Ketan Serundeng

Ketan Serundeng is steamed glutinous rice with savoury and spicy, sweet coconut shreds sprinkled on top. It is a culinary heritage from Betawi, an ethnic group in West Java.

I have known and tried ketan serundeng since childhood and loved it ever since. I saw this one round dessert sprinkled with savoury, spice, sweet coconut shreds. It is a nice snack to have in the afternoon.

When I grew older and became obsessed in cooking and baking, I have always wanted to try so many Indonesian snacks and desserts.

One reason is that they look quite challenging even though they turn out super easy to make. Another reason is to reduce the sweetness. Sometimes if I got the desserts from local stores, they are too sweet.

Baking and cooking by myself give me the chance to control the sweetness and to get the best ingredients possible.

Not only does the satisfaction stop at getting the best result but also the final look of the snack/dessert give me some personal happiness.

Nowadays, getting the herbs and spices needed to cook or bake Indonesian dessert/snacks are easier.

Asian spices or herbs like bay leaves, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric, pandan leaves, galangal, tamarind, coriander seeds are easy to find even at non-Asian grocery stores.

What Is Ketan Serundeng?

Ketan means steamed sticky rice. Serundeng is grated coconut cooked in herbs and spices until dry. This coconut shreds are usually sprinkled on top of sticky rice and other foods. It tastes savory, sweet and spicy.

Sticky rice combined with serundeng is a heavenly sensation. It is a popular breakfast choice in Indonesia.

Origin of Ketan Serundeng

Ketan serundeng is a unique snack from Betawi, an ethnic group from Jakarta. Betawi people are Autronesian ethnic group, they are native inhabitants of Jakarta city.

Betawi people have their own dialect and their cuisine was heavily influenced by Peranakan, Malay, Sundanese, and Javanese cuisines.

Ketan serundeng is among the many popular snack beside kue banros, kue ape, kue rangi and many others.

Ingredients And Preparations

Sticky Rice

Use white glutinous rice or sticky rice. Please keep in mind that sticky rice is much whiter than regular rice.

Grated Coconut

Try using freshly grated coconut as much as possible. If you really can’t find it in your area, use dessicated or dried coconut and add some coconut milk or water. Dried coconut must be rehydrated to add moistness back to it.

Spices And Herbs

Spices would include red shallot, garlic, red chili, ground coriander seed, lime leaves. Nowadays, it is easy to find the dried version or ground form of the spices.

Preparation

There are not many preparations to do before making ketan serundeng. Sticky rice needs to be soaked in water several hours ahead. This will result in moist, chewy sticky rice.

All the spices need to be ground well before. Having it ground beforehand will make the process simpler.

How To

• Wash sticky rice and soak for at least 20 minutes. The maximum soaking time is 2 hours. This will make the sticky rice chewy and moist.

• Afterwards, drain the water, steam the glutinous rice with high heat for 20 minutes. Transfer the sticky rice into a pan after steaming.

• Pour 150 cc coconut milk. Add pandan leaves and 1 teaspoon salt.

• Stir with spatula until well blended. Turn on the stove. Put on low heat. Keep on stirring until the coconut milk is absorbed into the sticky rice.

• Steam the sticky rice again for 45 minutes.

• While waiting for the sticky rice, grind red shallot, garlic, red chili, dried shrimp (optional). Add a little water or oil to make it easier to grind.

• Cook the grind in a pan. Put on low heat. Add lime leaves. Put in the seasonings: brown sugar, sugar, sand ginger powder, coriander seed powder. Stir well.

• Add salt. Cook until it changes color to dark red.

• Put in grated coconut. Stir until the spices blend well with the coconut and the color is even. Set aside and let it cool.

• When the coconut is cool, put in 1 tablespoon sugar. If you like it to be sweeter, you can add one more tablespoon. Stir well.

• Take out the steamed sticky rice. Let it cool for a while.

• Scoop one tablespoon and round it with your hands to shape and flatten it a bit.

• Stick some grated coconut on the surface of the sticky rice. It should stick well because of the stickiness.

• Now, it is ready to serve. Enjoy!

FAQs FOR KETAN SERUNDENG

Q: What is Ketan Serundeng?

A: Ketan Serundeng is a traditional Indonesian snack made of steamed sticky rice with savory, sweet, spicy grated coconut sprinkled on top. The combination of chewy sticky rice and the flavorful grated coconut is a delightful experience for people who want to try Betawi cuisine.

Q: Do I need special tools or equipment to make Ketan Serundeng?

A: No. All you need is a steamer or regular rice cooker.

Q: Is Ketan Serundeng gluten-free?

A: Sticky rice is naturally gluten-free. Since it is the main ingredient, it is non-gluten.

Q: Is Ketan Serundeng safe for vegetarians and vegans?

A: The ingredients used in making Ketan Serundeng are non-dairy such as coconut milk, coconut oil. You may omit dried shrimps in the serundeng ingredient for vegetarian and vegan purpose.

Conclusion

Ketan Serundeng is a Betawi cuisine made of steamed sticky rice with coconut milk, sprinkled with savory, sweet and spicy grated coconut.

The ingredients needed to make ketan serundeng at home are easy to get and the process is simple. No special tools or equipment needed.

If you like sticky rice dessert or snack, you can also check out Kue Seri Muka or Lemper Ayam or Wajik. They are all made of sticky rice and taste wonderful.

Please feel free to tag me on Instagram or leave a comment if you try this recipe! I would appreciate it very much!