For the Love of Cooking - Onde-Onde (Ondeh-Ondeh)

I made onde-onde (or something I call "pop pop") from my left over home made pandan extract.

Onde-Onde is a popular nyonya kuih (kuih means desserts in Malay language) which is believed to be originated from Malacca. One can taste 3 different textures and flavours in one bite. The outer layer of the kuih is coated with crunchy and slightly salty grated coconut, the middle layer which is made from pandan flavoured glutinous rice dough is quite chewy but neutral in taste, while the inner filling is what gives the ultimate sweet surprise.

I personally like to call it "pop pop" because when you bite on it, this cute little ball will "pop" in your mouth, and its deliciously rich, melted palm sugar filling just oozes out...leaving you a mouthful of sweet satisfaction. Absolutely yummy...!

Onde-Onde

Ingredients:

For Dough:
Glutinous Rice Flour	200 g
Water	150 ml
Home Made Pandan Extract	1 tbsp (or judge from the colour of the dough)
For Filling:
Palm Sugar (Gula Melaka), finely chopped	100 g
For Coating:
Freshly Grated Coconut	50 g (or enough to coat the ball)
Salt	1 pinch

Method:

1. Mix freshly grated coconut with a pinch of salt, steam for 5 minutes, and set aside to cool.

2. Finely chop palm sugar so that the filling will melt more evenly when cook.

3. In a bowl, combine glutinous rice flour, water and pandan extract, and knead lightly into a workable dough. (Feel free to add more water if the dough is too dry, or add more rice flour if it's too moist)

4. Divide the dough into 20-25 smaller pieces (about 15g each).

5. Flatten each small piece of dough into discs of about 2-3 inches in diameter.

6. Fill the center of the flattened dough with palm sugar and make sure the filling is well covered so that it will not leak when cooked. 

7. Slightly roll the stuffed dough in palm of hands to form small balls.

6. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the glutinous rice balls in the boiling water. 

7. The rice balls will float to the top when cooked. Let it cook for another 2-3 minutes to make sure the palm sugar filling has melted.

8. Remove the balls from boiling water, and coat with a generous layer of steamed coconut.

Notes:

1. Brown sugar can be used as substitution if palm sugar is not available, as they share similarly rich caramel flavor. I personally prefer palm sugar for its smoother and more rounded taste, while brown sugar gives you a stronger and sharper caramel flavor.

Palm sugar is made from sap collected from the buds of coconut/palm tree flowers

Brown sugar is made by adding molasses to refined cane sugar