Dodol: The Coconut-Palm Sugar Candy

Combine the glutinous rice flour and coconut milk in a heavy-based pot, whisking until no lumps remain. Add the grated palm sugar. Place over low heat and begin stirring with a wooden paddle or spatula, ensuring the paddle reaches every corner of the pot base. The mixture is ready to proceed when the sugar has fully dissolved and the liquid is uniform and deep brown.

Continue stirring without pause — this is where the dish lives or dies. Four to eight hours of unbroken, continuous stirring is required; any period of rest will cause the mixture to scorch and seize unevenly on the pot base. The pace of the stir should be slow and deliberate, drawing the paddle from the edges to the centre and back. As the hours progress the mixture thickens progressively, the colour deepens, and the resistance on the paddle increases markedly.

The dodol is done when the paste pulls cleanly away from the sides and base of the pot in a single cohesive mass, leaving the pot walls nearly clean. At this point the mixture is extremely dense, glossy, and dark. The smell shifts from sweet coconut to a concentrated, almost caramelised toffee.

Transfer the hot paste immediately into a lightly greased shallow tray or mould. Smooth the surface flat with a dampened spatula. Allow to cool fully at room temperature without refrigeration. The dodol is set when the block is firm to the touch, holds a clean edge under finger pressure, and no longer yields when pressed.

Turn the set block onto a board and slice into portions with a lightly greased knife. The cut surface should be smooth, dense, and non-crumbling — a clean slice confirms proper dehydration and sugar concentration. Wrap individual pieces in banana leaf or parchment for storage.