Carioca

Carioca are sweet, chewy deep fried rice balls coated in a sticky brown sugar and coconut milk glaze. This Filipino street food snack uses coconut milk in both the dough and the coating for a richer flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Filipino

Keyword: carioca recipe, chewy, coconut, deep fried, sweet

Servings: people

Calories: 1441kcal

Author: Vanjo Merano

Cost: $

Equipment

1 Deep Pot For deep frying the rice balls
1 Mixing bowl For combining the dough ingredients
1 Saucepan For making the brown sugar coating
1 Slotted spoon For removing the fried balls from the oil
1 Bamboo Skewers Optional, for serving

Ingredients

1 cup sweet rice flour glutinous rice flour can be used as a substitute
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 cups cooking oil for deep frying

Coating Ingredients

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet rice flour, sweetened shredded coconut, and coconut milk. Mix everything together until a soft dough forms.
1 cup sweet rice flour, 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, 3/4 cup coconut milk
Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of the mixture and roll it into a ball using your hands. Repeat until all the dough is used up. Set the balls aside on a plate.
Heat the cooking oil in a deep pot over medium heat.
2 cups cooking oil
Carefully lower the balls into the hot oil. Deep fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until they turn light to medium brown.
Remove the fried balls from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Set aside.
Prepare the coating. Heat a saucepan over medium heat, then pour in the coconut milk and bring it to a boil. Add the brown sugar and stir continuously until the mixture thickens. Turn off the heat.
1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup coconut milk
Dip the fried balls into the coconut milk coating until each one is evenly covered. Skewer on bamboo sticks if desired.
Serve warm. Share and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Scaling up – This recipe makes about 12 to 15 balls. Double the full recipe, including the coating, if you are serving more than 4 people. The dough scales well without adjustments.

Oil temperature check – If you do not have a thermometer, drop a small pinch of dough into the oil. It should sizzle and float within a few seconds. If it sinks and sits, the oil is not hot enough.

Coconut milk type – Full-fat canned coconut milk works best for both the dough and the coating. Avoid lite or carton coconut milk because the lower fat content will produce a thinner coating and a drier dough.

Skewering tip – Thread 3 to 4 balls per skewer while they are still warm and coated. If you wait too long, the coating hardens and the skewer can crack the balls.

Make the coating ahead – You can prepare the brown sugar glaze up to a day in advance. Store it in the refrigerator and gently reheat it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until it loosens up, before dipping.

Nutrition