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Rich and aromatic glutinous rice rolls are filled with hae bee hiam (dried shrimp sambal/sambal hebi) and then wrapped in banana leaves and then grill to impart that nice aroma from the banana leaves. Now you can make this popular Nyonya pulut panggang or also known as rempah udang at home.
I have recently just finished watching The Little Nyonya Drama Series remake (Chinese version). The series keeps showing this wonderful Nyonya pulut panggang / rempah udang that I’ve been missing so much. In Indonesia, we have something similar that we call lemper udang. It is packed in smaller rectangle shape packs instead of rolls. So, I decided to make some hae bee hiam or what we call sambal hebi in Indonesia and decided to make this pulut panggang.
The recipe rundown
Taste: The rice is savory with a hint of sweetness and aroma from coconut milk, pandan leaves. The filling is savory, spicy (depends on how spicy you make it), and umami. When you grill the pack, the banana leaves impart an amazing flavor to the rolls! Such a complex aroma and taste in a good way
Texture: not much texture play here
Difficulty: medium
Type of rice to use
Pulut panggang is made with glutinous rice, which is not the same as sushi rice. Glutinous rice is sometimes called sticky rice. Some also refer to sushi rice as sticky rice, but it is not the same and you cannot substitute glutinous rice with sushi rice. The result won’t be the same.
How to make pulut panggang/rempah udang
I cook the glutinous rice using an Instant Pot pressure cooker. The instruction for steaming the rice in the steamer is included in the recipe card below.
1. There is no need to soak the rice if you are using a pressure cooker. Briefly rinse the rice in clean water. Drain off all water. Pour 1 cup of water into the inner pot. Put the trivet inside. Place the rice in a round pan that will fit inside the inner pot. Add coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar. Stir to combine. Put this on top of the trivet. Add pandan leaves and kinda push them into the rice
2. Close the lid and turn the sealing valve to “sealing”. Set the pressure cooker timer to 30 minutes and then natural release. Carefully unlock the lid, remove the pandan leaves and fluff the rice.
3. Dot the rice with some blue colors you extracted from blue pea flowers. This is optional. Let the rice cools down completely before wrapping
4. Lightly brush the leaves with some oil. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of rice onto the leaves. Cover with a cling wrap or parchment paper and use you palm to gently press it down to spread the rice
5. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the hae bee hiam on the middle.
6. Use the banana leaves to help you fold the rice over to cover the filling and continue to roll over to the other side. Make sure the roll is nice and tight
7. Fold the two ends and secure with toothpicks on both ends. Continue with the rest of the rice and hae bee hiam
8. Brush the banana leaves with just a bit of oil and then place on a non-stick pan or grill pan and grill over medium heat until nicely charred on both sides, about 3 minutes or so on each side or until you are happy with the color
How to store pulut panggang
Short-term storage: Any leftover can be stored in the fridge for up to one week. Simply reheat in the microwave or on the stove using a pan like how you grill them before
Long-term storage: You can freeze the pulut panggang in the freezer. Simply prepare until you are done wrapping the rice rolls. Wrap them in a cling wrap and then put them inside a freezer bag, push all the air out and seal the bag. Thaw in the fridge and then grill on the pan as per recipe instruction
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Pulut Panggang / Rempah Udang (Grilled Glutinous Rice Rolls)
Ingredients
For glutinous rice rolls:
- 300 gr glutinous rice
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 blades pandan leaves knotted
Optional:
- 40 pieces blue pea flower
- 100 ml hot boiling water
If steaming the glutinous rice:
- 100 ml coconut milk
- 80 ml water
If pressure cooking the glutinous rice:
- 280 ml coconut milk
- 200 ml water
For filling:
- 1 recipe hae bee hiam
You will need:
- Banana leaves
- Toothpicks
Instructions
Prepare blue pea flower juice (optional):
- Soak the blue pea flower in hot boiling water. Press the flowers down to make sure they are soaked and let them steep for at least 15 minutes or longer
If steaming the rice on the stove:
- Soak the rice for at least 4 hours or overnight. Discard soaking water and transfer to a steaming tray. Bring water in the steamer to a boil. Spread the rice out and add coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar. Stir to combine. Add pandan leaves and kinda push them into the rice. Steam the rice on high heat for 25-30 minutes. Discard pandan leaves. Dot the rice with some blue colors you extracted from blue pea flowers. Fluff the rice and let it cools down before wrapping
If pressure cooking the rice in Instant Pot:
- There is no need to soak the rice. Briefly rinse the rice in clean water. Drain off all water. Pour 1 cup of water inside the inner pot. Put the trivet inside. Place the rice in a round pan that will fit inside the inner pot. Add coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar. Stir to combine. Put this on top of the trivet. Add pandan leaves and kinda push them into the rice
- Close the lid and turn the sealing valve to "sealing". Set the pressure cooker timer to 30 minutes and then natural release. Carefully unlock the lid, remove the pandan leaves and fluff the rice. Dot the rice with some blue colors you extracted from blue pea flowers. Let the rice cools down completely before wrapping
Wrapping:
- Wash and wipe the banana leaves. Cut the leaves into about 10 x 15 cm rectangle pieces. If the leaves are too thick and rigid, you can soften it by holding it above an open fire for few seconds
- Lightly brush the leaves with some oil. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of rice onto the leaves. Cover with a cling wrap or parchment paper and use you palm to gently press it down to spread the rice. Put about 1 tablespoon of the hae bee hiam on the middle. Use the banana leaves to help you fold the rice over to cover the filling and continue to roll over to the other side. Make sure the roll is nice and tight. Fold the two ends and secure with toothpicks on both ends. Continue with the rest of the rice and hae bee hiam
Grilling on the pan:
- Brush the banana leaves with just a bit of oil and then place on a non-stick pan or grill pan and grill over medium heat until nicely charred on both sides, about 3 minutes or so on each side or until you are happy with the color
