Bubur Ketam Hitam / Indonesian Black glutinous rice porridge in coconut sauce

Selam everybody .... Merhaba from Turkey ....

We are welcoming Ramadhan this early June. It is so much full of joy and blessing that we still can meet Ramadhan again this year, Alhamdulillah (^,^)

If you were living in Indonesia, you will feel how Ramadhan atmosphere affects in almost any routine activities. Usually students have shorter time at school. Some offices (not all though) also change their working hour earlier so they can finish their work earlier as well so they can have iftar with family at home.

When it comes to the fasting month of Ramadhan, most of Indonesians can get more excited, I am talking about their appetite of food. The Moms at home prepare many meals more than they usually serve daily. We try to complete our iftar table start from ta'jil*, entree until dessert and even snacks. Things that we hardly ever do daily. (^,^)

*Ta'jil (read; taqjeel) is from Arabic language means to hasten the fast break. But lately now days often defined as food for breaking the fast. In Islam it is recommended before having meal to eat snack first, preferably something sweet like dates as exemplified by the prophet Muhammad SAW

When we are talking about ta'jil, today I am going to share "bubur ketan hitam" literally mean black glutinous porridge. In Indonesia, especially in Java island it’s known as Bubur Ketan Hitam. In places with thick Malay influences (such as Sumatra and small islands around it) this is called Bubur Pulut Hitam. Meanwhile in Bali island people calls it Bubur Injin. 

Just like making other porridge, black glutinous rice cooked in a lot of water (some people cook in thin coconut milk) until it tender and gets porridge consistency. Adding gula jawa / coconut palm sugar as sweetened  then serve with thick light savory coconut milk.


This sweet porridge is getting popular especially during Ramadhan. Even though it has sweet taste, we don't eat it as dessert but for ta'jil during Ramadhan. 
Far away from homeland make me really miss real ramadhan atmosphere but what to do... I just try to pamper my self with my homeland dish such this Bubur Ketan Hitam.

Black glutinous rice

Everybody has their own family recipe for making this porridge. So it's like "family recipe", each recipe base on family preference. So here the recipe I mostly use for making Bubur ketan hitam.

Bubur Ketan Hitam recipe

Make 4~5 shares

Ingredients: 

• ±150 gr black glutinous rice, soaked at least 4 hrs or over night
• 1500 to 1800 ml of water (or thin coconut milk)*
• Pandan leaf 
• ± 200 gr palm sugar (gula jawa)
• few tbsp sugar or to taste
• ½ tsp salt

(*) the amount of water/ thin coconut milk is depend how your glutinous rice absorb water and gets soft

For coconut milk sauce:

• ±400 ml thick coconut milk*
• 1 tsp salt
• pandan leaf

(*) you can make from fresh squeeze of 1 big size coconut. OR 1 canned instant coconut milk.

How to make:

Coconut sauce: stir everything in medium sauce pan and cook over medium heat until boiling. Stirring continuously during cooking process to prevent coconut milk to curdled. 

For porridge:

In big pot, cook everything over medium heat. After water absorbed by glutinous rice you need to stir once in a while and check whether you need add more water if you see the rice still not soft enough as porridge consistency.

Continue cook and stirring until thick and bubbling.

Serve warm or room temperature with flush of coconut milk sauce.