Klepon (pandan and coconut balls with molten palm sugar)

Klepon, similar to Malaysia's popular onde-onde, is a popular Indonesian street food snack, often pushed around on street vendor carts after dinnertime for families to pick up a sweet treat to enjoy after meals. Often prepared by families in groups, this glutinous rice cake is much beloved for its surprise molten palm sugar filling. This recipe is shared by executive chef Andrianto Wirya.

• makes

  15-20

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Series. Cooking. Rated PG.

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Ingredients

• 150 g fresh pandan leaves
• 100 g ice cubes
• 150 ml water
• 30 g white sugar
• 50 g rice flour
• 400 g glutinous rice flour

For the coconut coating

• 250 g desiccated coconut
• 2 pandan leaves, roughly chopped
• 15 g salt, to taste

For the palm sugar filling

• 150 g dark palm sugar, grated
• 5 g salt

Instructions

1. To make the coconut coating, prepare a steamer. Combine the coconut and pandan in a bowl small enough to fit into the steamer, then steam for 15 minutes. Remove from the steamer, then gradually add the salt to your liking, then set aside.
2. To make the palm sugar filling, combine the ingredients in a medium bowl, then shape into small balls around ~3 g each. Freeze until ready to use.
3. To make the dough, combine the fresh pandan leaves and ice cubes in a blender and blitz until smooth. Strain with a fine mesh strainer, reserving the liquid. Discard the solids. Transfer the strained liquid to a small saucepan with 150 ml water, sugar and rice flour (note: the glutinous rice flour is not added here, but later). Bring to the boil and stir continuously until the mixture thickens, then remove from the heat. While the mixture is still hot (the mixture needs to be hot otherwise the dough will split), mix through the glutinous rice flour. Continue to knead until the mixture forms a smooth and elastic dough, then cover with a tea towel to prevent it from drying out.
4. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Divide the prepared dough into 13 g portions. Roll a portion into a ball and make an indent in the centre large enough to hold the filling. Press a ball of the palm sugar filling into the centre of the ball and gather the edges to seal, rolling into a ball to ensure the filling is completely enclosed. Repeat until all balls are filled.
5. Add the klepon to the simmering water and boil until they float (around 4-5 minutes). Avoid overcrowding the saucepan – you may need to cook in batches for best results. Roll the klepon in the prepared coconut and serve.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.