Klepon is an Indonesian glutinous rice ball, coloured green with pandan and suji leaves, filled with palm sugar and garnished with or rolled in grated coconut pulp.
However, in Java, ondeh ondeh means deep fried glutinous rice balls with sesame seed coating (i.e. the Chinese jian dui 煎䭔).
This article is about the Indonesian klepon / Malaysian ondeh ondeh.
The origins of klepon is uncertain but often attributed to Java of the Majapahit empire days (1293 - 1527). There's no evidence at the moment to prove it but it can't be ruled out that klepon is even older than that.
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| Flag of Majapahit empre |
Universitas Gadjah Mada culinary expert, Murdijati Gardjito theorised that the colour of palm sugar (red) and grated coconut (white) represent the colours of the Majapahit empire (1293 - 1527).
The Majapahit empire based in Java, controlled most of the Malay archipelago during its heyday. It was initially Hindu, and later practised a syncretic blend of Hinduism-Buddhism.
In another reference, cendol (known as dawet in Java) is mentioned in Kakawin Kresnayana written by Mpu Triguna in 12th century, Kediri kingdom in East Java. Cendol is rice noodles in a coconut milk and palm sugar beverage.
Universitas Padjadjaran food historian Fadly Rahman surmised that since the ingredients of cendol (dawet) and klepon are the same - glutinous rice, palm sugar, coconut - it is plausible that the two sweets were contemporaries i.e. existed together since the Majapahit era in Java.
The Majapahit empire was later broken up and succeeded by Islamic sultanates. One of them was the Mataram sultanate (1586 - 1755).
Klepon is mentioned in the Serat Centhini which was published in 1814 about the exploits of Sultan Agung of Mataram in the 1630s (amongst other topics in the 12-volume epic). Klepon was mentioned as one of the foods during special events, festivals and celebrations in Java.
Following the spread of Islam through the Malay archipelago, the only Hindu enclave remaining in Indonesia is the island of Bali. Over in Bali, they have their own style of klepon which they use in festivals and special events.
Also made with glutinous rice dough coloured with pandan and suji leaves, the Balinese klepon is like a tear drop shaped dumpling (not a ball). Like klepon outside of Bali, the dumpling is filled with palm sugar.
The Balinese klepon dumpling is served garnished with grated coconut pulp.
References:
Klepon, un-Islamic snacks and Javanese philosophy
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