Bubur Pulut Hitam (Malay Black Glutinous Rice Porridge)
Bubur Pulut Hitam (Malay Black Glutinous Rice Porridge) is a traditional Malaysian recipe for a classic dessert of sweetened glutinous black rice cooked in water and coconut milk flavoured with pandan leaves. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Malaysian version of: Malay Black Glutinous Rice Porridge (Bubur Pulut Hitam).
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If you’ve never had it, then glutinous black rice is a revelation. It’s typically made into sweet dishes, particularly rice puddings. Variations of these are found throughout south Asia. I first came across this recipe when I worked in a Malay Chinese restaurant as a student. For many years I couldn’t source black glutinous rice until, by accident, I found it in a Chinese grocery in Oxford. This was in the early 2000. Recently I found the rice in Durban’s China Mall in South Africa. So here was a chance to make, once again, a beloved pudding. The pandan leaf (screwpine) is an essential flavouring in this recipe. Screwpine leaves can be bought in the frozen section of Asian supermarkets these days and screwpine essence is available if you want the flavour but can’t source the leaves themselves. To be authentic, this recipe needs palm sugar, however you can substitute golden caster sugar at a pinch (add to to your preferred level of sweetness). This recipe is suitable for vegetarians.
Ingredients:
185g (1 cup)) Black Glutinous Rice
1.25l (5 cups) Water
1 small block palm sugar (Gula Melaka)
4 Pandan Leaves, tied into knots
180ml (¾ cup) Coconut Milk
¼ teaspoon Salt
Method:
Spread the rice on a bright surface. Check for any impurities such as small pebbles, wood, and so on. Note that this step is optional if you are confident the rice you have is clean.
Wash rice thoroughly to remove excess starch – you will need to do this until the water runs clear. Note that the run-off water will have a slightly purple tint.
Combine the water, rice, pandan leaves, salt and sugar into a pot and bring it to a boil. Continue cooking over medium-high heat for 60 minutes or until the rice splits. During this time stir occasionally to prevent rice from sticking to the pot. You can add more water if the porridge is dry and the rice has not split yet.
Once the rice is cooked, add coconut milk (note that you can add more if you like the porridge creamier).
Divide between serving bowls and serve with a swirl of coconut milk and if you have them a garnish of pandan leaf. It can be eaten warm or cold.
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