Malaysian Onde-Onde

I made this well-known Nyonya dessert to be shared with my fellow Malaysians at the Malaysian Association of Michigan (MAM) members this morning. This was made last night and it was a lot better. I made the mistake of refrigerating it overnight but I nuked it in the microwave for 45 second and it was fine.Remember to let it sit in room temperature for a few minutes before consuming after nuking it or else you will burn your tongue with boiling gula melaka oozing out from them.

I found many recipes only but I chose this one because I did not have to boil, peel and mash sweet potatoes. I also found that the tapioca starch in this recipe also gave it the gumminess it require. Also, I have to call this Malaysian onde-onde because I found several versions from Indonesia that contains kacang hijau (mung bean) instead of gula melaka (palm sugar). Back when I was just a kid, I knew this as buah melaka.

This recipe was not difficult, but it was just time consuming kneading it to the right consistency. I also added 2 tbsp of water while kneading it because it was too dry, but I suppose it’s just the season and temperature right now. I also did not have pandan leaves (screwpine leaves) but I did have some pandan coloring and emultion. It was close enough, I’m not gonna complain. The next time I make this I will try to make them smaller, the dough thinner but not puncture the dough with the sharp edges of the chopped gula melaka

Original recipe source: Lily’s Wai Sek Hong

Ingredients:

• 270 g glutinous rice flour
• 55 g tapioca flour
• Pinch of salt
• 200 ml water
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp pandan paste
• A few drops green colouring (if desired)
• 1/2 grated coconut, mixed with a pinch of salt, or
• 150g of fine unsweetened coconut flakes (dessicated is fine too)
  Filling (combine):
• 100g gula Melaka or palm sugar
• 1 tbsp soft brown sugar

Method:

1. Boil together the tapioca flour, oil and 200 ml water over low heat. Keep stirring till only 3/4 cooked. Allow mixture to turn transparent.
2. Pour the tapioca mixture immediately into the glutinous rice flour in a large bowl. Stir till well absorbed and gradually add in the pandan paste, salt and green food coloring.
3. Stir well and knead to form a firm smooth dough. If dough is too soft , add a little glutinous flour. I had to add a bit of water to knead all the flour in successfully.
4. Divide dough into small pieces and form 1 inch size balls. Flatten each piece, put half a teaspoon of filling in the centre and roll into onde-onde balls.
5. Drop the onde-onde into boiling water. Reduce heat to medium. When the balls are cooked they will float. Continue to cook for another 2 mins to dissolve the sugar and make it syrupy.
6. Scoop up the onde-onde with a perforated ladle, dab ladle over dry cloth and then toss onde onde in grated coconut or coconut flakes.
7. Repeat with the rest of the dough, or make them all ahead and then cook them all in a few batches. Some of the sugar may melt and seep through but it’s ok.