Glutinous Rice BallsWe went to watch James Cameron's Avatar yesterday at the cinema (in Italian! - couldn't understand the finer dialogue, if any). Didn't feel like doing anything as it was cold and grey (winter does this to me), but Hub wouldn't hear of it (quite the dictator). He probably needed me to bring the kids to the toilet during the movie. Though I didn't make that easy for him by sitting somewhere else in the hall. In Singapore, my mom always made us sit the furthest back possible and on the aisle (easy to come out etc). Hub likes to sit in front, smack in the middle. I hate having to crane my neck to catch everything on the screen, so I told him I would sit further back - alone.
Anyway, it was quite a grand movie, I liked the zen and ecological bits in the forest - but couldn't stomach the bombings and killings. Age does that to you. It's a bit like Matrix and Terminator put together. Very titanesque. The Italians in the screening hall clapped at the end of the movie. Like the Italians on the plane to London did. Have not seen this in a long time, people have gotten blasé about smooth plane landings and very entertaining commercial movies - but not the Italians apparently.
It has been 2 weeks since we're back and I still have 2 luggages standing. I just can't seem to gather the force to do anything about them. I don't even bother to wear different clothes nowadays. I have 2-3 stuff out of the wardrobe and I just alternate among them, washing one, drying it on the heater and then putting it on again the next day. Those mums at the school must be wondering if I don't ever wash what I'm wearing. Next house we move to, I told the Hub we must target a big walk-in wardrobe. Can always hope...
Needing some colour, I decided to make a few Rose-flavoured Glutinous Rice Balls in Bandung. It is a little late to be rolling glutinous rice balls I agree, since the Winter Solstice is well past. I used to help mom roll them for prayers and as far as I can remember, she doesn't make the sugar-filled ones, sweetening instead the soup (with white sugar or gula melaka) in which the glutinous rice balls are served in.
I have decided to serve my rose-flavoured glutinous rice balls in Bandung drink - a popular rose-flavoured sweet milk drink in Singapore and Malaysia.
Rose-flavoured glutinous rice balls in BandungRose-flavoured Glutinous Rice Balls in Bandung :
The glutinous rice balls :
100g Glutinous rice flour
1-3 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tsp Rose syrup
A few drops of red food colouring
100ml Water
To be cooked in :
A few slices of Ginger
80g Sugar
500ml Water
3 Pandan leaves (knotted)
A pinch of Salt
The Bandung drink :
Rose syrup
Sweetened condensed milk
Cold fresh milk
A few mint leaves (optional)
Combine the glutinous rice flour, sugar, rose syrup, red food colouring and water and mix till you get a dough. Knead for a few minutes. Roll bits of the dough into small balls.
Boil a pot of water and cook the balls in it. When they float to the surface, scoop them out and cool in a bowl of cold water. Set aside.
Boil a pot of water and cook the balls in it. When they float to the surface, scoop them out and cool in a bowl of cold water. Set aside.
The coloured dough
Boil the water with the sugar, ginger, salt and pandan leaves.
When you are ready to serve the glutinous balls, place a few in a serving bowl and pour some of the ginger syrup over them.
If serving in Bandung, prepare the drink by combining the rose syrup, condensed milk and fresh milk. How thick or sweet you like it is personal so work out the proportions as you see fit. I used about 1:1:2. Stir well to mix the drink, it should turn a lovely milky pink.
Fish out a few cooked glutinous rice balls and add them to a bowl of Bandung drink.
Pandan-flavoured Glutinous Rice Balls filled with Peanut Butter
I made another batch of dough and coloured it green, adding a few drops of Pandan essence. These balls I filled them with crushed toasted peanuts mixed with smooth creamy peanut butter. And served them in just the ginger pandan syrup. It was fun - something to relax me before I started cooking for my guests this evening.
Where on earth do you find glutinous rice flour? And rose syrup? Did u buy all of them from Singapore?
RépondreSupprimerThey look sooo colourful! Still I think I wouldn´t get down to making them myself, since don´t think the hubby fancies them and I would have eat them all on my own.... they sell those from Singapore at the asian store here.
I had one packet of the flour leftover from some Asianladen in Stuttgart. Now I will need to find a new packet but not sure I can find it here.
RépondreSupprimerHub doesn't fancy them either and I ate 1/3, the Teenager ate the other third (the Babies thought they lookied scary) and the last third I fed to the neighbour's dogs. Nothing wasted here.
Marco doesn't like the traditional pink glutinous rice balls either which I made a couple of times with no filling inside, he said, they looked and tasted like chewing gum! :-P But your very creative pandan green glutinous rice balls with peanut filling looks and sounds interesting, I am going to try that out soon and see if Marco likes them better.
RépondreSupprimerheh if hubby ever comes to Turin for another work meeting, let me know and I can buy the glutinous rice flour for you from here and pass it to him. we also have pandan leaves here too.
RépondreSupprimerHi Elaine, that's sweet of you. But Hub usually does those hit and run visits.
RépondreSupprimerIn fact he just came back from Turin last night. And next Monday he may be having lunch with your Hub's boss.
Does your Chinese shop have wheat starch? Not the flour but the starch. It's for making har gow skin.
I'll go and ask for you!
RépondreSupprimerI was just thinking of these gems yesterday when I spotted them at the supermarket and thinking I would like to make them with the princess. Tks for the recipe. :)
RépondreSupprimerRose-flavoured Glutinous Rice Balls in Bandung: East Meets West beautifully blends culinary traditions, showcasing how flavors from different cultures can unite. Much like the iconic starsky and hutch outfits that symbolize a timeless style, this dish reflects creativity and nostalgia, celebrating the richness of diverse influences in contemporary cuisine.
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