Pandan Onde Onde with Gula Melaka and Coconut

Ingredients

• 100 g Pandan leaves (Fresh; roughly chopped or torn for blending.)
• 340 ml Water (Used to blend the pandan leaves; only about 260 ml of strained pandan juice is added to the flour.)
• 220 g Glutinous rice flour
• 100 g Gula Melaka (Use small chunks or granulated gula melaka so it melts faster; the author recommends having 150–200 g available to adjust the filling amount.)
• 100 g Shredded coconut (Steamed before coating the cooked onde onde.)

Steps

1. 1

   Blend the water and pandan leaves at medium speed until the mixture is uniformly green and finely blended. Work in 2–3 batches if your blender is small.

2. 2

   Strain the blended mixture through a fine sieve. Press and squeeze the leaves with a spoon to extract as much pandan juice as possible. Set the strained juice aside for 10 minutes so it can settle.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, place the shredded coconut in a steamer and steam for about 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Set it aside for coating.

4. 4

   Measure 260 ml of the pandan juice and pour it into the glutinous rice flour in a large bowl. Mix until a dough begins to form.

5. 5

   Lightly knead the dough by hand until it no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl and can be formed into a smooth ball without cracking. If necessary, adjust the dough gradually so it is pliable enough to wrap around the filling.

6. 6

   Cover or set the dough aside to rest for 5 minutes. While it rests, bring a large pot of water to a full boil.

7. 7

   Divide the dough into approximately 15 g portions, yielding about 15 pieces. Roll each portion into a smooth ball.

8. 8

   Make a deep imprint in the center of one dough ball to create a small bowl shape. Add a portion of the gula melaka, using small pieces or granules, then pinch the dough closed securely around the filling.

9. 9

   Roll the filled dough gently between your palms until smooth and sealed. Drop it immediately into the boiling water. Continue shaping and filling the remaining dough, adding each piece to the pot as it is finished.

10. 10

    Cook the onde onde until each piece rises and floats to the surface, indicating that the dough is cooked and the sugar center has melted. Avoid overcrowding the pot; cook in batches if needed.

11. 11

    Remove the floating onde onde with a slotted spoon and allow excess water to drain briefly.

12. 12

    Immediately roll each cooked piece in the steamed shredded coconut until evenly coated. Serve warm, when the gula melaka center is soft and molten.

Notes

Use fresh pandan leaves, fresh shredded coconut, and pandan juice for the strongest fragrance and flavor. A little pandan extract may be added as a top-up if the pandan juice is not sufficiently aromatic. The amount of gula melaka is flexible: use at least 100 g, and keep 150–200 g available if you prefer generously filled onde onde. Handle freshly cooked pieces carefully because the sugar centers are very hot.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• snack
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• Southeast Asian
• steamed
• boiled
• gluten-free ingredients