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Pulut Hitam (Black Glutinous Rice Dessert)

A comforting Singapore-style Pulut Hitam — black glutinous rice simmered into a creamy porridge with pandan-scented coconut milk and gula melaka syrup, slow-cooked on the stove.

Pulut Hitam (Black Glutinous Rice Dessert)

About this dish

Pulut Hitam, the beloved black glutinous rice dessert, is a familiar sight at kopi tings, neighbourhood kopitiams and Malay stalls across Singapore — a warming, slightly chewy rice porridge sweetened with gula melaka and finished with rich coconut milk. In many heartland hawker centres from Tiong Bahru to the East Coast, you’ll find it served hot as a supper treat or after a heavy family zi char meal; it’s also a popular buka puasa dessert during Ramadan.

This version keeps things simple for a home kitchen: soak the rice briefly for a softer grain, simmer slowly until the rice breaks down into a creamy consistency, then balance with fragrant pandan and caramel gula melaka. The flavour profile is earthy and slightly nutty from the black glutinous rice, rounded by the deep caramel notes of palm sugar and brightened with a little salt and pandan. Texture-wise it sits between a porridge and a sweet kheer — grains remain slightly chewy unless you cook it until fully jammy.

Serve Pulut Hitam warm as a comforting supper or chill it for a teatime sweet in Singapore’s humid weather. Top each bowl with a drizzle of extra coconut cream or a spoonful of gula melaka syrup for an indulgent finish. This recipe works for busy parents (make-ahead and reheat), potlucks, or whenever you crave a taste of local kuih culture at home.

Ingredients

  • 300 g black glutinous rice (pulut hitam), rinsed and picked over
  • 1.2 litres water (plus extra for soaking if preferred)
  • 2-3 pandan leaves, knotted
  • 150 g gula melaka (palm sugar), chopped or grated (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 200 ml coconut milk (thick), for serving
  • 50-100 ml coconut cream (optional, for drizzling)
  • 1 tbsp tapioca starch (or cornflour) mixed with 2 tbsp water (optional thickener)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional, enhances aroma)
  • Toasted desiccated coconut or toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
  • Extra pandan leaves or a small knob of gula melaka for serving (optional)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Optional soak: Place the rinsed black glutinous rice in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 2–4 hours (or overnight) to reduce cooking time and improve texture; drain before cooking. If short on time, skip soaking and expect a longer simmer.
  2. Combine rice and water: In a heavy-based pot, combine the drained rice and 1.2 litres fresh water. Add the knotted pandan leaves. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
  3. Lower and simmer: Once boiling, reduce to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the pot base to prevent sticking. If you didn’t soak, simmer 45–60 minutes until grains are soft and beginning to burst.
  4. Add gula melaka and salt: When the rice is soft and porridge-like, add the chopped gula melaka and the 1/4 tsp salt. Stir until the palm sugar is completely melted and incorporated; taste and adjust sweetness to your preference, like stalls at a zi char.
  5. Thicken if needed: If you prefer a creamier, thicker consistency, stir in the tapioca starch slurry while simmering for another 2–3 minutes until the mixture slightly thickens. Remove pandan leaves and stir in vanilla if using.
  6. Heat coconut milk separately: Gently warm the coconut milk (do not boil) in a small saucepan, and season with a tiny pinch of salt to balance flavour. Keep warm.
  7. Serve: Spoon the Pulut Hitam into serving bowls, drizzle with extra coconut cream or warm coconut milk, and finish with a spoonful of gula melaka syrup or toasted desiccated coconut for texture.
  8. Storage and reheating: Cool quickly and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water or extra coconut milk, stirring until loosened to the desired consistency.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Soak the black glutinous rice for 2–4 hours or overnight if you can — it shortens cooking time and gives a softer chew similar to hawker versions.
  • Use a heavy-based pot to prevent scorching and stir occasionally; cook on medium-low after boiling to keep an even simmer and avoid splatter.
  • Gula melaka varies in sweetness and moisture — start with less, taste, then add more. If you can't find gula melaka at NTUC FairPrice or Cold Storage, substitute with palm sugar or dark brown sugar, but expect a slightly different caramel note.
  • Warm the coconut milk separately and add just before serving so it stays glossy and doesn't split; reserve a little thick coconut cream for drizzling.
  • For a hands-off option, cook soaked pulut hitam in an Instant Pot/pressure cooker: 20–25 minutes high pressure plus natural release, then stir in gula melaka and adjust consistency.
  • Make-ahead: Refrigerate and reheat with a splash of water or coconut milk. Pulut Hitam thickens in the fridge — loosen it during reheating to your preferred porridge consistency.
  • Adjust spice and sweetness for kids or guests: leave out vanilla and reduce gula melaka for less sweet palates, or add extra palm sugar for a dessert-style sweetness like a hawker treat.

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