Today's RECIPE is a firm favorite among the Peranakans. Pulut Panggang/Rempah Udang/Grilled Glutinous Rice Rolls is sweet, salty, spicy and fragrant. This dish is a lot of work if you cook everything at one go. Prepare the filling(including shrimp floss sambal and sambal paste with lemongrass) in advance and store in the fridge or freezer then you can enjoy this dish anytime you crave for it.

Recipe by Mama Ding

Total Time | 1 hour 35 mins

Prep Time | 30 mins + soaking time

Cook Time | 45 mins + 20 mins to cook the filling

Servings : 10 rolls

Ingredients

Rice ~

300g glutinous rice, soaked overnight and drained(soak half the portion with bluepea flower extract if desired)
150 ml coconut milk
1 tsp salt
10 pieces banana leaves (12 x 16cm) , scalded and wiped
Filling ~
120 g shrimp floss sambal* ~ recipe at the Notes section
150 g fresh grated coconut
4/5 tbsp sambal paste with lemongrass** ~ recipe at the Notes section
salt and sugar to taste

Method

01 Combine soaked glutinous rice with salt, and steam over high heat for 20 minutes. Then mix in the coconut milk and steam for another 10 minutes. Fluff the glutinous rice and set aside to cool.

02 Preheat a wok/pan. Add grated coconut in the preheated pan and fry over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Then mix in the shrimp floss and stir until well combined.

Gradually add in the sambal paste and stir until fragrant. The filling should be not too dry but still moist. Season with sugar and salt. Dish out and set aside to cool.

03 To assemble the glutinous rice rolls:
Place 2 to 3 tbsp of the cooked glutinous rice onto 1 piece of banana leaf. Spread the rice and press to a rectangle shape.

Add 2 tbsp of the filling along the middle of the rice and roll from one side to form a cylindrical shape.
Secure both side with a toothpick. Grill the rice rolls over low heat for 12 to 15mins.
Serve warm or cooled..

Notes

*Ingredients for the shrimp floss sambal:
300g dried shrimps, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, drained and pounded
4 tbsp cooking oil
salt and sugar to taste
some kalamansi lime juice(optional)
Chilli paste(to blend/pound)~
20 pieces dried chilies, soaked in boiling water and drained well
6 fresh red chilies, chopped
150g shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 candlenuts/buah keras
5g cekur root
1 tsp coriander powder/serbuk ketumbar
2tsp roasted shrimp paste/belacan
METHOD:
Make the chilli paste: Blend/pound the spice paste and cook on moderate heat with the oil. Stir frequently until fragrant and the oil has separated. Dish up and set aside to cool.
In a wok/pan, dry fry the pounded shrimps over medium heat. Keep stirring for about 15 minutes, or until the shrimps are dry. Add the chilli paste, and continue to stir and cook for about 10 minutes until the shrimp floss is dry but still moist, and season with salt and sugar to taste. Add the juice of 2 kalamansi limes if preferred. Dish up, ready for use.

**Ingredients for sambal paste with lemongrass:
30g dried chilies, cut into small pieces and soaked in boiling water, drained
100g fresh red chillies, roughly chopped
200g shallots, peeled, and roughly chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, sliced (white part only)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
8g fresh turmeric, peeled
3cm piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
5 candlenuts/buah keras
1 tsp toasted shrimp paste/belacan
1 tbsp palm sugar/gula melaka
10g tamarind paste, mixed with 2 tbsp of warm water
salt to taste
4 tbsp oil
METHOD:
Blend or pound all the ingredients (except palm sugar and tamarind paste) until smooth. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Fry the sambal paste until it is aromatic, and the oil starts to separate, about 15mins. Stir continuously to prevent burning. Then season the sambal with tamarind paste, palm sugar, and salt to taste. Dish up, ready for use.