Place the rice in a large saucepan and cover with water. Split your vanilla pod down the middle using a small knife, keeping one end in tact. Then holding the attached end, scrape the seeds out and put these into the pot with the pod. Add the other ingredients except for the coconut milk. Simmer until rice is soft, about 30-45 minutes. If pudding is too thick, simply add more water; if too thin, let it simmer longer. Increase sweetness at any time by adding more palm sugar, if desired.
For the sauce, blend the coconut milk with the bananas. Serve in nice little Asian bowls smothered in the sauce.
