Version from Banjarmasin, Indonesia
Ulin-Ulin — Banjarmasin, Indonesia
Ulin-ulin is a Banjar sweet snack from Banjarmasin: glutinous rice dumplings filled with palm sugar, boiled, then rolled in grated coconut.
- 40 min
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 6
- Servings
- Medium
- Difficulty
Ulin-ulin is a small kue, or sweet snack, from Banjar cooking, made of glutinous rice flour dough shaped into balls around a filling of chopped palm sugar and finished with a coating of grated coconut. Bite into one while it is still warm and the melted sugar filling runs out, a texture common to this style of dumpling across Indonesia.
It is reported from Banjarmasin, in South Kalimantan, Indonesia, where it is sold at markets alongside other kue and appears at family gatherings as one of several small sweets offered together, often alongside tea or coffee in the late afternoon.
To prepare it, glutinous rice flour is kneaded with pandan-infused water into a smooth, pliable dough. Small portions are flattened, filled with chopped palm sugar, sealed into balls, and boiled until they float to the surface, then rolled while still warm in grated coconut mixed with a pinch of salt.
Ulin-ulin belongs to the wide Indonesian family of filled glutinous rice dumplings that also includes klepon and onde-onde. What distinguishes this Banjar version is mainly its local name and setting, since the palm sugar filling and coconut coating are threads shared across the whole family.
Preparation
Simmer the pandan leaves in the water for a few minutes, then let it cool.
Knead the glutinous rice flour with the pandan water into a smooth, pliable dough.
Pinch off small portions of dough, flatten them and place a little chopped palm sugar in the center.
Seal the edges and roll into smooth balls.
Bring a pot of water to the boil and drop in the balls, cooking until they float.
Mix the grated coconut with a pinch of salt and steam it briefly.
Drain the dumplings and roll them immediately in the warm coconut, then serve on banana leaf.
