Klepon: Glutinous Rice Dough Balls with Palm Sugar Filling (Vegan)

Method13 steps · about 1 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix the grated coconut (1 cup) with ¼ tsp salt, and then steam for about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

   Steam coconut · 15 minUses 1 cup grated coconut · ¼ tsp salt for coconut

2. 2

   Step 2: Using a spoon, mix well: the glutinous flour, tapioca flour (1 tbsp) and ¼ tsp salt, in a bowl.

   Uses 200 g glutinous rice flour · 1 tbsp tapioca flour · ¼ tsp salt for dough

3. 3

   Step 3: Add the green food colouring (3 drops) to the hot water (160 ml), mix well.

   Uses 3 drops green food colouring · 160 ml hot water

4. 4

   Step 4: Add the hot water (which should now be green) to the flour mixture little by little while mixing it with a tablespoon. Make sure not to add too much water to avoid watery dough.

   Uses dry flour mixture · hot coloured water added gradually as needed from the 160 ml batch

5. 5

   Step 5: Knead the dough using your hand until the dough is smooth and there are no more sticky bits of flour.

   Uses hydrated dough

6. 6

   Step 6: Take a little bit of the dough and roll it to form a small ball, then press into it using your thumb. Add the palm sugar and then close it tightly. Roll it again into a smooth ball. You’re done with one ball – now set it aside.

   Uses a small portion of dough for first ball · A little palm sugar from the 50 g total for first ball

7. 7

   Step 7: Repeat filling and sealing balls with the remaining dough and palm sugar. Keep the first filled ball with the completed batch.

   Uses first filled dough ball · remaining dough · Remaining palm sugar from the 50 g total

8. 8

   Step 8: Fill a cooking pan with water and add the pandan leaves (2). Bring to a boil.

   Uses Water as needed to boil the dough balls · 2 pandan leaves

9. 9

   Step 9: Add all the filled dough balls and cook until they float, about 8 minutes.

   Boil until floating · 8 minUses boiling pandan water · batch of filled dough balls

10. 10

    Step 10: When they float, continue cooking for around 3 minutes so that the sugar melts.

    Continue cooking · 3 minUses floating dough balls in pandan water

11. 11

    Step 11: Drain the balls until there’s no more water dripping.

    Uses cooked sugar-filled balls

12. 12

    Step 12: Roll the balls in the grated coconut to coat them.

    Uses drained cooked balls · cooled salted grated-coconut coating

13. 13

    Step 13: Transfer the balls to a serving plate.

    Uses coconut-coated klepon