Biji Salak - Sticky Rice Balls in Sweet Coconut Sauce

love4culinary's Note:

This is a popular Indonesian dessert. So Sweet but SO yummy! When preparing the rice balls, the water quantity is only a guideline. The dough should be smooth and soft. If the rice cakes are dry when shaped, they will be incredibly tough and almost inedible once cooked.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

For Rice Balls

• 2 cups glutinous-rice flour
• 1 cup tapioca starch
• 1 ½ cups water
• ½ teaspoon salt

For Sauce

• 150 g palm sugar
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1 cup water
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1 screwpine leaves (if available else use a bit of vanilla)
• freshly grated coconut , for serving

Directions:

1. take your rice flour and tapioca starch in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
2. Add water and salt, and mix well.
3. Then you will need to knead the dough until it can be rolled and shaped (dough should be moist).
4. Roll 1/2 inch diameter balls with the dough.
5. Cut diagonally 1 inch in length.
6. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil, and drop in the rice balls, and allow water to come back to a boil.
7. Simmer rice balls for 4 minutes, drain, and set aside.
8. Make Palm Sugar Syrup.
9. Take 150g palm sugar, 50g castor sugar and 1 cup water, and allow sugars to dissolve completely and cook down to thicken slightly; You will want to measure it out as it should make approximately 1 cup palm sugar syrup.
10. Then make the sauce.
11. Take 6 cups water, 2 cups coconut milk, 1 cup palm sugar syrup, and pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.
12. Add your rice balls and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
13. Cool and serve at room temperature.
14. Top with freshly grated coconut when serving.