Indonesian Klepon: Pandan Rice Balls with Molten Palm Sugar Centers

Blend the pandan leaves with 1 cup of water and strain firmly through a fine sieve to get fragrant green pandan water. If using extract, simply stir it into 3/4 cup warm water.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (200g) glutinous rice flour
• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
• 3/4 cup (180ml) warm pandan water (see step 1)
• 10 fresh pandan leaves, or 1 teaspoon pandan extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup (90g) palm sugar, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups (120g) freshly grated or frozen shredded coconut, thawed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, for the coconut
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, optional

Instructions

1. Blend the pandan leaves with 1 cup of water and strain firmly through a fine sieve to get fragrant green pandan water. If using extract, simply stir it into 3/4 cup warm water.
2. Steam the shredded coconut with the 1/4 teaspoon salt for 5 minutes, then spread it on a plate to cool. This keeps it from souring and seasons it against the sweet filling.
3. Whisk the glutinous rice flour, tapioca starch and salt in a bowl, then add the warm pandan water a little at a time, kneading until you have a smooth dough with the feel of soft modeling clay.
4. Rest the dough covered for 10 minutes so the flour fully hydrates, then roll it into 24 balls about the size of a walnut.
5. Flatten each ball in your palm, place a scant teaspoon of chopped palm sugar in the center, and pinch the edges closed. Roll again between your palms so there are no seams for the sugar to escape through.
6. Bring a wide pot of water to a gentle boil and slip in the balls in batches. They are done about 1 minute after they float to the surface, roughly 4 minutes total.
7. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, drain briefly, and roll each one in the steamed coconut while still hot and tacky.
8. Serve at room temperature the day they are made. Bite them whole over a napkin, because the sugar inside has melted into hot caramel syrup.
9. Klepon belongs to Indonesia's vast family of jajan pasar, the market snacks sold from woven baskets at dawn across Java and Bali. The burst of liquid gula jawa palm sugar is the entire point of the sweet, which is why Indonesian cooks insist you eat them in one bite rather than politely halving them.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 265 kcal
• Protein: 3g
• Fat: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 18g
• Sodium: 180mg