Bubur Candil (Sweet Glutinous Rice Balls in Coconut Sauce)

Introduction

Bubur candil is a comforting Southeast Asian dessert of pillowy glutinous rice balls in a fragrant coconut and palm sugar sauce, finished with a pour of hot coconut milk. The dough comes together in minutes from just rice flour, tapioca flour, and water, then the balls are boiled until they float before simmering in the sauce. This works as a warm dessert or a light breakfast and takes about 45 minutes from start to finish.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Servings: 4

Ingredients

Dough

• 225 g glutinous rice flour
• 120 g tapioca flour
• 175 ml water
• ¼ tsp salt

Sauce

• 750 ml water
• 250 ml coconut milk
• 125 ml diluted gula jawa (palm sugar)
• 1 piece pandan leaf (or some pandan paste)
• ¼ tsp salt

Serving

• 300 ml coconut milk, boiled for few minutes

Instructions

1. Combine rice flour and tapioca flour until well-mixed. Make a well in the middle, then gradually mix in water and salt. Mix well by hand until it forms a soft dough. Make sure that the dough is not to hard; if necessary add a bit more of water.
2. Shape the dough into little balls about 1 cm in diameter.
3. Boil a lot of water in a big stock pot. Put the little balls one-by-one in the boiling water. Cook for about 5 minutes until they float to the surface of the boiling water. Take them out and drain.
4. For the sauce, mix all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan, and heat until bubbly.
5. Place the rice balls in the sauce. Cook for further 20 minutes and set aside.
6. To serve, pour the coconut milk on top. Serve hot.

Variations

• Change the pandan flavoring: Swap pandan leaf or paste for a small pinch of vanilla powder mixed into the sauce for a milder, creamier note instead of the floral pandan aroma.
• Use muscovado or brown sugar: Replace the gula jawa with an equal amount of muscovado or dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor that still works in the coconut sauce.
• Add texture with toppings: Stir in toasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, or a handful of corn kernels into the finished sauce just before serving for crunch.
• Make it savory: Omit the gula jawa and reduce the salt to ⅛ tsp, then add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and a pinch of white pepper to the sauce for a savory glutinous rice ball soup instead.

Tips for Success

• Don’t overwork the dough: Mix until just combined; if the dough feels sticky, add water a teaspoon at a time rather than a splash. Overworked dough produces dense balls instead of light ones.
• Test one ball before cooking all of them: Drop a single ball into boiling water to check consistency. If it falls apart, the dough needs slightly more tapioca flour mixed in; if it stays too firm, add a touch more water.
• Watch for the float: The balls signal doneness by floating to the surface. Remove them immediately with a slotted spoon and drain well so they don’t absorb excess water and become heavy.
• Simmer gently in the sauce: Once the balls go into the sauce, keep the heat at a gentle bubble rather than a hard boil to prevent them from breaking apart during the 20-minute cook.
• Serve immediately: The finished bubur candil is best eaten hot, within an hour of cooking. The coconut milk poured on top should still be steaming when you serve.

Storage and Reheating

FAQ

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes. Cover the finished dough tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Shape the balls just before cooking. If the dough becomes stiff in the fridge, knead it gently for a few seconds to soften it.

What if my balls sink instead of float?

If balls sink and stay on the bottom, the dough likely has too much tapioca flour relative to water. Next time, reduce tapioca flour by 10 g and increase water by 15 ml, then test one ball again before shaping all of them.

Can I use fresh or frozen pandan leaves?

Yes, either works. If using fresh pandan, tie it in a loose knot so it’s easy to remove after the sauce simmers. Frozen pandan leaves work the same way. Pandan paste is the most convenient; stir 1 teaspoon into the finished sauce instead of adding a whole leaf.

What is gula jawa, and can I really dilute it as the recipe says?

Gula jawa (palm sugar) is sold as a solid block or paste. “Diluted” means you dissolve it in a little warm water first to make it easier to measure and mix into the sauce. If you buy palm sugar syrup, use 125 ml of it straight without diluting further.