Puto Bumbong

Puto Bumbong is an all year merienda that can be bought on some stores along the main road in Cavite City but is more highly popular all over the Philippines during the start of Simbang Gabi. This is a recipe I got online that is worth a try.

Ingredients:
1 kilo malagkit (glutinous) rice, mixed with 125 grams ordinary rice
shredded coconut
margarine
violet food coloring
banana leaves
water
salt
sugar

Procedure:
Soak malagkit and ordinary rice mixture in salted water with violet food coloring for an hour.
Dry overnight by putting inside a flour sack. Put something heavy on top to squeeze out water.
Heat steamer (lansungan) with enough water.
Put a small amount of rice mixture inside bamboo tubes(bumbong). Attached bamboo tubes to lansungan. When steam comes out of bamboo tubes, remove and immediately push out puto bumbong. Brush with margarin then top with shredded coconut and sugar before serving.


Note: The lansungan or a specially made steamer is constructed with two protruding tubes on a kettle like shaped steamer. The tubes are for holding the bamboo tubes filled with the puto bumbong mixture in order for the steam to pass through.