📝 About This Recipe
Klepon is a beloved Indonesian street food delicacy consisting of pillowy soft glutinous rice balls infused with fragrant pandan juice. Each vibrant green sphere hides a molten core of dark palm sugar that bursts with sweetness upon the first bite. Rolled in snowy, salted grated coconut, these treats offer a perfect harmony of chewy texture, earthy aromatics, and rich caramel notes.
🥗 Ingredients
The Dough
- 250 grams Glutinous rice flour (also known as sweet rice flour)
- 50 grams Rice flour (adds structure and prevents excessive stickiness)
- 200 ml Warm water (adjust slightly as needed for dough consistency)
- 1 teaspoon Pandan extract (or use 50ml fresh pandan juice by blending 5 leaves with water)
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt (to enhance the dough flavor)
- 1-2 drops Green food coloring (optional, for a more vibrant emerald hue)
The Molten Filling
- 150 grams Gula Melaka or Palm Sugar (finely chopped or shaved for easy melting)
Coconut Coating
- 150 grams Freshly grated coconut (use only the white part; or use unsweetened desiccated coconut)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt (essential to balance the sweet filling)
- 1 piece Pandan leaf (tied into a knot for steaming)
Boiling Liquid
- 2 liters Water (for boiling the dumplings)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare the coconut coating: Mix the grated coconut with 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a heatproof bowl. Place the knotted pandan leaf on top and steam for 10 minutes. This prevents the coconut from spoiling quickly and infuses it with aroma.
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2
Spread the steamed coconut onto a flat plate or tray and set aside to cool.
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3
Prepare the filling by finely shaving the palm sugar. It must be fine enough to melt completely during the short boiling process.
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4
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the glutinous rice flour, rice flour, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
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5
Mix the pandan extract (and food coloring, if using) into the warm water.
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6
Gradually pour the pandan water into the flour mixture. Knead gently with your hands until a smooth, pliable dough forms. It should feel like playdough—not sticking to your hands but not cracking.
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7
If the dough is too dry, add water a teaspoon at a time. If too sticky, add a pinch more glutinous rice flour.
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8
Pinch off a small piece of dough (about the size of a large marble, roughly 15-20g) and roll it into a smooth ball.
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9
Use your thumb to make a deep indentation in the center of the ball, creating a small cup shape. Ensure the walls aren't too thin.
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10
Place about 1/2 teaspoon of shaved palm sugar into the center. Carefully pinch the edges of the dough together to seal it completely, then roll gently between your palms to make it perfectly round again.
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11
Repeat until all dough is used. Keep the prepared balls covered with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out and cracking.
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12
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Lower the heat slightly to a medium boil so the bubbles don't break the delicate dumplings.
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13
Carefully drop the balls into the water. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding. They will initially sink to the bottom.
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14
Once the balls float to the surface, let them cook for an additional 2 minutes. This ensures the palm sugar inside is completely melted into a liquid syrup.
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15
Use a slotted spoon to remove the balls, drain briefly, and immediately drop them into the grated coconut. Roll them until evenly coated, then serve warm.
💡 Chef's Tips
Use high-quality dark palm sugar (Gula Melaka) for the most authentic, smoky caramel flavor. Ensure the dough is sealed tightly; any tiny cracks will cause the sugar to leak out into the boiling water. If using desiccated coconut instead of fresh, splash it with a little coconut milk before steaming to rehydrate it. Do not let the shaped balls sit for too long before boiling, or the moisture from the sugar might start to dissolve the dough from the inside. Always serve Klepon at room temperature or slightly warm; if refrigerated, the dough will become hard.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve alongside a hot cup of Javanese jasmine tea or unsweetened black coffee to balance the sweetness. Display on a platter lined with fresh banana leaves for a beautiful, traditional aesthetic. Pair with other 'Jajan Pasar' (market snacks) like Dadar Gulung or Kue Lapis for a complete Indonesian tea time. Warn your guests to eat them in one bite—biting them in half will result in a delicious but messy explosion of syrup!