Buah Melaka: bolitas verdes con un centro dulce

Buah Melaka: Green Dumplings with a Sweet Center

Buah Melaka is a Malaysian sweet dumpling with a surprise inside: a small piece of gula melaka, or palm sugar. The dough becomes green from pandan leaves. After cooking, the dumplings are covered in grated coconut and may be served in pandan leaves. To make them, blend 15 pandan leaves with 3 cups of water. Strain the green liquid and discard the leaves. Mix the liquid with 3 cups of glutinous rice flour. Knead it into a dough. Take small pieces of dough and roll them into balls. Flatten each ball and place a piece of palm sugar in the center. Close the dough around the sugar and roll it into a ball again. Boil 2 litres of water in a deep pot. Cook the dumplings gently, in batches if needed. They are ready when they rise to the surface. Drain them while hot, then roll them in grated coconut mixed with a pinch of salt. The result is soft, green, coconut-covered dumplings with a sweet center.