Instant Khao Lam (Glutinous Rice in Bamboo Cylinders), a local souvenir that can now be enjoyed internationally 

A lecturer in the Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, has developed an instant version of Khao Lam (Glutinous Rice in Bamboo Cylinders), preserving the sweet, creamy flavor of the renowned Nong Mon Khao Lam. Making Khao Lam at home is now simply “a piece of cake”, taking only 25 minutes from start to finish! This move elevates the community’s product to reach international markets. 

When talking about Nong Mon Market in Chonburi Province, many people immediately think of “Khao Lam,” a famous local souvenir that everyone who passes by must stop and buy two or three at the very least. Whether it’s white sticky rice or black sticky rice, it’s topped with black beans, ginkgo nuts, and oozing coconut milk. The sweet, salty, and creamy flavors are enough to make your mouth water just at the thought of it.   

Unfortunately, Khao Lam has a short shelf life of only 1-2 days. Those looking to buy it for someone far away and keep it for a long time, or even foreigners who have tried it and loved it, wanting to bring it back home as a souvenir, are therefore faced with a challenge. 

The idea of ​​”instant sticky rice” was what sparked Mr. Gorngris Kositsakul, a young man with ties to the community in Chonburi Province who is currently studying at the upper secondary level in England. 

Associate Professor Dr. Inthawoot Suppavorasatit, from the Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, shared with us the origins of the development of the “921 Instant Khao Lam” innovation. “Gorngris contacted the Department of Food Technology through his father, a Chulalongkorn University alumnus who runs a business in Chonburi. He loves cooking and wishes to create a project that could help the community in the province. Khao Lam was one of the products he was interested in, since it has a short shelf life.” 

“Initially, we thought about and experimented with easy-to-eat products, such as a toffee that retained the flavor of khao lam. Eventually, however, we decided that khao lam would be better eaten as it is, in its original form. So, we sought a way to create khao lam that wouldn’t spoil and would still be enjoyable for consumers to make. It could also be stored for a long time and enjoyed on many occasions. That’s how we came up with the 921 instant khao lam,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Inthawoot added that, actually, the number 921 isn’t the name of a rice variety, but rather a number related to the birthday of Gorngris, the person who sparked this wonderful idea. 

What’s Inside the Instant Khao Lam? 

Usually, when eating khao lam, we use a knife to pry the bamboo apart to get at the sticky rice inside. For the 921 instant khao lam, the packaging isn’t bamboo, but rather a paper tube printed with a bamboo pattern. Inside, the following components are included: 

  

1. Partially cooked and dried white and black glutinous rice, packed in moisture-proof bags. 
2. An appropriate amount of sugar, packed in moisture-proof bags. 
3. An appropriate amount of coconut milk powder, packed in moisture-proof bags. 
4. Foil cups and spoons for mixing all ingredients. 

Your Very Own DIY Khao Lam  

It takes only 25 minutes to prepare your own Khao Lam by following these easy steps: 

1. Open the rice packet and place it in the foil cup. Pour hot water over the rice just to cover the rice. 
2. Add coconut milk powder and mix well. 
3. Add sugar to taste. You can add more if you like it sweeter. 
4. Once all ingredients are mixed, let it sit for about 8 minutes to allow the rice to absorb the water. 
5. Place the foil cup with all ingredients in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. 

The Journey of Instant Khao Lam 

The traditional method of grilling sticky rice in bamboo cylinders requires cooking the sticky rice inside the bamboo until it is cooked. This is a lengthy process that is quite time-consuming. For the instant product Assoc. Prof. Dr. Inthawoot explains, “We need to partially gelatinize the sticky rice and dry it. Once consumers are ready to cook it, they need to add water and continue cooking. This will allow the sticky rice to return to its original form and cook more quickly. 

“The difficulty is that Khao Lam contains both black and white sticky rice, which take different lengths of time to cook. Black sticky rice cooks more slowly, so we had to find the optimum conditions for both types of rice to partially cook and then finish cooking simultaneously in the oven. My initial idea was to microwave, but since they don’t cook at the same time, I had to use the oven instead.” 

It’s not just about the sticky rice; making instant coconut milk for khao lam is also a challenge. 

“We need to find the right amount and taste of coconut milk for khao lam, which is not only sweet but also salty. This requires the right amount of salt and sugar. Furthermore, we can’t use liquid coconut milk because it spoils easily. We need to use the powdered form of coconut milk instead.” 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Inthawoot stated that the technique for making coconut milk powder is a basic technology already available in the food industry called spray drying. 

“It’s a drying machine that thickens the coconut milk, then exposes it to heat.  This evaporates the water, leaving only the solids in the coconut milk. The solids are then collected and turned into powdered coconut milk.  Water is then added to return it to its original milk form.” 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Inthawoot said that the key to the instant khao lam production process lies in finding the right conditions to ensure that all the ingredients in khao lam—sticky rice, coconut milk, and sugar—are cooked and deliciously balanced at the same time. 

“The ideal cooking time must be tested in the laboratory. Sticky rice and coconut milk, especially those containing sugar, do not finish cooking simultaneously. To find the right conditions, we must try each ingredient separately. If the mixture doesn’t cook properly, we need to determine which component doesn’t cook properly, adjust the conditions, add more water, or modify other ingredients,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Inthawoot added that Mr. Gorngris also participated in the experiments, along with students from the Department of Food Technology.  

From the Lab to the Prototype Factory 

Once the experiments have yielded satisfactory khao lam, it’s time to produce it for our consumers. At this stage, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Inthawoot explained, “When we want to expand production or increase production volume, we need to consider the question of packaging. For example, how to preserve dry products for a longer period of time? We need to find the right storage conditions, suitable packaging materials, and process time. When we increase production volume, production conditions may not be the same as when we produce small quantities in the lab. As we scale up, we may need to adjust certain conditions. The department has been working with the Food Processing Pilot Plant, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, located in Saraburi Province.” 

“We took the ideal conditions from the lab and scaling them up at the prototype factory. Students from the department conducted scale-up experiments, and once we have the data, Gorngris collaborated on the production and finalization of the finished product.” 

Currently, instant khao lam 921 is distributed by G.T. Innovation Co., Ltd. at 350 Baht per box (containing two servings of khao lam). It is also available at King Power Duty Free shop for purchase to take home or as gifts for those far from Khao Lam production areas. 

Khao Lam Nong Mon Retains its Unique Characteristics

Khao lam Nong Mon is distinguished from other khao lams by its large, spherical shape and the richness of coconut milk. The Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Science has preserved the distinctive flavor of khao lam Nong Mon, adding a flavor and aroma reminiscent of roasted khao lam. 

“Those who have tried the instant version of Khao Lam 921 say that the flavor, texture, and aroma are very similar to the original. Canned Khao Lam is already available in the market, but the 921 version does not undergo the heat sterilization process like the canned version, resulting in a more authentic aroma, flavor, and texture.” 

Previously, Chonburi Khao Lam could be stored for no more than two days without refrigeration, but the instant type can be stored without refrigeration for at least six months. After six months, it is still edible, but may not be as good as when freshly made. 

Returning Knowledge to the Community 

Before producing the 921 instant Khao Lam, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Inthawoot and his team studied the production process in the Nong Mon community, including production times, ingredients, and production processes. They used the community’s product as a model to develop their own version. They adhered to principles comparable to local products. “After the finished product was produced, we shared this knowledge with the community, showing them that by integrating science and technology, we can take local products much further. Our community’s fame and reputation can expand to the global market if the people see the value.” 

“We shared this story with community entrepreneurs. At that time, there was a seminar organized by the Saensuk Subdistrict Municipality. We invited them to see what the instant Khao Lam product was like and invited them to taste it. They agreed that it was similar to locally produced products and could see that this didn’t mean it was competing with their local market.” 

Finally, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Inthawoot gave the advice to scientists who want to expand their knowledge to develop products: “If you want to develop products using scientific knowledge, you must understand what you are doing and do it with sincerity and scientific principles.” 

Instant Khao Lam 921 is an example of a product that continues the legacy of community products, combining local wisdom with modern food technology to develop into an international product. 

Those interested in food processing can contact the Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University at Tel.  02-218-5515-or http://foodtech.sc.chula.ac.th/ 

For more information on this product, access https://www.9-twentyone.com/ 

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