Ondeh ondeh recipe

Alright, listen up. Forget those mediocre snacks. Today, we're diving into something truly exceptional, a stunning little bite that's packed with flavour and a beautiful tradition: Ondeh Ondeh. These vibrant green glutinous rice balls, filled with molten palm sugar and coated in fragrant coconut, are an absolute masterpiece of Southeast Asian confectionery. They're not just a treat; they're an experience, and with a bit of precision, they can even elevate a simple light lunch into something truly memorable. Don't be intimidated; follow these steps meticulously, and you'll achieve perfection.

Ingredients

• 300 g glutinous rice flour
• 80 g tapioca flour
• 150 ml water
• 10-15 pandan leaves, washed
• 80 g grated coconut
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 50 g gula melaka, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cooking oil

Instructions

1. First, precisely gather your grated coconut, sea salt, and two tied pandan leaves. Steam these over medium-high heat for a full 10 minutes. Once fragrant and tender, remove the pandan leaves and set the coconut aside to cool.
2. Now, the gula melaka. It's crucial this is finely chopped – as fine as physically possible. This ensures a beautifully molten centre.
3. Take the remaining pandan leaves, cut them into small pieces, add water, and blend until completely smooth. Sieve this mixture meticulously to extract every drop of that vibrant green pandan juice.
4. Next, sieve both the glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour together into a large bowl. This aeration is key.
5. Slowly, meticulously incorporate the vibrant pandan juice, part by part, into the mixed flours. Begin with a spatula, then, once a cohesive dough starts to form, switch to your hands. Knead until the dough achieves a slightly firm, but still pliable, texture.
6. Add the cooking oil and continue to knead until the dough is perfectly consistent, completely non-sticky, and beautifully smooth. This is where precision pays off, ensuring a stunning texture.
7. Divide the perfectly kneaded dough into uniform pieces, roughly the size of squash balls. Consistency here is critical.
8. Create a neat, precise dent in the centre of each dough ball. Carefully spoon in about ¾ teaspoon of the finely chopped gula melaka.
9. Now, the crucial part: completely seal the dough ball. Ensure there are absolutely no cracks or openings; we want that gula melaka to stay precisely where it belongs.
10. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Gently drop the sealed dough balls into the boiling water, stirring carefully to prevent them from sticking to the bottom.
11. Once the dough balls gracefully float to the surface, allow them to boil for precisely one more minute. This ensures the gula melaka melts into that stunning, liquid gold. Then, remove them immediately from the boiling water.
12. Finally, coat each warm, vibrant ondeh ondeh generously with the steamed grated coconut. Serve these beauties immediately and enjoy your perfectly crafted treat.

My Top Tips

Alright, if you want your Ondeh Ondeh to be truly exceptional, pay attention:

Ingredient quality is paramount. Use fresh pandan leaves for that vibrant, natural green and the best quality gula melaka you can find. It makes all the difference to the flavour and the molten centre.

The dough is everything. Don't rush the kneading. It must be perfectly smooth and non-sticky. If it's too dry, a tiny drop more pandan juice; too wet, a touch more glutinous rice flour. Feel it, understand it.

Sealing is critical. Ensure those dough balls are perfectly sealed around the gula melaka. Any crack, and your beautiful molten centre will escape into the boiling water. No shortcuts here.

There you have it. A stunning plate of Ondeh Ondeh. You've followed the steps, shown precision, and now you have a perfectly crafted, incredibly delicious treat. This isn't just a snack; it's a testament to quality ingredients and meticulous technique. Enjoy every single bite; you've earned it.