🇧🇳 Bruneian Cuisine

Penaram

Bruneian Fried Dough Balls

Prep Time 15 min

Servings 6

Difficulty Easy

Calories 178 kcal

Golden, slightly chewy fried dough balls made from a rice flour and palm sugar batter, coated in a sticky caramel glaze — a classic Bruneian teatime treat.

Ingredients

300g rice flour
150g palm sugar (gula melaka), grated
200ml warm water
50g desiccated coconut
Pinch of salt
Oil for deep frying

Instructions

1 Dissolve grated palm sugar in warm water, stirring until smooth. Strain.
2 Combine rice flour, desiccated coconut, and salt in a bowl.
3 Pour palm sugar water into the flour mixture and stir until you have a thick, dropping-consistency batter.
4 Heat oil to 160°C.
5 Drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil and fry slowly for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and cooked through.
6 Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Did You Know?

Penaram must be fried at a lower temperature than most fritters — if the oil is too hot, the outside burns while the inside stays raw and doughy.