Cassava Balls-Dumplings (Mendut Singkong)

Love these dumplings much. They are categorized as traditional cakes that are “wet” in Indonesia or Kue Basah.

Filled with grated coconut and palm sugar, these steamed balls are awesome served warm, room temperature, or even chilled from the fridge 🙂

500 g frozen cassava (you can use fresh cassava and grate yourself, of course), thawed, grate to fine paste

100 g unsweetened desiccated coconut

1 1/4 c lukewarm water

50 g palm sugar block (either Thai or Indonesian brand, available at Asian stores)

1/4 c sugar (less if you are using Thai palm sugar as it is super sweet compares to the Indonesian brand)

1 screw-pine leaf (fragrant leaf)

Banana leaf, as needed

1 c canned coconut milk

salt as needed

food coloring, yellow, green, and/or red

Mix coconut, water, palm sugar, sugar in a pot, simmer until sugar dissolved and mixture thickening. Cool to room temperature and shape into 8 balls, set aside

Bring coconut milk to a boil and stir in a pinch of salt, cool to room temperature

Divide grated cassava into two equal portions and add yellow to one portion and green food coloring to the other portion. Shape into balls.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, then lower heat to medium. Place steamer rack into the pot.

Get one ball of cassava, flatten it on your palm and place one ball of coconut in the center, as shown

Bring sides to center, covering coconut ball into a dumpling

Divide banana leaf into 8 pieces

Cut screw-pine leaf into 8 pieces

Place one screw-pine leaf on a banana leaf, then place two balls of dumplings on screw-pine leaf

Pour 1-2 tbsp of coconut milk on dumplings

Wrap dumplings inside banana leaf as pictured and secure with tooth pick

Repeat step until all dumplings are used up. Steam wrapped dumplings for 20-30 minutes

Enjoy 🙂