Kalamay Latik

Ingredients:

Kalamay

1/2 kg glutinous rice flour

1/3 cup white sugar

2 1/2 cup water

coconut oil

Syrup

3 cups water

1 1/2 cup palm sugar or brown sugar

Latik

2 x 400 ml cans coconut cream

Procedure:

Kalamay

Combine glutinous rice flour, white sugar and water in a bowl, mix well.

Grease heat proof container with coconut oil then pour mixture in.

Place in a steamer and steam for 25 minutes or until rice cake is cooked.

Grease a knife with some coconut oil then cut the rice cakes into squares, set aside.

Syrup

While kalamay is cooking combine syrup ingredients in a sauce pan, bring it to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until sugar has dissolved and slightly reduced, resembling a runny version of maple syrup. Turn heat off then set aside.

Latik

In a non-stick pan pour coconut cream, bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. Continue to cook until coconut turns into curds and oil starts to separate. Lower the heat and continue to cook again while stirring occasionally until curds turn light brown.

Drain and separate oil from the toasted curds.

Combining together

Pour syrup on small bowls, add kalamay squares then top it with toasted curds (latik) and some coconut oil from the latik.

Espasol

Espasol is a Filipino rice-flour treat made out of glutinuous rice, toasted flour, coconut milk in the shape of a slender tube. Although this is not a Caviteñean delicacy but this is one of the many local delicacies our country have that for me is worth sharing.





Ingredients:
2 cups rice flour
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cups white sugar
1/4 tsp iodized salt

Procedure:
Lightly toast the rice flour in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Set aside 1/4 cup of the the powder.

In a non-stick skillet, boil the sugar, coconut milk, vanilla and salt over medium heat.

Add in the toasted flour. Blend and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and dries. It should soon form into a ball.

Spread the mixture on a board sprinkled with flour. Use a 1/4 inch thick rolling pin to roll out the mixture.Cut into strips using a greased knife or cutter.

Take the powder that was set aside earlier. Roll the sliced espasol on it, then wrap each piece in wax paper or clear plastic.

Biko

Biko is a kakanin topped with latik (the golden brown curdles that form after rendering oil from coconut cream).


Ingredients:
2 kilo glutinous rice
1 can condensed milk
4 cups water
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 cup brown sugar
banana leaves ( optional )
grated coconut meat from 4 coconuts
(reserve coco milk)


Procedure:
Cook glutinous rice in water just like you do with plain steamed rice.
In sauceoan, pour brown sugar, coconut milk, condensed milk and vanilla extract.
Mix, stir and let boil. Add cooked glutinous rice to coconut milk mixture and cook until thick.
Spread evenly on platter (or bilao) lined with banana leaves.
Slice and serve.

Cuchinta

Cuchinta as how aunthentic Caviteñeans call it or kutsinta is a steamed steamed cake made out of rice flour, sugar and water usually paired with pancit and lugaw just like puto.



Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups water
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp lye solution
1 cup rice flour


Procedure:
Combine water, sugar and lye and water.
Bring to a boil and cool.
Add to rice flour and mix until smooth.
Pour into cuchinta molds and steam for 10 to 15 minutes until firm.

Pichi-Pichi

Pichi-pichi is a Filipino dessert traditionally made of coconut and cassava. The recipe I am sharing today is made of glutinous rice.





Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup coconut cream
glutinous rice
1 cup sugar
pandan leaves
grated coconut





Procedure:
Cook glutinous rice in water with pandan leaves just like you do with plain steamed rice. Bring coconut cream and sugar in a sauce pan into a boil. Mix, stir and let boil. Add cooked glutinous rice to coconut milk mixture and cook until thick. Allow to cool, then form into balls and roll in grated coconut.

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.

Palutang

Palutang or more popularly known as palitaw in the Philippines is one of the staple native merienda.

Made from malagkít (sticky rice) washed, soaked, and then ground. The batter is scooped and dropped into boiling water where they float to the surface as flat discs which are then dipped in grated coconut and presented with a separate dip of sugar and toasted sesame seeds.

Ingredients:
2 cups malagkit (rice flour)
1 cup water
grated coconut
sugar
sesame seeds, toasted (optional)






Procedure:
Combine rice flour and water. Blend thoroughly. With floured hands, shape dough into egg-size ovals. Flatten with thumb.

In a casserole of boiling water and drop palutang one by one. Scoop out as soon as they float. Roll in grated coconut. Serve at once with sugar mixed with toasted sesame seeds.