How To Make Ondeh Ondeh

Aka glutinous pandan rice balls filled with brown palm sugar. It is commonly known as Ondeh Ondeh (own-day own-day) in Malaysia and Singapore; and it is more known as Klepon (kuh-luh-pawn) in Indonesia.

I shall tell you my recipe, being a student and all. Perhaps not the best way to give a recipe but I hope you get it.

You need:

- Glutinous Rice Flour
- Brown Palm Sugar
- Shredded or dessicated coconut
- Pandan essence (preferrably with the green food colouring)
- Water
- Ice cold water for the later process
- Pot to boil water
- Bowls and plate

1. Pour some of the flour onto a large mixing bowl and pour a drizzle of water – don’t add too much, you want to knead it until it is this consistency. It has a grip but not slippery or soggy. Something like a plasticine texture and feel. You can moult it.

2. Roll them to small balls with your palms

3. Take some of the brown palm sugar (which you have previously shaved or if you haven’t just chop some up now). Try and place it in the green balls and make sure to close it very well. So it does not leak.

4. Place the filled riceballs into the hot water that you can heat up over the stove. Yes this is to be boiled. Leave them in the pot. Get your COLD water pot ready, put some ice if it’s not cold enough.
They will rise to the top when it is ready for them to be plucked out of the pot. Once you’ve taken the floating riceballs out of the boiling pot, place them straight into the COLD water. This will ensure they are done cooking and won’t be too hot for the next process.

5. Once they have been in the COLD water, take the riceball out and roll it on a bowl or a plate of the dessicated coconut. The heat and moisture of the riceballs will soften the coconut pieces. The coconut pieces on the other hand will make the riceballs easier to hold so that it does not stick together. The coconut also adds a yummy flavour to the whole dessert!

6. Once they are covered – they are READY to be served! Be careful they might be still a tad hot! Now enjoy this delicious Southeast Asian dessert delicacy – PS: you have to put the whole thing in your mouth!

Enjoy ^__^

-x-

All photos are my own.