This is one of my favourite nyonya/peranakan dessert. While it can be found in most dessert stall in Singapore and surrounding region, most of the time, the texture is too watery, with too little glutinous rice. This recipe produces sweet and thick bubur, with creaminess and a hint of saltiness from the coconut milk topping. Don’t omit the topping.
Makes approx. 10 servings
- 250 g black glutinous rice
- 7 cups water
- 3 pandan leaves, knotted
- sugar (to taste)
For coconut milk topping
- 1 cup fresh coconut milk
- ½ tsp salt
- Rinse the black glutinous rice thoroughly until the water is clear. Note that the water will still be deep purple in colour, but it should be clear.
- Measure the water into a large pot and bring it to boil with the knotted pandan leaves thrown in.
- Once boiling, add the black glutinous rice. Simmer in medium to low heat for at least an hour. Stir the mixture every 15 minutes for the first 45 minutes. Then stir and check the water level every 5 minutes to ensure that there is still enough water and to prevent the rice from burning. Add a cup of water when the mixture becomes too thick.
- The bubur is cooked when the rice grain breaks and the texture is soft. When it is cooked, add sugar to taste (I typically add about 15 tbsp of sugar). Then, simmer for a few more minutes while constantly stirring (to prevent the rice from burning) until the mixture becomes thick.
- To prepare the topping, mix the coconut milk and salt thoroughly.
- To serve, pour a heap of the bubur into a bowl and add a tablespoon of the topping. You may an extra amount of topping if you prefer creamier ones.
To reduce the amount of time spent cooking the bubur, you can soak the glutinous rice with water overnight after rinsing it. If you choose this option, use less water when cooking (start with 4-5 cups) and start checking often after 30 minutes.
You can experiment with the thickness of the dessert easily by adding more water or cooking longer to reduce the water towards the end of the cooking process. You can also experiment with the amount of sugar and the creaminess from the coconut milk to suit your own palate.
You may want to shred the pandan leaves to thinner strips before knotting to release the aroma.
Acknowledgment: This is a recipe adapted from several cookbooks and websites with my own personal experience and palate.
