Recipe
Onde Onde
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
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“Where are they?” I remembered seeing 6 of them in a small clear plastic food bag in the plate, on the dining table. “Ah, your sister took that packet and had them just now.” “Oh, no! There’s nothing left for me.” My voice was full with great disappointment.
They are very special little glutinous rice ball with Pandan leaves flavour, filled with palm sugar and coated with freshly grated coconut flesh, called onde onde/ondeh ondeh. A a kid, I used to have them late in the morning or at tea time. My sister and brother loved these little gems, I believe they still do.
My first time eating onde onde/ondeh ondeh was a sweet and memorable one. The moment I put them into my mouth, it started from a of slightly salted coconut flesh. After a few chews, the explosion of palm sugar took over, leaving an overall sweet, very sweet experience.
Onde onde/ondeh ondeh are desserts/pastries/cakes. In Malaysian, they are Kuihs – Asian equivalent of desserts/ pastries/ cakes. Onde onde/Ondeh Ondeh are usually prepared in bite-sized portions. Kuihs are not confined to a certain meal but are eaten throughout the day. There are Nyonya Kuihs and Malay Kuihs, they come from the same family. Thus, there isn’t much distinction between them.
Just a few days ago, I read about Holy Basil’s Pandanus Crème Brûlée. That sent me a sudden crave for desserts that are made with Pandan leaves/Pandanus. Then, I found this recipe in my one of my cookbooks that contains all my favourite ingredients: Pandan leaves, coconut, and palm sugar, in which I believe would stop my craving!
So, get ready to try out this. Probably your first ever Malaysian dessert/cake if you’ve not tried one before.
Onde Onde
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Yield:
Ingredients:
For the Onde Onde:
200g grated coconut flesh
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
250g glutinous rice flour
7-8 pandan leaves (blended with 180ml of water to extract juice)
some warm water
150g palm sugar, chopped
Method:
1. Mix grated coconut with salt and set aside. Mix glutinous rice flour with pandan juice a little at a time and work it into the dough. Add water if more moisture is required to work it into a fairly stiff dough. Knead until smooth.
2. Form small balls with the dough. Make a well in the centre of each ball and place a little chopped palm sugar in it. Wrap the palm sugar with the dough and roll back into a ball.
3. Cook, a few balls at a time, in boiling water. When the dough balls float to the surface, remove and roll each ball in the grated coconut which has mixed with the salt. Serve at room temperature.
i love pandan. and onde ondes take me back to when i was a kid and my mum would reward my hard work (after drama lessons) with a small plastic box of 3 onde onde! i remember making them with boiled sweet potato as well. mmm. best things yet
we have onde2 in indonesia too. delicious! 🙂 have u tried another kue called putu? it’s rice flour cake filled with palm sugar stamed in bamboo shots and eaten with coconut. sooo goood, especially when they’re hot!
i forgot. here in indonesia the kue above (your onde-onde)called klepon, while onde-onde is the fried one with mung bean paste filling and sprinkled with sesame. it is delicious too!
[diva] Onde Onde definitely bring me back to my childhood too! I have yet tried the sweet potato ones, I am sure they are good too! I will try out one day! Thank you for dropping by!
[intan] I think I tried putu when I was really young, can’t really recall the taste though. I am not sure if I could get them in London 🙁 Probably need to make them myself but need to source for bamboos..
Ah, it has a different name in Indonesia. I see. The Indonesian Onde Onde sounds delicious. I think I had something similar in Malaysia but it wasn’t in tiny balls like Onde Onde though. Sesame.. yum.. another of my favourtie ingredients!
Thank you for dropping by, Intan.
I love onde onde too. Actually I didn’t like it as much when I was a child, but they grew on me as I got older 🙂
This dessert sounds lovely. I am a big fan coconut and pandan. This seems rather simple to make and they look so fun and festive – particularly the way you styled them with the coconut shells.
[Nilmandra] I haven’t had it for a long time until recently when I was in Malaysia. Now that I know how to make Onde Onde, I don’t have to wait till my next trip back! 🙂
[Christine] Thank you. I love coconut but grating coconut flesh to make Onde Onde is no fun though 🙁 Next time I will go to the nearest Indian grocery to buy as they have special machine to grate coconut flesh 🙂
Looks absolutely divine in the little coconut shells. I love coconut and these sound refreshing and sweet and small, enough to satisfy. I love delicate, small desserts. Your photos are stunning!
Aran,
Thank you! Try this typical Malaysian dessert, you will like it!
Welcome Back! Such stunning photographs!!! Looks like you had a wonderful time and such a great coconut treat!
Pixie,
Thanks! I had very wonderful time!
I have a bunch of coconut flesh in the freezer that I need to use up, and one pack of gula melaka that I haven’t opened…this is a good idea…
BTW, you should have your pictures on top of your post (since they are always so beautiful), just so users don’t have to scroll down for it. Just a tip…hope you don’t mind. Also, did you resize your picture? The text look skewed…
Rasa Malaysia,
Thank you for your comment. Definitely a good tip to put the pictures on top of the post.
Yes, I usually resize my pictures and I do notice that the texts are sometimes distorted. However, they look fine on Safari but not IE. Not sure why…will check this out…
My palm sugar was always leaked frm the glutinous ball even before cooking. Maybe I am too greedy. Hehehe! Yours look so nice! I will try it out one day.
lk,
Really? Hmmm… probably because of the warm weather? Do you keep your palm sugar in the fridge? That would probably help and it’s easier to cut the palm sugar into small piece when it’s a bit solid.
My palm sugar didn’t leak out though.. and you could be right on the amount too 🙂
I like this dessert but I need to grate my own coconut 🙁 I have to find a shop where they can grate for me!
i normally use glutinous rice flour for onde onde.. however, when i buy them outside there is this popping effect when you eat them. It is true if we were to add tapioca flour it can have the effect when the melted will gush out once you bite.
Rosy,
That’s a very good tip!! Would be great if you share a recipe with us!
Hi! How many balls did you make with this recipe?
Hi Jess,
Thanks for dropping by! I don't quite remember how many this recipe makes but roughly about 20-25 balls I reckon.
Love onde onde but where is the recipe? I am sure your site will come in handy whenever I crave for Malaysian foods. Thank you.
Hi Philip,
Thanks for dropping by! Sorry there was a problem in displaying the recipe. It is up now. 🙂
Thank you so very much. And, WOW! Such prompt reply. I’m impressed. Will definitely try making onde onde soon.