From the recipe collection
Balatu
A Sama-Bajau coconut-and-glutinous-rice sweet shaped into small pieces and steamed in banana leaves.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 12 pieces
- Audio recipe
Get everything ready
Ingredients
Clear ingredient amounts are adjusted. Check marked ingredients and quantities within brackets. Quantities in the method and cooking times still refer to the original recipe.
Tick ingredients as you prepare.
Method
- Mix the glutinous rice flour, grated coconut, sugar, salt, and most of the coconut milk.
- Add the remaining coconut milk by the teaspoon until the dough is soft and smooth but still holds its shape.
- Rest the dough 10 minutes so the flour hydrates.
- Shape into small flattened ovals or balls and place each piece on a lightly greased banana leaf.
- Steam over steady medium heat until firm, glossy, and cooked through at the centre.
- Rest 5 minutes before lifting the pieces from the leaves.
- Roll in toasted sesame or grated coconut if desired.
- Serve warm as a merienda sweet.
