Tapai Pulut (Fermented White Glutinous Rice)

Ramadhan is around the corner..since my hubby love Tapai Pulut sooo much..I decided to try making some just to impress him..hahaha.. So after sending my little pearl to Smart Reader this morning, I went to the Indian grocery near my house and buy 1kg of white glutinous rice and 2 pieces of ragi (2 pieces of it cost only RM1.40) but I used 1 only. The recipe...I got it from Rasa Magazine that I bought 6 years ago..wallaweh..lama tuh..anyway..it still relevant though.

Ragi

I soaked all the glutinous before I going to sleep. The next morning, after sending little pearl to school, I went straight to the kitchen to drain the rice and then cooked it in the steamer.

I read many story about tapai will only turned all right if the person who prepares it is very clean and has a peaceful mind. “Kalau serabut-serabut tak jadinya tapai tuh.” So I'm trying very hard to make myself calm and thinking of nice and happy things so that the tapai will turn sweet and nice..hahaha..funny ha..( this is my first attempt doing it myself..so takut x jadi la..)

After the cooked glutinous rice are cold enough..(they said if we put the ragi before it cold enough, tapai will turn sour)..now spread the cooked glutinous rice on a large tray (we call it talam) to as thin a layer without pressing or compressing the rice.

Then I dusting the ragi powder on top of the layer (I've crushed the ragi by putting it into a plastic bag, than roll it with doh roller). Remember to switch off the fan or the draught will blow the ragi dust into your lung instead of to the top of the rice.

I cover my hand with thin plastic glove and mixed the rice with the ragi powder. Then it was spread out again and another thin dusting of ragi powder and mixed again. During the whole process I make sure of cleanliness and all spoon, fingers or plastic cover were clean and dry.

I did not wrap the rice in banana or other types of leaves for fear of wasted effort if the tapai did not turn out well. I just make the rice into a rice ball and put it into few plastic container recycling the one that I collected each time I bought tapai from Pasar Malam for my hubby. I then cover it and wrap the container with 2-3 layers of cloth tightly and place it in a dark place (I put them in the store). I used old clean towel to wrap the container. This is to ensure the rice is fermented in a slightly warm and close space, sort of to induce a low grade fewer.

My advise for beginners like me, to scoop one lump of rice and put it in a small Tupperware and keep it airtight and in dark place for you to check whether your tapai is ready by 36 hours or by 48 hours. Mine was soft and juicy by 36 hours but for the extra sweetness, it was left for 48 hours. Then take it out and chill.

Taraaaa…..yummy…yummy…yummy…

Fermented white glutinous rice or Tapai pulut, nice and sweet as it can be. The perfect white colour and the perfect sweetness of it, reflects the pureness of heart of the one who prepared it, hehehehe....