If you love the sticky-sweet perfection of Kueh Pulut Inti but dread the fiddly wrapping, this tray-baked version is for you. The glutinous rice base and sweet grated coconut topping come together beautifully in a single pan, ready to slice and serve with zero hassle. Perfect for potlucks, tea parties, or whenever you want to impress without the stress!
Kueh Pulut Inti is usually wrapped into individual banana leaf packets, but I’ve reimagined it as a tray-baked version using an 8‑inch pan lined with banana leaves. It’s a more convenient approach that works beautifully for parties or family gatherings — much easier to assemble, cut, and serve, while still offering that familiar aroma and taste.
With this method, there’s no need to spend time cutting and folding banana leaves one by one. Simply layer the glutinous rice (pulut) and coconut topping (inti) in the pan and let it set. I know it’s not the traditional way, but it’s a practical alternative that still captures the essence of the classic kueh.
When making the coconut inti, mix grated coconut with a slurry of tapioca flour and water. This small step helps the coconut mixture hold together nicely when you slice and serve it later.
You can prepare this kueh a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Before serving, just bring it to room temperature, or steam it lightly if you prefer it warm.
This recipe is adapted from two of my earlier versions — Pulut Inti and Kueh Salat. It’s one of a few variations I’ve created to make traditional recipes easier to prepare and share. I hope you’ll give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below.
Normal Pulut Inti wrapped individually in banana leaf
Pulut Inti prepared in an 8 inch baking pan lined with banana leaves
Cut into bite size to serve your guests
Kueh Pulut Inti
Ingredients
- Banana leaves enough to line an 8 inch baking pan
BOTTOM LAYER
- 400 g glutinous rice
- 40-50 dried blue pea flowers soak in 100 ml water
- 250 ml santan 150 ml thick coconut milk with 100 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
- Pandan leaves optional
INTI (Sweetened Grated Coconut)
- 200 g gula melaka palm sugar
- 6 pandan leaves
- 85 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
- 500 g fresh grated coconut
- 1 Tbsp tapioca flour mixed with 50 ml water to make a slurry
Instructions
BOTTOM LAYER
- Wash glutinous rice to remove excess starch and soak for at least 2 hrs
- Wash about 40-50 dried blue pea flowers and boil in 100 ml of water
- After water has turned dark blue, let it stand for an hour before squeezing out 100 ml dark blue water
- Add 100 ml water to 150 ml thick coconut milk to make 250 ml thin santan
- Add 1 tsp salt to thin santan and mix well
- Drain out the water from the soaked glutinous rice
- Line an 8 inch baking pan with banana leaves at the bottom and all sides
- Transfer drained glutinous rice into the pan
- Arrange some pandan leaves (optional)
- Pour the thin santan (coconut milk) all over
- Ensure the rice is thoroughly covered by the thin santan
- Place the pan of rice in a steamer and steam for 20 mins.
- Thereafter, remove pandan leaves
- Fluff up the rice and pour the blue pea flower water extract in patches over it
- Fluff up the rice again and steam for another 10 mins
- Remove the pan from the steamer and press the rice flat until it is well compressed
- Set it aside
INTI
- Cut 200 g gula melaka (palm sugar) block into small pieces
- Cut 6 pandan leaves and crush them by twisting
- Add 85 ml water into pan
- Add the cut gula melaka pieces
- Stir gula melaka and water over low heat
- Add 1 tsp salt
- Add crushed pandan leaves to pan and continue stirring until the gula melaka melts
- Turn off the heat and remove pandan leaves from pan
- Add 500 g grated coconut into pan
- Mix grated coconut with the melted gula melaka over low heat
- Add tapioca flour slurry, mix everything until well combined and thoroughly cooked
- Ensure that the grated coconut is completely coated with the melted gula melaka
- If the inti doesn't hold together well, add more tapioca slurry until it doesn't fall apart
Assembly
- Spread the sweetened grated coconut (inti) on the cooked glutinous rice in the pan
- Press the inti until it is well compressed and evenly throughout
Notes
- You can prepare one day in advance and keep in the fridge
- Thaw it at room temperature before serving
- You can also bring it back to the steamer and lightly reheat it for a few minutes