Klepon (pronounced Klê-pon) is a traditional rice cake, popular in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is a boiled rice cake, stuffed with liquid gula jawa (palm sugar), and rolled in grated coconut. Klepon is green because it is flavored with a paste made from the pandan or dracaena plant whose leaves are used widely in South East Asian cooking. In other parts of Indonesia, such as in Sumatra and in neighboring Malaysia, klepon is called as onde-onde. While in Java onde-onde is refer to Chinese Jin deui, rice cake ball coated with sesame seeds filled with sweet greenbean paste. Although popular across Southeast Asia, klepon might be originated from Java.
Klepon, along with getuk and cenil usually eaten as morning or afternoon snacks. To eat klepon must be careful because freshly boiled one usually contains hot palm sugar liquid that will pop out in a bite.
A well known klepon comes from Pasuruan (East Java), sold in a box by small kiosk that make a long line on the roadside that connect Malang and Surabaya. They are also sold by seller that get on the Bus that goes to or from Malang / Surabaya.
In the 50's klepon was introduced by Indo immigrants to the Netherlands and is readily avalable in Dutch or Chinese Indonesian restaurants and supermarkets throughout the country.
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