Wedang Ronde (Indonesian Glutinous balls in ginger syrup)

Selam everybody..... Mehaba from Turkey....

My today post is Indonesian glutinous dumpling balls in ginger sugar syrup or Wedang Ronde. Wedang means hot drink in Indonesian language.
I don't know if I should call this "drink" because there are glutinous dumpling in it, either I can't call this dessert because mostly we didn't eat/ drink this after meal.
Just we are usually consume this herb dish to warm up our body during cool days like in rainy season.

And here in Turkey still, uncertain weather, frosty windy...that's why I am thinking to make something that could warmth us a bit. Beside that this dish is very good to fighting cold cause made from ginger and lemongrass herb. 

Generally we didn't make this at home. There are plenty street stalls selling it during rainy season. Well...they sell a long all season actually, but mostly increase during cool days or rainy season.
Generally they open their stalls only at night or start afternoon. 


This Wedang Ronde recipe today I took from Sajian Sedap with my minor adjustment base on ingredients availability in my kitchen.
Sajian Sedap is popular Indonesian cooking sites. It's great site with hundreds of tested recipes.

Ingredients for dumpling:

• 200 gr glutinous rice flour
• 20 gr tapioca starch
• 170 ml warm water
• 1  tsp sugar-> optional
•  ½ tsp salt
• few drops of red and green food coloring

Filling for dumplings:

• 50 gr roasted peanut, finely minced to almost powdery
• 1 Tbsp caster sugar (add  ½ tbsp as your taste)

Complement:

• roasted peanut
• roasted sesame seeds
• sugar palm fruits (Indonesian; kolang kaling)--> I skip it

For ginger syrup:

• 1 ½ lt water
•  ½ kg fresh ginger, lightly roasted over grill/ stove than crushed it--> I use 400 gr
• 2 lemongrass white part only, bruised--> I use 3
• 150 gr gula jawa/ palm or coconut sugar
• 125 gr sugar--> I use brown sugar

Direction:

For dumpling balls: 

Dissolve salt and sugar in warm water. In medium bowl, mix together glutinous flour and tapioca starch, slowly add the water while kneading until it smooth. Divide the dough into 3 equal part. Into 1st part, add few drops red food color, knead it to combine, set a side. to 2nd part, add few drops of green color, and let it white to the other part.

For filling: 

mix thoroughly minced roasted peanut and sugar. You can use food processor/ blender to do it.

Make the dumpling balls:

Boil enough water in medium pan. Pinch dumpling shell dough, flatten on your palm, put filling mixture on it (about 1 tsp) then sealed the edge, shape it round ball. Cook the ball into boiling water until they float. Strain and set a side.
Note: if you have left over, keep this dumpling balls in sugar syrup, just enough to submerse the balls.

For ginger sugar syrup:

Mix all ingredients in a pan, then cook over low~medium heat until boiling, then lowest the heat, let it shimmer for 10 minutes more. Run the syrup over the strainer, discard lemongrass and ginger.

How to serve:

Arrange glutinous balls, sugar palm fruits (if use) the pour with ginger sugar syrup. Sprinkle with roasted peanut and sesame seeds. Serve it hot...it'll warm your body in chill days... (^,^)