Thai · Authentic-ish Thai
Glutinous Rice Balls in Coconut Milk
256 kcal a serving, against 546 for the traditional version. That is 290 kcal off, or 53%, with 8.8g of protein. Serves 4. 45 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Gloopy, gorgeous glutinous rice balls dropped into a syrupy broth of coconut cream, palm sugar and a pinch of salt. The coconut-sugar liquid is thick enough to coat the spoon, handily doubling as a sauce and a drink. You get an unashamedly rich, sweet finish - the kind you only want when you're already stuffed.
What changed, and what each change costs
Swap all 400g coconut cream for 250g skimmed milk and 60g coconut milk
Fat is almost the whole story here. Using a splash of canned coconut milk floated in hot, skimmed milk lets you keep the aroma and some creamy feeling, without the huge wallop of saturated fat. The broth gets thinner, almost like a coconut milk tea.
What it costs you. No more lush, mouth-coating velvetiness - you're eating pudding soup, not custard. It's still fragrant, but you'll notice the lack of heft if you're used to the real deal.
Halve the sugar, from 80g down to 40g
There's nowhere for sugar to hide in this dish: less of it means less seduction, but it also means you won't start sweating from a single bowl.
What it costs you. It loses that syrupy, almost caramel stickiness. The coconut comes through a bit stronger but it's less smooth, more like a milky broth than a glaze. Not a disaster, but not pudding for a celebration dinner.
Keep the rice balls exactly the same
The rice balls are all carbs and almost no fat or protein. The only way to lighten them is to turn them into something completely different, and at that point, you might as well just eat fruit.
What it costs you. No cost (nor gain). The balls are the same chewy little treats, which is the only victory here.
Add 20g whey protein to the coconut broth
Coconut cream is all fat and almost no protein. If you want to say this bowl isn't just a sugar rush, this is the best trick I've got. Dissolved well, whey protein leaves the broth slightly thicker and gives you something approaching a creamy mouthfeel.
What it costs you. If you don't dissolve it properly, you'll get little lumps. Get the whisk out and don't take shortcuts. The upside: an actual reason to call this dessert food, not just nostalgia.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 546 | 256 |
| Protein | 6.2g | 8.8g |
| Fat | 34.9g | 4.7g |
| Saturated fat | 30.8g | 3.7g |
| Carbohydrate | 57.3g | 44.4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 1.1g | 3.4g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Thai prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. milk.
The method is in the book
This is one of those puddings you can never quite lighten without losing some joy. If you're hoping for that classic, thick coconut custard, you'll be disappointed. What you get is a simple, coconut-scented soup with the same chewy balls - lighter, milky, and a touch more grown-up. It's a fair trade if you want your sweet fix without sleeping it off afterwards.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Thai, along with 50 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.