Nonya Kueh: Pulut Inti (Glutinous Rice with Caramelized Coconut Topping)

The process of making this kueh can be simplified by using the rice cooker instead of steaming the glutinous rice. To make the filling, it is fairly simple and need no expert. Just get some fresh grated coconut and good quality gula melaka, you will have a tasty filling. Traditionally, the blue coloured rice is the result of using the extract of the blue pea flower. In here, I used food colouring. A better alternative is to use fresh pandan juice to cook the glutinous rice.

As for how to wrap this kueh, it is up to individual, using banana leave or plastic to wrap, or stack on a tiny square piece of banana leave. Another way is, use the plastic bag (15.5cm x 10cm), made a slit on one side, open it up to form a cone, place the coconut filling first, follow by the glutinous rice, pressed it and wrapped it like a little present! It is yummy but do not eat too much if you are watching your weight (I have reduced half the amount of coconut milk and replaced with water in this recipe!).

Preparation: 15 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients (makes 16)
° 400g glutinous rice
° 200ml water
° 200ml coconut milk
° ½ teaspoon salt
° 4 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° blue food colouring (optional)
° banana leaves or plastic wrappers, cut into 12cm x 15cm rectangle

Filling
° 80ml water
° 125g gula malaka (palm sugar), chopped
° 4 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot
° 150g fresh grated coconut

Method
1. Wash the glutinous rice and place in a bowl with enough water to cover. Leave to soak for 4 hours or more. Drain thoroughly.
2. Place the glutinous rice, water, coconut, salt and pandan leaves into an electric rice cooker, mix well and turn it on. When done, leave the cooked rice to rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Sprinkle some blue food colouring and mix well.
3. To make filling: combine pandan leaves, chopped gula melaka with water in a small pot and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Discard pandan leaves and add in the grated coconut. Mix well, stir occasionally and simmer until the liquid dry up.
4. To assemble: Place 1 tablespoon of glutinous rice in the middle of a plastic wrapper and top with 1 teaspoon of caramelized coconut filling and fold into a pyramid shape.
5. Serve warm.