Name: Klepon
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indonesia
Ingredients: 200 g glutinous rice flour; 6 pandan leaves, blended with water and strained for juice; 150 ml water, approximate, as needed; 100 g palm sugar (gula jawa), chopped into small chunks; 150 g freshly grated coconut; 1/4 tsp salt, divided

Klepon are small on purpose: just enough green glutinous rice dough to wrap around a chunk of palm sugar, boiled until the dough cooks through and the sugar inside turns molten.

The whole point is the surprise. Bite into one without warning and the liquid sugar center catches people off guard every time, which is exactly why they are eaten within an hour or two of being made, before that center has a chance to firm back up.

Part of our 20 best Indonesian recipes list.

method

Blend a handful of pandan leaves with a little water, strain through a cloth, and keep the bright green liquid.

Mix the glutinous rice flour with a pinch of salt. Gradually add the pandan juice, and plain water if needed, kneading until you have a smooth, soft, pliable dough that does not stick to your hands.

Pinch off small pieces of dough, about the size of a large marble, and flatten each into a disc in your palm.

Place a small chunk of palm sugar in the center of each disc, then fold the edges up and around to seal it completely, rolling it back into a smooth ball. Make sure there are no cracks, or the sugar will leak out while cooking.

Mix the grated coconut with the remaining pinch of salt and steam it for 5 minutes to help it keep a little longer, then spread it on a plate.

Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil. Drop in the rice balls and cook until they float to the surface, 5 to 7 minutes, then let them cook for 1 more minute after floating.

Lift the balls out with a slotted spoon while still hot, and roll them immediately in the grated coconut so it sticks.

Serve warm, within an hour or two of making them, while the palm sugar center is still soft and molten.

chef's tips

Sealing the dough completely around the sugar is the one step that cannot be rushed. Any crack or thin spot will leak sugar into the boiling water instead of staying molten inside.
The color should come from real pandan juice, not green food coloring with pandan extract added afterward. The juice also adds a real, subtle flavor to the dough.
Eat these the same day, ideally within a couple of hours. The sugar center firms up as the balls cool and sit, losing the burst of molten sugar that is the whole point.
Palm sugar varies in hardness between brands. If yours is very hard, chop it quite small so it melts fully during the short cooking time.