As Ramadan comes to an end this weekend, Eid al-Fitr, the festival to break the month-long fast, is a time for celebration, traditions and, of course, feasting. For Muslim Indonesians, the two-day Eid al-Fitr celebration or lebaran as it is locally known, will involve sharing parcels of ketupat (sticky rice cake wrapped in woven palm leaf), opor ayam (coconut chicken) and rendang (beef curry). But the Eid feast is also known around the world as ‘Sweet Eid’ because of the many sweets and desserts shared between families for the celebration and in Indonesia the most cherished is dodol, a sticky caramel made from glutinous rice flour, palm sugar and coconut milk.
“Dodol represents a sweet relationship with others, and a wish that the relationship will stay as tight as the sticky dodol,” says Harjo, head chef at Sydney’s popular Sumatran restaurant, Medan Ciak. “That’s why it is always one of the main dishes eaten during Eid al-Fitr in Indonesia,” he says.
Harjo, who hails from a town near Medan, Sumatra’s capital and a popular spot for dodol-makers, grew up eating the sweet on special occasions. “Dodol is commonly served on big days, such as a wedding party, birthday, house-warming or new year. Nowadays it’s also eaten as just a snack,” he says.
Thought to originate in Garut, a West Javanese province in Indonesia, dodol has many incarnations all over the world. Malaysians share a similar recipe to the Indonesian version (using a local coconut palm sugar) and also serve it after Ramadan at their Hari Raya feasts, while Sri Lankans make kalu dodol – sweetened with jaggery and often mixed with cashews or cardamom. Other variations are found in India, Singapore, Philippines, Myanmar and even parts of the Middle East. Indonesians are the most experimental with the traditional sweet, and many new versions have been introduced. “There are many kinds of flavours nowadays – pineapple, pandan, durian and more,” says Harjo.
Harjo learnt to make the treat from his housekeeper’s mother, who supplied a dodol store in his hometown with her homemade candy. “It’s my favorite snack so I always bring some back to Sydney as a gift for friends here,” he says.
Making dodol isn’t too tricky, Harjo says, but it takes time, patience and a bit of strength. After the sugar and coconut milk have dissolved, the rice flour is gradually added and incorporated into the mix. “You must stir constantly… otherwise the dodol will get burnt and the taste will be destroyed,” says Harjo. Traditionally the candy is cooked for eight to nine hours, continually stirred in a big wok. The long cooking time and thick consistency can be hard work, taking well-trained muscles to churn the sticky mixture.
Wrapped dodol is a favourite amongst Indonesians, particularly during Ramadan Source: Getty
Once it’s cooked (the caramel will be thick and firm and won’t stick to the fingertips), it’s poured out into a tray to cool completely. “In the old days, dodol was packaged and wrapped in different ways like in a coconut shell, upih (sleeves from a betel nut tree) or corn husks. But nowadays it’s wrapped in plastic,” says Harjo.
Harjo makes dodol to order at Medan Ciak for special requests, but also recommends finding the sweet at Indonesian or Asian grocers. “But, of course, this will have a different texture and taste compared to the fresh candy!” he says.
Lead image: Bracfrot Media via Getty
In-line image: NurPhoto via Getty
In-line image: NurPhoto via Getty
