Indonesian Bamboo Tube Steamed Rice Cakes with Palm Sugar

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These aromatic Indonesian rice cakes are steamed inside bamboo tubes, which infuse the sweet glutinous rice with a woody, earthy fragrance. A molten pocket of palm sugar hides in the center of each cake, ready to ooze out the moment you break one open. Served warm with a sprinkle of salted coconut, they are a beloved street snack across Java and Sumatra.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 385 kcalCalories
• 14 gFat
• 10 gSaturated Fat
• 60 gCarbs
• 2 gFiber
• 20 gSugar
• 5 gProtein
• 165 mgSodium
• 210 mgPotassium
• 30 mgCalcium
• 1.6 mgIron
• 2 mgVitamin C
• 5 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the rice dough

• 150 g glutinous (sweet) rice flour
• 50 g plain rice flour
• 180 ml thick coconut milk
• 100 ml fresh pandan leaf juice (from 5 leaves blended with 100 ml water and strained)
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar

For the palm sugar filling

• 150 g dark palm sugar (gula melaka), finely chopped
• 1 tbsp warm water

For the salted coconut topping

• 100 g freshly grated mature coconut
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 pandan leaf, knotted (optional)

Directions

1. Line four 4 cm diameter bamboo tubes (about 15 cm long) with small pieces of banana leaf or parchment paper, pressing them down so they fit snugly against the inner walls.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the glutinous rice flour, rice flour, salt, and sugar. Pour in the coconut milk and pandan juice, then stir with a wooden spoon until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms that holds its shape when pinched.
3. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Press one portion into the bottom of a prepared bamboo tube to form a 2 cm layer, then add about 1 tablespoon of chopped palm sugar into the center, keeping it away from the edges.
4. Top the sugar with another portion of dough, pressing firmly to seal the filling inside and to fill the tube to about 1 cm below the rim. Repeat with the remaining dough and palm sugar to fill all four tubes.
5. Set up a steamer over a wok or large pot of rapidly boiling water. Stand the filled bamboo tubes upright in the steamer basket (leaning them against each other if needed), cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam over high heat for 25 minutes, until the rice cakes are firm and translucent when pierced.
6. While the cakes steam, combine the grated coconut, salt, and knotted pandan leaf in a small heatproof bowl. Steam this mixture for the final 5 minutes of cooking time, then fluff it with a fork.
7. Carefully remove the bamboo tubes from the steamer and let them rest for 3 minutes so the molten sugar settles slightly. Slide each cake out by pushing from one end, or split the bamboo lengthwise.
8. Slice each cake in half on the diagonal to reveal the glossy palm sugar center, then spoon a generous mound of the warm salted coconut over the top.
9. Serve immediately while the sugar is still molten, with small spoons for breaking into the soft, fragrant rice cake.

Cook’s Notes

• Use fresh pandan leaves for the most authentic floral aroma; bottled pandan essence works in a pinch but lacks depth.
• If bamboo tubes are unavailable, use small metal or ceramic ramekins (about 150 ml capacity) lined with banana leaf and covered tightly with foil.
• Dark muscovado or coconut sugar can stand in for palm sugar, though the caramel notes will be slightly different.
• Eat the cakes the day they are steamed for the best molten-sugar effect; leftovers can be re-steamed for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Make sure the water in your steamer is at a full rolling boil before adding the tubes, or the cakes will turn out dense and undercooked.

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