BUBUR PULUT HITAM
INDONESIA
Like milk puddings, rice puddings change from one Muslim country to another, usually with slight variations—until you get to Indonesia and Malaysia where the rice used is black and glutinous and it needs soaking for a few hours before using. Instead of dairy milk, both Indonesians and Malaysians use coconut cream, but as a sauce rather than a liquid for cooking the rice. As for longans, they are a sweet, juicy fruit related to lychees. When longans are dried, their white flesh turns almost black.
SERVES 4
FOR THE RICE PUDDING
¾ cup (150 g) black glutinous rice, soaked overnight in cold water and drained
2 pandan leaves, knotted, plus extra for garnish (optional)
2½ ounces (75 g) rock sugar (see Note)
1 ounce (30 g) palm sugar (see Note)
2 ounces (60 g) dried longans (optional)
FOR THE COCONUT SAUCE
1 cup (250 ml) coconut cream
1 teaspoon salt
1. Put 6 cups (1.5 liters) water into a medium pot and add the drained rice. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Drop the knotted pandan leaves (if using) into the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let bubble gently until the rice opens up and expands, about 1 hour.
2. Add the two sugars and the dried longans (if using) and let simmer, uncovered, for another 25 minutes, still stirring very regularly.
3. Meanwhile, make the coconut sauce: Put the coconut cream and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Take off the heat and keep warm.
4. Divide the hot rice pudding into 4 individual bowls, drizzle one-quarter of the warm coconut sauce over each, and serve immediately. If you have managed to get pandan leaves, cut four pieces into a nice shape and spike one in each bowl for a traditional presentation.
NOTE: If you can’t get rock sugar or palm sugar, substitute an equal amount of brown sugar.