Desserts made with sticky black rice are a specialty across Southeast Asia. This unpolished, short-grain rice is often labeled glutinous rice—a reference to its sticky consistency when cooked, and not to its gluten content. The rice itself isn’t truly black either, which becomes apparent the moment you wash it. The grains release a deep wine-colored pigment, and once cooked, they turn a rich shade of purple.

It wasn’t until I began researching black rice more closely that I discovered its impressive health benefits. Its dark pigment comes from anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants also found in purple fruits and vegetables like beetroot, blackberries, and mangosteen. In addition to being high in fiber, black rice is also a good source of iron.

My first introduction to sweetened black rice was as a filling inside a dumpling. However, one of the most popular black rice desserts—especially in Malaysia and Singapore—is pulut hitam (Malay for black glutinous rice), a comforting combination of black rice, coconut milk, and palm sugar.

This is not your typical soft, mushy rice pudding. Black rice is much more assertive—it has a distinct nutty flavor and retains a slight bite even after cooking, as the husks are still intact. This also means it needs more water and takes significantly longer to cook than polished white rice, so a bit of advance planning helps. Once that stage is complete, though, the rest of the dish comes together with very little effort.

Another lovely thing about pulut hitam is how adaptable it is. You can experiment with different sweeteners—Indian jaggery and brown sugar both work beautifully. Traditionally, pandan leaves (screwpine leaves) are used for flavoring, but cardamom pods or vanilla are excellent alternatives. Coconut milk can also be swapped or complemented with pouring cream, whipped cream, fruit purée, or even custard. This dessert pairs wonderfully with fruit—mango and banana are classics, while lychee adds a more exotic touch.

Ingredients

  • Black glutinous rice – 200 g
  • Palm sugar (gula melaka), jaggery, or brown sugar – 200 g, or to taste
  • Water – 6–8 cups
  • Salt – a pinch
  • Coconut milk – 150 ml

Optional

  • Pandan leaves – 2, or
  • Cardamom pods – 3, skinned and lightly crushed

Coconut cream and fresh fruit, for serving
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Method

  1. Toast the rice lightly in a frying pan or a low oven to enhance its aroma. Wash and soak the rice for a couple of hours.
  2. To cook on the stovetop, cover the rice with water and bring it to a boil. Add the pandan leaves, if using, reduce the heat, and cook gently—stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed—until the grains are soft. This can take 1½ to 2 hours.
    Alternatively, cook the rice in a slow cooker (I often leave it overnight) or use a pressure cooker, allowing about 15 minutes.
  3. In a separate pan, boil 100 ml water and dissolve the palm sugar or jaggery along with a pinch of salt to form a syrup. Add the crushed cardamom pods, if using.
  4. Stir the syrup into the cooked rice.
  5. Add the coconut milk and mix gently.
  6. Finish by swirling coconut cream over the top and serve warm.

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