to form cookies.
• The mold must be hot for the batter to stick to it, if it is not hot the batter will simply drip off.
• If your first couple of cookies stick to the mold use a chopstick or skewer to gently push the cookie off of the mold while it is in the oil.
• Dip the mold to cover only 1/2 or 3/4 of the mold. If the batter is too high up the sides it will "hug" the mold and not slip off into the oil.

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