Benben in Mokmok (Marshallese Arrowroot Balls in Grated Coconut)
Local name: Benben in mokmok
In short: Arrowroot cooked with coconut water into a thick translucent jelly, shaped into soft balls and rolled in grated coconut, a Marshallese sweet. It takes about 25 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Resting
- 20 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 170 kcal
In the Marshall Islands, arrowroot starch is cooked into soft, jellied dishes. Benben in mokmok is arrowroot boiled with sweet coconut sap until it turns into a thick jelly, then shaped into balls or patties and rolled in grated coconut. This version uses coconut water and a little palm sugar in place of the sap. The balls are lightly sweet, chewy and cool, with a nutty coconut coating.
Instructions
- Whisk the arrowroot with 150 ml (2/3 cup) of the cold coconut water in a medium saucepan until completely smooth. Whisk in the remaining coconut water, the sugar and the salt.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, for 5 to 8 minutes, until the mixture thickens, turns translucent and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Do not let it boil hard.
- Scrape the jelly onto a wet plate or tray and let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes, until firm enough to handle but still slightly warm.
- Spread the coconut on a plate. With wet hands, scoop tablespoons of the jelly, roll them into balls and roll them in the coconut to coat. Chill for 10 minutes if the jelly is too soft to shape.
- Serve at room temperature, the same day.
Tips
- Stir the whole time and stop cooking as soon as the mixture turns clear and thick. Arrowroot can turn thin and stringy if it is cooked too long or too hot.
- Keep your hands wet when shaping so the jelly does not stick. Toasting the desiccated coconut lightly first adds a nutty flavor.
Questions and answers
What is arrowroot?
Arrowroot is a fine white starch made from the root of the arrowroot plant. It is sold as arrowroot starch or flour in baking aisles and is used as a thickener.
Can I use cornstarch instead?
Cornstarch will set the mixture but makes it opaque and less silky. Tapioca starch gives a result closer to arrowroot.
Why did my mixture stay runny?
It may not have cooked long enough, or it was cooked at too low a heat. Keep stirring over medium-low heat until it turns translucent and very thick.
How long does it take to make Benben in Mokmok (Marshallese Arrowroot Balls in Grated Coconut)?
About 25 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 10 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Benben in Mokmok (Marshallese Arrowroot Balls in Grated Coconut)?
About 170 kcal per serving, with 1 g of protein, 28 g of carbohydrates and 7 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 170 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| Fat | 7 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Sodium | 30 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
