Jackfruit Nagasari (Mung Bean Starch Cake with Jackfruits)
Jackfruit Nagasari is a delicious gluten-free and vegan dessert or snack made from mung bean starch and coconut milk dough mixed with pieces of sweet jackfruits.
What is Nagasari?
Nagasari is a traditional cake from Java, Indonesia. The cake is made with flour and coconut milk dough mixed with other ingredients. The cake is traditionally wrapped in banana leaves to infuse the aroma. You can also find it sold in plastic sheets nowadays to showcase what is inside.
Among the many traditional Indonesian kue basah (wet cake), nagasari is probably the most popular. It can be found throughout the country and is sold in most traditional markets. Nagasari also seems to be a mandatory snack for communal feasts or cultural events in the Java region.
Types of Flour
Nagasari is traditionally made from a mixture of rice flour and tapioca starch, but you can also make it with mung bean starch. The ones made from rice flour yield a soft and chewy texture. Meanwhile, the ones made from mung bean starch have a soft and bouncy texture, almost jelly-like.
This dessert can have a wide range of textures depending on what flour you end up using. For this Jackfruit Nagasari recipe, I use mung bean starch since I prefer the texture and it is much easier to make.
Add-In Options
Other add-ins you can use other than jackfruits:
- Bananas
- Sago pearls
- Corn kernels
- Pumpkin
- Mung beans
How to Make Jackfruit Nagasari
- In a big pan, mix mung bean starch with granulated sugar, salt, vanilla extract, coconut milk, and knotted pandan leaves.
- Heat on low heat and cook until the mixture thickens while stirring constantly.
- Once the mixture thickens, turn off the heat and add the diced jackfruits.
- While the dough is still hot, spread about 2 to 3 tablespoons onto the middle of a banana leaf.
- Wrap the dough.
- The dough will harden when it is completely cooled to room temperature.
How to Wrap Nagasari with Banana Leaf
- Put a banana leaf on the working space, with the pale side up. Spread the dough into the center of the leaf.
- Fold up the right side following the grain of the leaf and bring to the center, over the dough.
- Fold the left side on top of the right side.
- Next, fold up the top side to the center.
- Fold up the bottom side to the center.
- Flip and put the folds on the bottom to secure the leaf.
Jackfruit Nagasari (Mung Bean Starch Cake with Jackfruits)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 gr) mung bean flour/ hunkwe flour
- 1 cup (200 gr) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups (1 liter) coconut milk
- 3 pandan leaves, knotted
- 12 (200-250 gr) jackfruits, seeded and diced
- Banana leaves or plastic sheets
Instructions
- Prepare banana leaves – Cut banana leaves or plastic sheets into 25 8-inch/20 cm squares. If using banana leaves, wipe them with a wet kitchen towel to clean them. Soften banana leaves by passing them lightly over the low flame of a gas burner so that they become pliable and do not break easily during folding.
- Make batter – In a big pan, add mung bean flour, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Add a little bit of coconut milk and stir until well combined with no lump. Then, add the remaining coconut milk and stir until well incorporated. Add knotted pandan leaves into the pan.
- Cook batter – Heat the pan over low-medium heat. Stir constantly during cooking. Cook until the mixture thickens. Turn off the heat and add the diced jackfruits. Stir until well combined.
- Wrap and fold – Immediately wrap the hot dough with banana leaves. Put a banana leaf (the pale side up) or plastic sheet onto a working space. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of dough onto the middle of the leaf or sheet. Fold two sides up. Continue with folding the other two sides up. Flip and put the folds on the bottom to secure. Continue with the rest of the dough.
- Cool – The dough will harden after it has cooled down. Serve and enjoy!
