Pulot Hitam
Creamy Black Glutinous Rice with Coconut Milk
This is my favourite dessert. When I think of pulot hitam, I associate it with being at
home on a lazy, balmy Sunday afternoon. Simmered long enough, the dessert takes on an
oatmeal-like consistency, luxuriously sweetened with gula melaka (palm sugar), flavoured
by pandan leaves, and served with a yummy drizzle of coconut milk.
Even though pulot hitam literally means black glutinous rice, the dry rice grains may
look purplish. When you prepare this, as with most soupy Nonya desserts, it is best to use a
stock pot, not too large in diameter, otherwise the pulot hitam will evaporate more quickly
and end up too dry and thick.
makes 8 servings
230 g or 8 ounces black glutinous
rice (pulot hitam)
10 cups water
4 pandan leaves, tied into a knot
230 g or 8 ounces gula melaka,
scraped into fragments
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup thick coconut milk
1. Pick out empty husks and small pebbles, then wash
and rinse the rice with water three times.
2. Place the rice in a pot and cover with enough water,
at least 2.5 cm or 1 inch above the level of the rice. Soak
overnight to soften the rice.
3. On the next day, drain the rice and soak it in the pot
with the 10 cups of fresh water.
4. Add the knotted pandan leaves to the pot.
5. Place the pot over high heat. When the water begins
to boil, turn down the heat to simmer for 1½ hours,
partially covered.
6. Stir occasionally to ensure that the rice does not stick
to the bottom of the pot.
7. Combine the gula melaka and the white sugar.
(This helps to hold up the fine powdery consistency
of the gula melaka.)
8. Stir the sugar mixture and salt into the pot.
9. Continue to simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes,
adding water if necessary if the pulot hitam seems to
thicken or dry up too fast. You can simmer longer if you
like a thicker consistency. However, pulot hitam is best
when it is neither too thick nor too watery. Discard the
pandan leaves.
10. You can serve the dessert while it is warm.
11. I like to chill mine in the refrigerator first before
serving. Bear in mind that the pulot hitam will get thicker
when chilled. Also, ensure that the dessert has cooled
down first before you refrigerate to prevent spoilage.
12. When serving, spoon pulot hitam into dessert or soup
bowls, and drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons of coconut milk over
each serving.
296 Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen ~ Sweet Rewards
