Ondeh-Ondeh Recipe calls for a blend of tapioca and glutinous rice flour to make soft, chewy balls that are cooked in boiling water. These traditional Southeast Asian green treats are infused with pandan juice and rolled over freshly grated coconut, which gives the balls a light, fluffy coating. Each bite of the ball will reveal a molten center filled with gula melaka. The dough is springy and tender, which contrasts with the liquid, caramel from the gula melaka, making them irresistible!
This recipe for the Ondeh-Ondeh sweet is a genuine ‘burst in the mouth’ adventure. It is not like mochi or any other encased sweet. My kids love popping the whole thing in their mouths and biting down to get that infusion of gula melaka, pandan flavor, and shredded coconut in one delicious, gooey explosion!
On a family trip to Cambodia, I was amazed to see Malaysian Ondeh-Ondeh sold in restaurants near the Floating Market. My kids instantly latched on to these desserts, delighting in the rich, unique flavors, bright colors, and varied textures.
However, it was during my time living in Colorado that the urge to create a recipe for the Ondeh-Ondeh struck me. We frequented a Southeast Asian restaurant and became fast friends with the restaurateur. My family and I enjoyed all the dishes on the menu, as the restaurant was gracious enough to accommodate some of our requests. It was one of those times when my kids were craving kueh that the restaurateur’s mother shared the recipe with me. She informed me to use a 2:1 ratio of glutinous rice flour to tapioca flour.
What is the Ondeh-Ondeh recipe?
Ondeh-Ondeh is a traditional Southeast Asian dessert. Whether it is called klepon in Indonesia or Ondeh-Ondeh in the Malay Peninsula, this kueh (cake) is essentially glutinous rice flour balls infused with pandan flavor and filled with gula melaka. Be aware, though, that these desserts have a short shelf life due to the use of fresh coconut, which spoils easily.
What is gula melaka?
Gula melaka is a type of palm sugar originating from Malaysia. The sap of palm trees is boiled down and solidified into blocks. These blocks are then chopped for cooking purposes. This sweetener has a deep, rich caramel-like flavor with a slight smokiness. It is softer in texture and stickier than refined sugar, and is widely used in Malaysian, Singaporean, and Indonesian desserts. You can substitute it for coconut palm sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What is pandan leaf?
Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) is a native Southeast Asian plant that has a sweet, floral flavor with a hint of vanilla. This tropical plant is more commonly known as the fragrant screwpine. Pandan leaves are bright green in color and are long and slender. They are not consumed directly, but are tied into a knot in cooking curries, desserts, and other dishes, or their juice is extracted for use in desserts. I have not found a substitute for pandan, although you could use pandan essence.
2. Why do my Ondeh-Ondeh burst when boiling them?
If the dough is made too thin or if they are not sealed properly, the balls will open up when boiling them. Please ensure that while breaking the blocks of gula melaka, the pieces are not too chunky. If the gula melaka pieces are too big, they will pierce through the delicate dough when cooking them.
3. Can I prepare this Ondeh-Ondeh recipe in advance?
You can prepare the dough, shape the balls, and stuff them with gula melaka, then freeze them in airtight containers. Remove the balls from the freezer as needed, and boil them from frozen.
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Ingredients:
- Flour: glutinous rice flour, tapioca flour
- Freshly grated coconut (optionally, use only the white part of the kernel)
- Sweetener: gula melaka (or use coconut palm sugar)
- Pandan juice: (or use pandan essence mixed with water)
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make this dish. For the measurements, please refer to the recipe card below.
How to make the Ondeh-Ondeh with my recipe:
- Mix the glutinous rice flour, tapioca flour, and salt in a mixing bowl. Knead the dough by adding the pandan juice. Sprinkle a few drops of peanut oil and let it rest for 15 minutes in a bowl covered with a damp cloth.
2. Divide the dough into 26 portions. Knead each part and flatten on your palms. (Grease your palms with oil and dust with some glutinous flour.) Avoid making the discs too thin or too thick. Shape the discs to approximately 1″ in diameter. Place the crushed gula melaka in the center of each disc.
3. Gently cup your palm and pinch the edges together to form small balls (without any holes) to prevent the gula melaka from oozing out while boiling. In the meantime, bring water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepot. Shape and fill the remaining balls.
4. Drop 3-5 balls into the pot of water at one time. Once the balls start floating to the top, allow them to cook for an additional 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the balls from the pot.
5. Drain each ball using the slotted spoon and roll it in a bowl filled with the grated and steamed coconut.
6. Serve the Ondeh-Ondeh for dessert.
- Do not make the balls too thin or too thick. A mixture that is too thick will result in a rubbery texture, while one that is too thin will tear while cooking.
- Pandan (fresh or frozen) leaves lend a sweet, floral flavor compared to the pandan extract. To make the pandan juice, blend four cut screw pine leaves with half a cup of water, and strain the juice.
- Food coloring is not essential, as the Ondeh-Ondeh in this recipe will naturally have a light green color due to the pandan juice or extract.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil before adding the balls. Drop one ball at a time so that the water’s temperature does not drop quickly. Wait for another two minutes after the balls have risen to the top before removing them with a slotted spoon.
- The cooked balls must be rolled in coconut immediately after they are removed from the water.
- Fill the balls with enough sugar, being careful not to overstuff them. The sugar can easily ooze out during cooking.
- To prevent the freshly grated coconut from going bad quickly, add a pinch of salt to it and steam it for 2-3 minutes. Salt helps balance the sweetness and preserve it for a few hours.
Serving suggestion:
Cool and serve the Ondeh-Ondeh after rolling them in grated and steamed coconut for dessert or with tea.
Storage:
The recipe for Ondeh-Ondeh is perishable due to the use of fresh coconut. Consume this dessert on the day it is made. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to a day. Refrigerating the Ondeh-Ondeh does not taste as good as the freshly made ones. Freeze leftover balls in airtight containers for up to three months. To reheat, thaw them in the refrigerator and then steam them in a microwave-safe or bamboo steamer.
Other desserts that you might like:
Ondeh-Ondeh Recipe
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Blender
- Pot medium
Ingredients
For the Ondeh-Ondeh:
- 3 oz glutinous rice flour
- 1½ oz tapioca flour
- a pinch salt
- ½ cup pandan juice strained
- ⅓ cup gula melaka (or gula melaka)
- ½ cup grated coconut
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Extract the pandan juice using four screwpine leaves blended with half a cup of water and then strain it using a cheesecloth. Cut pieces of fresh coconut and grind them in a spice grinder until grated. (Optionally, remove the brown part of the kernels and use only the white part).
- Mix the glutinous rice flour, tapioca flour, and salt in a mixing bowl. Knead the dough by adding the pandan juice. Sprinkle a few drops of peanut oil and let it rest for 15 minutes in a bowl covered with a damp cloth.
- Divide the dough into 26 portions. Knead each part and flatten on your palms. (Grease your palms with oil and dust with some glutinous flour.) Avoid making the discs too thin or too thick. Shape the discs to approximately 1" in diameter. Place the crushed gula melaka in the center of each disc.
- Gently, cup your palm and pinch the edges together to make small balls (without any holes to prevent the gula melaka from oozing out while boiling them). In the meantime, bring water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepot. Shape and fill the remaining balls.
- Drop 3-5 balls into the pot of water at one time. Once the balls start floating to the top, allow them to cook for an additional 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the balls from the pot.
- Drain each ball using the slotted spoon and roll it in a bowl filled with the grated and steamed coconut.
- Serve the Ondeh-Ondeh for dessert once they are cooled.
Notes
- To make the pandan juice, blend four cut screw pine leaves with half a cup of water, and strain the juice. If using pandan extract, mix it with water.
- Steam the grated coconut for 3 minutes, sprinkled with 1/4 tsp of salt, and keep it aside.
- Do not make the balls too thin or too thick. A mixture that is too thick will result in a rubbery texture, while one that is too thin will tear while cooking.
- Pandan (fresh or frozen) leaves lend a unique flavor compared to the extract.
- Food coloring is not essential, as the Ondeh-Ondeh in this recipe will naturally have a light green color due to the pandan juice or extract mixed with water.
- Boil the water before adding the balls. Drop one ball at a time so that the water's temperature does not drop quickly. Wait for another two minutes after the balls have risen to the top.
- The cooked balls must be rolled in coconut immediately after they are removed from the water.
- Stuff the balls with just enough sugar, and avoid overstuffing them. The sugar can easily ooze out during cooking.
- To prevent the freshly grated coconut from going bad quickly, add a pinch of salt to it and steam it for 2-3 minutes. Salt helps balance the sweetness and preserve it for a few hours.
Nutrition
This is one of my all-time favorite desserts! Love this recipe!
Glad you love it- thanks, Danya!
When I tried this at home, it turned out perfectly! Thanks for the note on the palm sugar, none of my balls burst at all!
One of my favorite desserts ever! Using fresh pandan instead of extract like other recipes tell you to really makes all the difference. It tastes just like what I’ve eaten in Singapore.