My Green Ondeh Ondeh Balls

These are great fun to make, although I've always wondered prior to making them, how they ever got the gula melaka into the centres. I assumed it was injected in, or something. Anyway, upon the insistence of my precocious son, we one day tried it out, using the recipe from COOK MALAYSIAN by Lee Sook Ching.

Problem with this recipe is, it did not specify makes how many. Anyway, using my intuition, it looked like it DIDNT make very much, so I adjusted the quantities in proportion:

12-15 pandan leaves, pureed and juice extracted. (probably need to add a little water if using blender)
Gula Melaka - 4-6 tablespoons. Use best quality if you can find it. Chop finely and mix with
Caster Sugar - 3 teaspoons

Glutinous rice flour 1 cup
Coconut - 2/3rd grated

1. Believe it or not, just mix the glutinous rice flour with the pandan "juice" until it forms a cohesive dryish dough, adding a little water here and there along the way. Initially it might just form clumps of green flour stuck together.

2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil. ( I usually pre boil water in a kettle first, then let it boil on gas stove. Somehow, I think wasting electricity is not as bad as wasting gas).

3. Roll the dough into a long sausage, 1 inch diameter. Cut into small pieces, about 1 inch apart as well. Like playdough, shape it into a disc, and place the gula melaka & sugar mixture into the centre. Close the disc to shape a ball.

4. Chuck the balls into the boiling water, and wait till they float. There's really quite a sense of euphoria when they do. Fish them out, toss until dry, do not try to juggle with bare hands. Toss in grated coconut. All flaws will be covered once its coated in the snow white coconut.

Might not be exactly commercial standard, but tastes quite good, and the kids LOVE making this. OH, YA, it makes only about 13-15. Hardly worth the effort, so I suggest doubling everything. (The flour, mainly)