Klepon (Sweet Rice Cake Balls)
Here’s a kid-friendly Indonesian recipe for Klepon, which are sweet rice cake balls filled with palm sugar and coated in grated coconut. They are fun to make and delicious to eat!
Ingredients:
- For the dough:
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1/2 cup pandan juice (or water, if pandan is unavailable)
- A pinch of salt
- For the filling:
- 1/2 cup palm sugar, finely chopped (you can substitute with brown sugar if needed)
- For the coating:
- 1 cup grated unsweetened coconut
- A pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Prepare the Coconut:
- In a bowl, mix the grated coconut with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Make the Dough:
- In a mixing bowl, combine rice flour and salt.
- Gradually add the pandan juice (or water) to the rice flour, mixing until you form a smooth dough. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more rice flour until it’s manageable.
- Shape the Klepon:
- Take a small piece of dough (about the size of a marble) and flatten it in your palm.
- Place a small amount (about 1/2 teaspoon) of chopped palm sugar in the center.
- Carefully fold the dough around the sugar and roll it into a ball, ensuring the sugar is completely sealed inside.
- Repeat until all dough and filling are used.
- Boil the Klepon:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully drop the klepon balls into the boiling water.
- Boil them until they float to the surface, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes.
- Coat with Coconut:
- Once the klepon are floating, remove them with a slotted spoon and let them cool for a moment.
- Roll the cooled klepon in the grated coconut until they are fully coated.
- Serve:
- Place the klepon on a serving plate and enjoy! They can be eaten warm or at room temperature.
Tips:
- You can use food coloring to tint the dough for a fun look.
- These little treats can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for a few days.
Klepon is a delightful and chewy treat that kids will love making and eating! Enjoy!