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Have you tried Sweet Potato Onde Onde yet? If not, you’re in for a treat! I have made ondeh ondeh from fresh pandan juice, pumpkin and purple sweet potato food powder before, but this version is another level. This version of the delightful Nyonya Peranakan or Indonesian snack is a twist on the traditional ondeh ondeh, featuring sweet potato as the star ingredient, which gives its super soft texture and a beautiful natural orangey yellow colour.
These chewy Sweet Potato Onde Onde are filled with a luscious surprise of melted gula melaka, creating a sweet explosion with every bite! Coated in a sprinkle of grated coconut, this snack is not just a feast for the taste buds but also a visual delight.
What is Sweet Potato Onde Onde
The sweet Potato Ondeh Ondeh is a traditional snack that combines the sweetness of gula melaka (a type of coconut sugar with a beautiful aromatic flavour) with the soft, chewy texture of glutinous rice flour and the earthy flavour of sweet potatoes. These bite-sized balls are typically coated in freshly grated coconut, creating a delightful contrast of flavours and textures. The name “onde onde” or “ondeh ondeh” is derived from the Malay language, with “ondeh” referring to the gentle bouncing motion used to shape the dough balls.
What is the origin of Sweet Potato Onde Onde?
Ondeh Ondeh has its roots in the Malay and Peranakan (Nyonya) cuisines of Southeast Asia. This snack is very popular in Malaysia and Singapore, and it is often enjoyed as a snack during coffee or tea time or breakfast, or anytime you want an explosion of the aromatic coconut sweetness in your mouth. The use of sweet potatoes in this recipe is believed to have been influenced by the availability and abundance of this ingredient in the region. Over time, the recipe of the snack has evolved, with different variations using various types of sweet potatoes, such as the purple varieties, and food powders.
How to Store Ondeh Ondeh
These Sweet Potato Ondeh Ondeh is best enjoyed fresh on the day it’s made, but you can store them for three days if kept in an airtight container and chilled in the fridge. When ready to serve, simply steam them for a few minutes to restore their soft, chewy texture. As the snack is coated with fresh coconut, I would not recommend keeping in longer. The skin, without the filling, can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Watch how to make Sweet Potato Onde Onde on YouTube
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Sweet Potato Onde Onde 红薯椰丝球
Detailed Step-by-Step Video
Ingredients
- 400 g grated fresh coconut
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 400 g gula melaka, more or less
- 350 g sweet potatoes
- 150 g glutinous rice flour
- 60 ml hot boiling water
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 3 pandan leaves, washed, cut into shorter pieces or knotted
Instructions
- Mix 400 g grated fresh coconut and 0.5 tsp salt in a heat proof plate. Add 3 pandan leaves.
- Boil water in a steaming pot. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes.Then remove the pandan leaves and let it cool completely.
- Cut 400 g gula melaka into fine pieces.Note: You can also use granulated gula melaka sugar that's already in fine form.
- Peel 400 g gula melaka. Cut the potatoes into smaller pieces. Place into a heat proof plate. Boil water in a steaming pot. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes or until softened. Note: I used honey sweet potatoes but you can also use purple sweet potatoes.
- Mash the sweet potatoes while it's still warm. It's easily mashed with a fork when it is warm.
- Add 150 g glutinous rice flour immediately to the warm mashed sweet potatoes and mix with a spatula until it turned into a crumbly texture.
- Then add 60 ml hot boiling water. Add the hot water bit by bit. Add more water if the mixture is too dry. Note: Depending on the absorbility of the flour and the moisture content of the sweet potatoes, you might need to add about 20ml more hot water.
- Mix with a spatula until it turned into a crumbly mixture.
- Once the mixture cools down, use your hand to knead into a dough. Once a rough dough is formed, add 1 tsp vegetable oil and knead into a soft and smooth dough.
- Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Divide the dough into a small ping pong ball size.Flatten the dough and shape it into a bowl. Note: Unused dough can be kept in the chiller for up to 2 weeks.
- Add 1/2 tsp gula melaka.
- Seal the dough well so that the fillings do not leak out when you boil it.Note: Make the dough balls in batches and cook it as soon as possible. Otherwise the dough skin will disintegrate easily before or during boiling.
- Boil a pot of water over high heat.Add the ondeh ondeh gently into the boiling water. Stir to make sure they don't stick to each other.
- Once the ondeh ondeh float, reduce the heat to simmering. Let it simmer for another minute. Note: Don't boil for too long as the skin will break and the gula melaka will leak out.
- Remove the dough balls and coat with the steamed grated coconut.
- Serve immediately. Best consumed within the day.
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