Quick Asian Recipes

Gandasturi Recipe (Indonesian Breaded Sweet Mung Bean) » Indonesia Eats

Gandasturi is one of traditional kue in Indonesia (kue is term for Indonesian cakes or pastries or sweet snack). As other Southeast Asian sweet snacks, gandasturi isn’t that sweet compare to the North American ones. It’s a perfect pair with a cup of jasmine tea.

When I posted a photo of Gandasturi on Indonesia Eats facebook fanpage, some readers who grew up out of West Java and Jakarta area were saying that they’ve never tasted this before. Neither did I before I moved to Bogor. Bogor is a place where I tasted some different foods that I hadn’t tasted before. One of those was this kue. The food hawkers who sell fritters in the place where I grew up don’t sell Gandasturi.

Honestly, moving from a place that close to the ocean to a place that near to the hill was a bit challenging for my tastebuds. I recalled the first time I moved in to this city, I was grumpy as I craved for fresh saltwater fish which I ate on daily basis. In Bogor people use to eat freshwater fish. I wasn’t used to eat freshwater fish and chicken every day. Time has spoken; I became accustomed to.

In this recipe, I provided two kind of breaded batter since I was trying both. One was a strictly vegan and another one contains egg in it. The difference is by adding egg, the colour of gandasturi looks more appealing.

Gandasturi
Indonesian Breaded Sweet Mung Bean


IngredientsKumbu (Sweet Mung Bean)
300 grams mung beans, soaked in a bowl of water for 1-2 hours(if you use a pressure cooker, you can skip this method) and drain
1250 mlilliter water
2 pandan (screwpine) leaves
1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder
2 tablespoons creamed coconut
100 grams raw canesugar
1/8 teaspoon seasalt
oil for deep frying

Breaded (Vegan):
75 grams all purpose flour
75 grams rice flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
275 – 300 milliliter cold water (about 4 degrees C or 39 degrees F)

See also >>  Singaporean Chili Crab Recipe » Indonesia Eats

Alternative Breaded:
75 grams all purpose flour
75 grams rice flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
250 – 275 milliliter water (about 4 degrees C or 39 degrees F)

Methods:

  • In a large pot, combine mung beans and pandan leaves and vanilla until soften and the water has been absorbed and reduced.
  • Add sugar, seasalt, vanilla powder and creamed coconut. Stir once a while. Cook until thicken and dry.
  • Remove from the heat and set aside. Let the sweet mung bean mixture cool down at room temperature.
  • Take 2 – 3 tablespoons of the mixture. Shape into small patties, about 1/2 centimeter thick. This mixture will make about 15-16 patties. Make sure you press the patties hard against your palm when shaping. The patties should not have any air gap otherwise they would fall apart when fried.
  • Combine the breaded ingredients. You can choose which breaded you’re going to use the vegan one or the one with egg.
  • Dip patties into breaded mixture, a couple at a time. Deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown.
  • Drain on brown paper (from brown paper bag) and serve warm with a cup of jasmine tea.
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