Sweet Rice Dumplings with Palm Sugar and Coconut
Like an American “popper” snack, this diminutive sweet enjoyed in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore should be eaten whole: when you bite into it, the dumpling squirts lovely melted palm sugar into your mouth. The lightly smoky, caramel-like sugar then blends with the chewy rice dough and rich grated coconut in your mouth. These dumplings, also called klepon, are typically celadon green, since the dough features pandan (screwpine) leaves, a beloved ingredient in many parts of tropical Asia (see the Note below on buying the leaves). I like to amplify their herbal essence with vanilla. If pandan leaves are unavailable, just the vanilla and water are fine. Many cooks add food coloring for a cheery mint-green note; I prefer not to. Seek out Malaysian and Indonesian palm sugar (called gula melaka and gula jawa, respectively) for the best results. It is sold at Chinese and Southeast Asian markets, usually as thick cylinders wrapped in paper or plastic. The reddish-brown sugar is solid but moist. Shave off thin pieces with a knife to measure it out easily. If palm sugar is unavailable, combine 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar and enough molasses (a good tablespoon) to moisten the sugar well enough to roll it into balls.
Resembling gladiola leaves, spear-shaped pandan leaves are sold at Southeast Asian and some Chinese markets. Fresh leaves are usually bound by rubber bands and look like a rolled-up green belt. Frozen leaves are typically folded in half and sold in long Cryovac packages, usually shelved near other frozen tropical items, such as banana leaves and grated coconut. Frozen pandan comes from Thailand or Vietnam and is labeled bai toey or lá dứa in Thai or Vietnamese, respectively.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 24 dumplings, serving 6 to 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
To make the balls of palm sugar for the filling, measure it out in rounded 1/4 teaspoons, dislodging the sugar balls from the spoon with a push of a finger. You want 24 balls total, so after measuring the sugar, distribute any left over among the balls.
Step 2
Press and roll each ball between your hands into a smooth, compacted sphere, a scant 1/2 inch in diameter. Put the balls on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside. The sugar will develop a sheen as it sits.
Step 3
If you are using fresh coconut, put it in a bowl and toss with the salt. If the thawed coconut feels noticeably damp, put it in a paper towel and gently squeeze out some of moisture; then transfer it to a bowl and toss with the salt. Set aside near the stove.
Step 4
Cut the pandan leaves into 1-inch-long pieces. Put into a blender or electric mini-chopper and add the water. Run the machine to pulverize the pandan and create a fragrant green liquid resembling wheat grass. The pandan will get torn into thin, fibrous pieces.
Step 5
Position a mesh strainer over a bowl and line it with a paper towel. Pour the pandan liquid through to strain it. Pick up the paper towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. You need 1/2 cup, so add water or remove some of the liquid as needed. Add the vanilla and, if you want more color in the pandan liquid, add the food coloring, too. If you are not using the pandan leaves, simply stir together the water with the vanilla and food coloring. Or just combine the water and vanilla. Set the liquid aside.
Step 6
Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cover to keep hot.
Step 7
Put the glutinous rice flour in a bowl and make a well in the center. Pour in the flavored water and use a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients, working from the center to the rim of the bowl. When the dough becomes hard to stir, switch to using one hand to knead it in the bowl. The resulting dough will have a slight sheen and feel soft but somewhat stiff ; at this stage it is not fully malleable. If the dough doesn’t hold together, it is dry so add water by the 1/2 teaspoon to moisten. If the dough sticks to your hand, work in additional flour, 1 teaspoon at a time.
Step 8
Now use the “Glutinous Rice Dough: Mother Dough Method” instructions on page 211 to create a malleable, elastic dough. Cut the finished dough into 4 pieces.
Step 9
Before assembling the dumplings, return the water to a gentle boil. Because the dumplings can leak if they sit uncooked, assemble and cook them in small batches. For each batch, use one piece of dough. Roll the dough into a 6-inch-long log, then cut it into 6 even-size pieces.
Step 10
To make a dumpling, hold a piece of dough, with one of the cut ends up, near your fingertips. Use the thumb or an index finger to make a shallow well in the dough. Put a ball of palm sugar in the well, gently pressing it down to sink it into the dough. Push and press the dough to fully enclose the sugar and seal well. Roll the ball between your hands to even out the surface. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces to make five more dumplings.
Step 11
When the batch is assembled, add the dumplings, one at a time, to the boiling water. To make sure the dumplings do not stick, jiggle the saucepan or gently stir with a spoon. After about 2 minutes, the dumplings should float to the surface. When this happens, let them cook for 1 more minute. Then use a slotted spoon to lift the dumplings, either individually or in pairs, from the water, pausing above the pan to shake off excess water.
Step 12
Deposit the dumplings in the coconut. Dredge each one in coconut, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining dumplings before assembling the next batch.
Step 13
If you are not serving them right away, cover the dumplings with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying. They are best on the day they are prepared. However, left over dumplings should be kept at room temperature for no more than 2 days. They will harden and become inedible if chilled.
