Dodol
Dodol is a sweet toffee-like sugar palm-based confection commonly found in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Originating from the culinary traditions of Indonesia, it is also popular in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, South India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Burma, where it is called "mont kalama". It is made from coconut milk, jaggery, and rice flour, and is sticky, thick, and sweet. History. The history of dodol production is closely related to one of its main ingredients, "gula aren" or palm sugar, a traditional sugar made from the sap of "Arenga pinnata" plant, and also rice  flour. It is a popular sweet treat and one of the oldest indigenous sweets developed in the Maritime Southeast Asia. The exact origin of dodol is unclear; while there is a remarkable diversity in preparations of the product within the island communities of Java and Sumatra, the variants tend to be adaptations of post-colonial crops. "Dodol" is a word of Sundanese origin, whereas in Javanese it is called "jenang". Dodol is believed to have been introduced to Southern India and Sri Lanka by migrants from Indonesia. It has also been attributed to the Portuguese, who occupied parts of the  country during the 16th and 17th centuries. Several dodol recipes have been developed in Sri Lanka, such as kalu dodol. Dodol is very famous recipe in Kilakarai, Tamil Nadu. It was possibly believed to introduce by Sri Lankan Muslim immigrants. Cultural significance. In Muslim majority countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, dodol is commonly served during festivals, such as Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as sweet treats for children. The Betawi people take pride in making homemade dodol during the Lebaran (Eid ul-Fitr), where family members will gather together to make dodol. Traditional home made dodol Betawi  production center is located in Pasar Minggu area, South Jakarta. Dodol is also popular among the Roman Catholics from the Indian west coast, also known as the former Estado da Índia Portuguesa, which includes East Indians from Mumbai, the state of Goa, and the city of Mangalore. Dodol Hj Ideris manufactures "dodol" and the company has now entered the Middle Eastern market, including Iran. A related dessert in the Philippines is known as "kalamay" (literally "sugar"), which is made from sugarcane sugar instead of palm sugar. It also has a liquid consistency unlike "dodol", since it uses ground glutinous rice  rather than rice flour. However, the basic ingredients and preparation is similar. In Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago of the southern Philippines, "dodol" is more similar to the Indonesian and Malaysian variants and is known by the same name. It is usually prepared into thick cylinders wrapped in corn husks or coloured cellophane that is then cut into disks before serving. Although, like the "kalamay", Filipino dodol is made with ground glutinous rice paste and "muscovado" sugarcane sugar, not palm sugar. Preparation. Dodol is made from coconut milk, jaggery, and rice flour, and is sticky, thick, and sweet. The cooking  process would reduce the contents up to half as the liquid evaporates. It normally takes up to 9 hours to cook. During the entire cooking process, the dodol must be constantly stirred in a big wok. Pausing in between would cause it to burn, spoiling the taste and aroma. The dodol is completely cooked when it is firm, and does not stick to one's fingers when touching it. Variants. Indonesia. There is a diverse variety of dodol recipes found in Indonesia. The town of Garut in West Java is the main production center of dodol in Indonesia. Many flavours  of dodol are available, including a durian flavor called "lempuk", which is popular in Medan and other Sumatran cities. A major producer of Garut-style dodol incorporates chocolate as an ingredient into a specialized variant product, with the intention of producing edible souvenirs from the city called 'chocodot' or chocolate dodol. Other variants include: In culture. In colloquial Indonesian, dodol can also be used as a slang term for the word 'bodoh' to refer a person as being 'stupid' or 'illogical'. It is impolite to refer a person as 'dodol'.