Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Pulut Hitam (Black Glutinous Rice Dessert)

Singapore-style Pulut Hitam is a warm, coconut-scented black glutinous rice dessert simmered with pandan and palm sugar for a creamy, comforting finish.

Pulut Hitam (Black Glutinous Rice Dessert)

About this dish

Pulut Hitam — black glutinous rice cooked until soft and luxuriously sauced with coconut milk and gula Melaka — is a familiar, comforting dessert across Singapore homes and hawker stalls. In the heartlands and at kopitiams from Tiong Bahru to the East Coast, you’ll find versions served hot for supper or cooled down as a sweet teatime treat. The deep, caramel-like sweetness of palm sugar and the pandan aroma make it a crowd-pleaser during family dinners, Ramadan buka puasa or simple weekend makan sessions.

The texture is the story here: slightly chewy, glossy black rice grains suspended in a thick, coconut-rich broth. Traditional cooks lean on pandan leaves and gula Melaka (palm sugar) for authentic fragrance and caramel notes; modern home cooks sometimes add sago or a cornstarch slurry to reach the familiar velvety body. Pulut Hitam is versatile — enjoy it steaming from a pot like a kampong home dessert, ladled into bowls at a zi char-style supper, or chilled for a cooling Singapore afternoon snack.

This recipe keeps things practical for a Singapore kitchen — metric measures, tips for using Instant Pot or a heavy-based pot, and local substitutions you can grab from NTUC FairPrice or Sheng Siong. Finish each bowl with a drizzle of thick coconut cream and a tear of pandan leaf for that hawker-centre authenticity: simple, nostalgic and utterly moreish.

Ingredients

  • 250 g black glutinous rice (pulut hitam), rinsed until water runs clearer
  • 1.2 L water (for cooking; add more if needed)
  • 2 pandan leaves, knotted
  • 150 g gula Melaka (palm sugar), chopped (substitute: 120 g brown sugar + 1 tbsp molasses)
  • 50 g caster sugar or granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 200 ml light coconut milk (for cooking)
  • 100 ml thick coconut cream (for serving drizzle)
  • 1 tbsp tapioca starch or cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (optional, for thicker texture)
  • 50 g small sago pearls (optional, soak 15 minutes then rinse)
  • 1 tsp pandan paste or 1 extra pandan leaf (optional, for boosted aroma)
  • 2 tbsp toasted grated coconut or desiccated coconut (optional garnish)
  • Ice cubes (if serving chilled)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Optional soak: Rinse the black glutinous rice well and soak for 2 hours or overnight to shorten cooking time and improve texture; drain before cooking. (If short on time, skip soak and allow longer simmer.)
  2. In a heavy-based pot combine the rinsed rice, 1.2 L water and knotted pandan leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low–medium to maintain a gentle simmer.
  3. Cook uncovered for 40–60 minutes, stirring occasionally and checking liquid level. The grains should be tender, plump and starting to burst — add extra hot water in 50 ml increments if it gets too thick before the rice is soft.
  4. If using sago, cook it separately according to packet instructions and fold into the drained sago into the pot during the last 8–10 minutes of cooking so textures combine.
  5. When the rice is soft, stir in the chopped gula Melaka and caster sugar over low heat until dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness to your preference — Singaporean palates vary from lightly sweet to very sweet, so tweak like at your favourite zi char stall.
  6. If you prefer a thicker, glossy sauce, stir the tapioca/cornflour slurry and add gradually while simmering for 1–2 minutes until the desired body is reached.
  7. Remove the pot from heat and gently stir in the 200 ml light coconut milk (do this off high heat to prevent splitting). Add 1/4 tsp salt to balance the sweetness.
  8. Ladle into bowls and finish each serving with a spoonful of thick coconut cream, a sprinkle of toasted grated coconut (optional) and a small pandan leaf for aroma. Serve hot for supper or allow to cool and chill if you prefer it cold.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Soak the black glutinous rice overnight or at least 2 hours to cut cooking time and get a creamier texture — useful for busy Singapore households.
  • Gula Melaka gives the authentic caramel flavour; if you can’t find it at NTUC or Sheng Siong, substitute with dark palm sugar or a mix of brown sugar and a little molasses.
  • Use a heavy-based pot to prevent rice sticking; keep the heat at low–medium and stir occasionally to avoid scorching — this mimics the slow-simmer approach used by hawkers.
  • For a faster option, cook the rice in an Instant Pot: high pressure 20–25 minutes with natural release, then finish by stirring in gula Melaka and coconut milk on the stove.
  • To serve chilled (popular in hot Singapore afternoons), cool to room temperature then refrigerate; add the coconut cream just before serving so it stays lush and white.
  • Adjust sweetness to taste — Malay desserts can be notably sweet, so start with less sugar and add more if needed, especially when using sweet gula Melaka.
  • Leftovers keep 2–3 days in the fridge; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen the texture before serving.

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