Bubur Biji Ketapang – Bubur Biji Salak Recipe (Indonesian Sweet Potato Dumpling)

Bubur Biji Ketapang (in Sumatra) or Bubur Biji Salak (in Java).  Both are the same sweet snack and made from sweet potato which I prefer translate into Sweet Potato Dumpling instead Sweet Potato Porridge.

Bubur means porridge while biji means seed. Ketapang is a Terminalia catappa plant with many different common names such as Bengal almond, Singapore almond, Ebelebo, Malabar almond, Indian almond, Tropical almond, Sea almond, Beach Almond, Talisay tree, and Umbrella tree. Salak (Salacca zalacca) is a palm tree (family Arecaceae) species native to Indonesia and known as snakefruit.

For those who know bubur candil, don’t get confused! Bubur Candil is similar to Bubur Biji Ketapang or Bubur Biji Salak but without sweet potato added.

This sweet snack was part of my childhood food. The sweetness can be adjusted to your tastebuds as I did. The original recipe from yasaboga suggested to add another 2 tablesspoons of raw canesugar beside 200 grams coconut or palm sugar which I omitted the use of canesugar.

I have changed slightly the method of making by baking the whole sweet potatoes instead of steaming. It resulted less water inside the sweet potatoes and less tapioca or sago starch to be added. I found the taste of sweet potatoes were sweeter.

Bubur Biji Ketapang (Bubur Biji Salak) was my childhood snack as well. Here is another Indonesian dish that is vegan and gluten free.

Bubur Biji Ketapang – Bubur Biji Salak Recipe
Indonesian Sweet Potato Dumpling

Ingredients:
750 grams (1.7 lbs) sweet potatoes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
120 grams (4.2 oz) sago or tapioca flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder
1.5 litter (6 cups) water
200 grams (7 oz.) coconut or palm sugar (I prefer using palm sugar as it has a darker result)
3 pandan leaves
1 tablespoon sago/tapioca flour, dissolved in a small amount of water

Coconut Milk Sauce
350 milliliter (1.5 cups) thick coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pandan leaf

Methods:
Sweet Potato Balls
1. Wash sweet potatoes, wrap each potato in aluminum foil. Bake, folded side of foil up, at 400° F for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a fork easily presses into the center. If you like to get faster you can microwave them and it will take you about 15 minutes.

2. Let sweet potatoes to cool down and the skin will come off easily. Once the skin is off, transfer into a bowl and mash until smooth.

3. Remove 1/4 part of mashed sweet potatoes to another smaller bowl and combine with 1 tablespoon sago/tapioca flour mixture. Set aside.

4. Mix the 3/4 part with sago/tapioca flour, vanilla powder and salt. Knead until well-blended and form into small oval balls.

5. In a pot, combine water, palm sugar and pandan leaves. Bring to a boil. Place the oval-balls and continue to boil until all balls float. Add the sweet potatoes sago/tapioca mixture. Stir. Remove from the heat and pour thick coconut milk sauce on top.

Coconut Milk Sauce:
In a saucepan, combine thick coconut milk with salt and pandan leaves. Simmer and stir at low heat until boiling. Remove from heat and ready for sauce.