Lepet facts for kids
Lepet, sticky rice dumpling with peanuts cooked in coconut milk
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| Alternative names | Leupeut (Sundanese), Lepat (Malay/Indonesian) |
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| Type | Dumpling |
| Place of origin | Indonesia |
| Region or state | Java |
| Main ingredients | Sticky rice, coconut milk, peanuts, wrapped in young coconut leaf |
Lepet is a delicious snack from Indonesia. It's a type of dumpling made from sticky rice. This yummy treat is mixed with peanuts and cooked in creamy coconut milk. It gets its special shape from being wrapped inside a janur, which is a young coconut leaf, or sometimes a palm leaf.
Lepet is a popular snack in Java, Indonesia. You'll often find it in Javanese and Sundanese cuisine. It's a bit like another Indonesian food called lontong. However, lepet is much stickier. It also has a richer flavor because of the coconut milk and peanuts.
Contents
Making Lepet: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making lepet involves a few fun steps. First, the sticky rice, called ketan, is partly cooked. This is done by steaming it in coconut milk. During this step, pandan leaf and salt are added. The pandan leaf gives it a lovely smell. The rice soaks up all the coconut milk.
Next, the half-cooked rice is mixed. Grated coconut flesh and peanuts are stirred in. Then, this mixture is carefully wrapped. It goes inside janur, the young yellowish coconut leaf. The leaf is shaped like a cylinder. It's tied securely with strings. These strings are often made from coconut leaf fibers. Finally, the wrapped rice packages are steamed again. This makes sure they are fully cooked and ready to eat.
What Fillings Can You Use?
The most common filling for lepet is peanuts. But you can find other tasty options too! Sometimes, different kinds of beans are used. These can include kidney beans, cowpeas, or jack beans. Even corn can be a filling for lepet.
Regional Lepet Styles
Lepet has different names and styles depending on where you are in Indonesia.
Leupeut in West Java
In the Sundanese areas of West Java, it's known as leupeut. This version is usually smaller in size. It almost always has a peanut filling. People often enjoy leupeut with tahu sumedang. Tahu sumedang is a type of fried tofu. It's a very popular snack in places like Kuningan and Sumedang Regency.
Lepat in Sumatra and Malay Peninsula
There's a similar food called lepat in Sumatra, Indonesia. You can also find it in the Malay Peninsula. While the name is similar, the recipe is a bit different. Lepat often uses palm sugar and grated coconut flesh as fillings. Also, it's wrapped inside a banana leaf. This is different from the young coconut leaf used for lepet.
