Viral 'Mother Kimpul' Transforms Traditional Tuber into Trendy Modern Dishes

A TikTok creator from Bantul with the account @black.sheep8208 is now known as Ibu Kimpul for consistently introducing kimpul to the younger generation. The woman, named Ibu Tin, often shares videos featuring popular foods made using kimpul as a substitute ingredient.

One example is the Dubai Chewy Cookie, which recently went viral on social media. Ibu Tin replaced the marshmallow with kimpul and named it ‘Kimpul Chewy Cookie’.

She explained that the dish is made from kimpul boiled with a little water, then mixed with one spoonful of glutinous rice flour. The dough is then cooked until it can be rolled. In her video, Ibu Tin also tastes and reviews the kimpul creation.

‘The outside is soft, not elastic, because it is made from kimpul. The kunafa filling is crunchy and sweet. The kimpul flavour is completely gone. Perhaps it does not need to be mixed with glutinous rice flour, but just finely pounded kimpul would be enough,’ said Ibu Tin in a video uploaded to her TikTok, quoted on Monday (10/8/2026).

In another video, she has also made sushi nigiri by replacing Japanese rice with kimpul. While sushi nigiri is typically made using Japanese rice, Ibu Tin processes kimpul that has been mashed with a fork or spoon until it resembles rice, then shapes it into sushi.

‘For lunch today I am eating sushi nigiri. Sushi nigiri usually uses Japanese rice, but since I do not have any, I replaced it with kimpul. So it is kimpul sushi,’ said Ibu Tin.

In a talk show, Ibu Tin also revealed her decision to create kimpul content. She admitted she was moved by concern over the future sustainability of local food.

She said that since childhood, she and her family have been accustomed to consuming tubers, including kimpul, as a substitute for rice. However, she now feels that tubers are increasingly rare and starting to be forgotten.

‘I actually feel concerned. Since I was little, my food was tubers. Because of the circumstances, and at that time rice was a luxury item for us, unaffordable. So I thought, my family and I are still alive today because of tubers, but why are they being forgotten? So I want young people to know tubers,’ said Ibu Tin.