Featuring 100% forbidden rice (no additional white rice) with coconut milk infused with aromatic pandan leaf, this black sticky rice dessert is one of the desserts my grandmother loves to make for our late afternoon.
Table of Contents
- Differences of black rice pudding in Southeast Asia
- Ingredients to make this sweet black sticky rice dessert
- How to Cook Traditional Black Rice Pudding on a Stovetop
- How To Cook Black Rice Pudding in Instant Pot – Easy
- How to Cook Black Sticky Rice Pudding in a Rice Cooker
- Storage Guide
- FAQ
- What are great toppings for black rice pudding?
- Similar recipes you might like
Spending my school holidays at my grandparents’, where her backyard’s paddy field was my playground, and being a food tester when Mak Tok (my grandmother) cooked traditional sweet desserts are some of my fondest memories.
I was often tasked to grind the fresh coconut she got from around the house. At that time, we still used a traditional coconut grater stool. Sometimes, she sent me to pluck the pandan leaves at the neighbor’s house.
Back then, black rice was rare, so Bubur Pulut Hitam wasn’t as common as it is today.
Other common coconut-based desserts include Bubur Cha Cha, a colorful sweet treat with root vegetables, and this sweet mung bean dessert.
Differences of black rice pudding in Southeast Asia
Black Rice Pudding, or Bubur Pulut Hitam, is shared across Southeast Asian countries, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and beyond, varying in ingredients and texture.
| Countries in SEA | Name | Key ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia, Indonesia & Singapore | Bubur Pulut Hitam | Cooked with coconut milk, pandan, and palm sugar. |
| Thailand | Khao Niew Dam | Often mixed white rice with black rice, cooked with other ingredients like yam and coconut meat. |
| Philippines | Champorado | Has an added chocolate and milk. |
| Vietnamese | Sữa chua nếp | Cooked with white sugar or rock sugar and often served with yogurt. |
While each country has its twist and topping, my version stays true to the traditional Malaysian version, rich, creamy, and aromatic.
The combination of coconut milk, lightly salted and sweetened with a rustic toffee-like flavor of palm sugar with aromatic pandan, is the main component of traditional desserts in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. Which is what you can expect from my black sticky rice pudding recipe.
Learn how to make this nutritious black rice pudding using both traditional and modern methods. Each differs in time and convenience. But first ingredients.
Ingredients to make this sweet black sticky rice dessert
- Black rice / Black sticky rice – Use a black sticky rice or black glutinous rice. Do not mistake this rice with red rice or wild rice.
- Coconut cream – I use coconut cream for more universal and convenient use. Feel free to use fresh coconut milk.
- Palm sugar – Use palm sugar, also known as palm jaggery sugar, for an authentic flavor. You can find them in Asian markets. The closest substitute is coconut sugar.
- Pandan leaf – If you can’t find pandan leaf, try to get natural pandan extract or powder instead. Use 1 tbsp of pandan extract/pandan powder, add it last with the coconut milk.
- Water
- Salt
How to Cook Traditional Black Rice Pudding on a Stovetop
Soaking required: At least 3 hours (If skipping, cook longer)
Total time: 35 minutes on a stovetop
Rice-to-water ratio: 1:5
Tools and equipment:
☑️Medium-sized stainless steel pot/Non-stick pot.
❌Avoid using a white enamel pot, it may stain your pot (speaking from experience).
- Soaking. Start by washing the rice until the water runs clear, then soak it for at least 3 hours. When you’re ready to cook, strain the rice in a strainer.
- Boil and stir. In a medium-sized pot, bring the rice, pandan, and water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cover loosely with a lid.
☝️Monitor and stir occasionally (especially towards the end, as the sticky rice can easily stick to the pot and may lead to burning. It will take about 30 minutes ++ to cook and soften.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Once you see it’s smooth like a porridge, remove the pandan leaves, add coconut cream, palm sugar, and salt, and constantly stir until the sugar is fully dissolved (about 3-5 minutes).
If it’s too thick to your liking, consider adding some water. - Turn off the heat, move the pot away from the stove, and serve warm with or without topping. Below, you’ll see some toppings you can enjoy this sweet black sticky rice with.
How To Cook Black Rice Pudding in Instant Pot – Easy
Soaking is optional
Total time: 25 minutes total without soaking. If soaking, reduce 5 minutes from the timer.
Rice-to-water ratio: 1:2.5
Tools & Equipment: Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot with sauté function.
Pros: Fast, easy, no need to stir that much & less chance for black rice to stick on the bottom pot.
- Start by washing the rice until the water runs clear, then strain the rice in a strainer.
- Pressure cook. Combine the black rice, water, and pandan leaves in the Inner Pot, close the lid, and Seal the valve. Press Pressure Cook button on High Pressure and adjust the time to 20 minutes.
- Manually sauté the rest of the ingredients. Once the timer beeps, turn the valve to Venting, and open it when ready. Discard the pandan leaves, and add the remaining ingredients – coconut milk, palm sugar, and salt.
Turn the Sauté button on Less and adjust the timer to 5 minutes. Stir constantly until the timer is done. - Press the Cancel button to turn the power off, scoop it into your dish, and serve warm.
How to Cook Black Sticky Rice Pudding in a Rice Cooker
Soaking required: At least 3 hours (If skipping, cook longer)
Rice-to-water ratio: 1:4
Total Time: 30 minutes on regular white rice setting.
Tools & Equipment: Rice cooker
- Soaking. Wash the rice and soak it for at least 3 hours. When you’re ready to cook, strain the rice in a strainer.
- Combine rice, pandan, and water in a rice cooker pot, close the lid, and set it to cook on a Normal setting or Porridge setting (if you have).
☝️ You will need to monitor and stir occasionally (especially towards the end) to avoid burning on the bottom part. It will take 30 minutes to soften. - Add the rest of the ingredients. Once it’s smooth, remove the pandan leaves, add coconut cream, palm sugar, and salt, and stir to mix until the sugar is fully dissolved. If it’s too thick to your liking, consider adding some water. Close the lid and leave it for another 5 minutes to develop the flavor.
- Remove the rice cooker out to stop cooking, and serve warm with or without topping. Check the topping option below.
Storage Guide
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
When serving, scoop a required portion, add a few tablespoons of water to loosen the consistency, and heat it on a microwave or stove until simmer. Mix well.
FAQ
Is black rice pudding healthy?
Black rice pudding is known for being one of the healthy desserts in Asia. Apart from being gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar-free, black rice is rich in Anthocyanin, an antioxidant that is beneficial for health in many ways.
Some recipes can be too sweet or made with refined sugar, the best way is to make it yourself so you can control the amount of sugar and fat. Like other healthy foods, moderation is encouraged.
Is black rice pudding served hot or cold?
Black rice is best served warm, for a smooth and creamier texture. When cold, the natural fat and starch in black rice pudding will thicken, making it firm. For the best texture, warm it up before you eat.
Can you make black rice pudding without coconut milk?
You can make black rice pudding with other types of plant-based milk. Though the flavor may vary significantly, but it is still possible to achieve the creaminess. Since black rice has a significant amount of carbs, go for protein-based (soy milk) or fat-based milk (nuts or seeds-based milk) to balance the nutritional content.
Can you make black rice pudding without sugar?
Yes, you can make black rice pudding without sugar. But since black rice pudding is enjoyed as a sweet snack or dessert, it usually comes with added sweetness. For this, you can add a sweet fruit-based topping to substitute sugar.
What are great toppings for black rice pudding?
While topping is optional, I like to pair it with sweet fruits. Other toppings to consider:
Classic choice: Coconut cream
Sweet fruits: Banana (raw or caramelized), sweet mango, jackfruit
Crunchy: Toasted coconut flakes & crushed roasted nuts
Refreshing: Fresh coconut meat & dragon fruit
Similar recipes you might like
- Butterfly Pea Mango Sticky Rice
- Bubur Cha Cha Coconut Milk Sago Dessert With Root Vegetables
- Coconut Milk Mung Bean Dessert With Corn
Black Rice Pudding (Bubur Pulut Hitam) 3 Easy Ways To Make Southeast Asian Classic
4
servings282
kcal3
hours35+
minutes25
minutes35+
minutesTraditional black rice with coconut milk infused with aromatic pandan leaves, sweetened with toffee flavor of palm sugar. This Bubur Pulut Hitam is rich in antioxidants and nutritious.
Ingredients
Directions
- Stovetop – Jump above for a visual guide
❶ Soaking. Start by washing the rice until the water runs clear, then soak it for at least 3 hours. When you’re ready to cook, strain the rice in a strainer.
❷ Boil and stir. In a medium-sized pot, bring the rice, pandan, and water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cover loosely with a lid.
☝️Monitor and stir occasionally, as the sticky rice can easily stick to the pot and may lead to burning. It will take about 30 minutes to cook and soften.
❸ Add the rest of the ingredients. Once you see it’s smooth like a porridge, remove the pandan leaves, add coconut cream, palm sugar, and salt, and constantly stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. If it’s too thick to your liking, consider adding some water.
❹ Turn off the heat, remove the pot away from the stovetop. Serve warm and serve with your choice of topping (optional). - Instant Pot – Jump above for visual guide
❶ Start by washing the rice until the water runs clear, then strain the rice in a strainer.
❷ Pressure cook. Combine the black rice, water, and pandan leaves in the Inner Pot, close the lid, and Seal the valve. Press Pressure Cook button on High and adjust the time to 20 minutes.
❸ Manually sauté the rest of the ingredients. Once the timer beeps, turn the valve to Venting, and open it when ready. Discard the pandan leaves, and add the remaining ingredients – coconut milk, palm sugar, and salt. Turn the Sauté button on Low and adjust the timer to 5 minutes. Stir constantly until the timer is done.
❹ Press the Cancel button to turn the power off, scoop it into your dish, and serve warm. - Rice Cooker – Jump above a visual guide
❶ Wash the rice and soak it for at least 3 hours. When you’re ready to cook, strain the rice in a strainer.
❷ Combine rice, pandan, and water in a rice cooker pot, close the lid, and set it to cook on a Normal setting or Porridge setting (if you have).
☝️ You will need to monitor and stir occasionally (especially towards the end) to avoid burning on the bottom part. It will take 30 minutes to soften.
❸ Add the rest of the ingredients. Once it’s smooth, remove the pandan leaves, add coconut cream, palm sugar, and salt, and stir to mix until the sugar is fully dissolved. If it’s too thick to your liking, consider adding some water. Close the lid and leave it for another 5 minutes to develop the flavor.
❹ Remove the rice cooker to stop cooking, and serve warm with or without topping. Check the topping option above.
Equipment used in this recipe
- Instant PotCheck in Amazon
Notes
- Towards the end of cooking, when the water reduces, monitor and stir frequently to avoid the rice sticking at the bottom and leading to burning. (Stovetop & Rice Cooker)
- For a stovetop method, avoid using an enamel white pot. Based on my experience, the black color stays on the pot.
😀 Did you try this black rice pudding recipe? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear how it turned out or if you added your own twist. Don’t forget to rate the recipe if you found it helpful!
