Version from Yogyakarta, Indonesia
adrem — Yogyakarta, Indonesia
A fried snack from Bantul, near Yogyakarta, made by deep-frying a rice-flour and brown-sugar batter into small, dark, chewy rings sold in local markets.
- 15 min
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 6
- Servings
- Medium
- Difficulty
Adrem, also called tholpit, is a small fried snack built from a simple batter of rice flour, brown sugar and water, deep-fried in hot oil until the surface turns crisp and deeply caramelized while the inside stays soft and slightly chewy.
It is closely tied to Bantul, a regency south of Yogyakarta on Java, and in particular to the Sanden area, where cooks have long produced it for sale in local markets and roadside stalls; it now travels a little further afield but remains most easily found close to where it is made.
The batter is mixed by dissolving grated brown sugar in warm water, then whisking in rice flour and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable. A ladleful is poured into hot oil in a ring or figure-eight shape, letting the edges fry into lace-like curls while the center stays denser, and the whole piece is turned once to color evenly before draining.
Its dark, almost caramel color and lace-edged shape set it apart from other fried rice-flour snacks of the region, which tend to be paler and flatter; the contrast between the crisp, sugary edges and the chewier middle is what makes it recognizable at a glance.
Preparation
Dissolve the grated brown sugar in the warm water, stirring until no lumps remain.
Whisk in the rice flour and salt until you get a smooth, pourable batter.
Heat the oil in a wok until hot but not smoking.
Ladle the batter into the oil in a ring or figure-eight shape, letting the edges fry into thin, lacy curls.
Fry until the underside turns deep brown, then flip carefully to color the other side.
Drain on paper towels and let cool slightly before serving.
