Kolak is a popular Indonesian dessert soup prepared with a base of palm sugar and coconut milk. On top of this base, a main ingredient is added, usually a fruit or a starchy root. Finally, pandan leaves (pandanus or screwpine) give it a subtle but unmistakable fragrance.
Kolak pisang (banana kolak) is one of the most popular versions. This uses cooking bananas, along with optional additional ingredients such as sweet potatoes, palm fruits, ripe jackfruits, etc. The best cooking bananas to use are: pisang kepok (saba banana), pisang raja (Latundan banana) or pisang tanduk (horn plantain).
Kolak is widely enjoyed throughout the year, but is especially popular during Ramadan, “the fasting month”. It is advisable to break the fast with something sweet, so kolak is often served as the appetiser during Iftar (breaking of the fast).
You can enjoy Kolak both piping hot or ice cold. As Indonesians have no concept of dessert, kolak can be enjoyed as a snack, anytime, anyday, before or after meals.
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Kolak Pisang: Banana and Coconut Milk Dessert Soup (Vegan)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Indonesian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Kolak pisang is a popular Indonesian dessert soup, consisting of bananas boiled in coconut milk, palm sugar, and pandan leaves. A favourite iftar dessert during the fasting month of Ramadan, enjoyed when breaking the fast.
Ingredients
- 250 gr bananas, ripe
- 250 gr sweet potatoes, yellow
- 100 gr sugar palm fruits
- 2 fresh pandan leaves, knotted
- 100 gr palm sugar
- 0.5 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1.5 ltr water
- 400 ml coconut milk
Instructions
- Peel and cut the bananas into small pieces (2 cm).
- Peel and wash the sweet potatoes, cut into 2×2 cm cubes.
- Put all the ingredients in a large cooking pot, making sure to put the coconut milk last. Stir well.
- Cook on medium heat until the soup boils.
- Then, reduce the heat to medium low for another 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Stir the soup regularly during the cooking process.
- Adjust the sweetness.
- Transfer the kolak into a serving bowl.
Notes
- Choose ripe cooking bananas with firm texture.
- Leftover kolak can be stored in the fridge for 2 days.
- If sugar palm fruits are not available, they can be substituted with sea coconut or Nata de Coco
Keywords: Sweet Potato, Quick & Easy, Vegan, Pandan Leaves
I made Kolak pisang yesterday and the recipe was easy to follow and tuned out really delicious. One difference was, my Asia shop in South Germany had only purple sweet potato, but firstly it gave the dish a nice color, and secondly it got a sweet flowery side taste . The description here led me very safely and detailed to the finish. I also followed Nunuk’s advice to add a slice of ginger (it’s in the picture), and it added some freshness I enjoyed.
Really grateful for this new resource for lovers of Indonesian cooking. Terima Kasih 🙂
★★★★★
Thank you for your detailed review Thomas! Very glad it turned out well, and you enjoyed the recipe as well as the website! Keep cooking! Yes that hint of ginger really adds a great flavour to the dish.