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All photos and articles belong to Josienita Borlongan. Please do not copy without obtaining written permission.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Filipino Desserts

Ahh...the good old days. I remember my Mama used to cook us ginataan for dessert. As I type this I imagine her in her "duster" cooking everything from scratch. Indeed, every time I see or eat ginataan made by others, I cannot help but think of Mama. Mama cooked ginataan during rainy days...the warm soupy coconut and the sweet taste of the jackfruit and the chewy sweet yams, bananas, and sweet rice shaped into small balls called "bilo-bilo" were all done perfectly...up to the last bite. This portion is dedicated in memory of my mother.


Ginataan Palarosdos or Bilo-bilo

Ingredients

2 c glutinous rice flour and water
2 big coconut, grated
1 c cubed ubi or gabi
1 c Cubed sweet potato
1 c sliced saba banana
1 1⁄2 c Refined Sugar
1 c sliced jackfruit
1⁄4 c rice flour dissolved in 1/2 c water

Directions:
1. Mix flour and water, form into small balls, then set aside.
2. Extract pure coconut milk by using coconut water.
3. Set aside.
4. Make second extraction by adding 2 cups water to pulp.
5. To second extraction, add sugar, ubi, sweet potato, and banana.
6. Let boil until cooked.
7. Drain fruits.
8. Let coconut milk boil again.
9. When boiling add rice balls and jackfruit.
10. Balls will come up to the surface when cooked.
11. Add rice flour dissolved in water to thicken.
12. Add pure coconut milk and let boil for 1 minute.
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I do not recall my mother cooking palitaw, however, I do recall her always buying this delicious dessert from street vendors. I love listening to the sound of "palitaw, bili na kayo ng palitaw", translated to "palitaw, buy some palitaw". I often made echoing sounds to mimic the way the vendors would do it. Hey, I was a little child then, who could blame me? :) .The street vendors sold them on a "bilao" - "huge woven tray". We used to buy this by the dozens and it is my all time favorite of all the Filipino rice cakes (puto).

Palitaw



Ingredients
Sweet rice flour - about a cup.
3/4 cup water
coconut flakes
Lots of white sugar
Toasted linga (sesame seeds).

Directions
Mix rice flour with water to make dough. Make little balls then flatten. Boil water in a saucepan. Drop flattened dough balls into boiling water. The cakes are cooked when they float. Remove from water, let cool a little bit, roll in combined sugar and toasted sesame seeds and coconut flakes.

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Ube is another dessert that I loved to eat back home in the Philippines. Put butter on top while it is still hot and then bite it. Hmm...yummy, in this case "Yam-my"...I am sure you'll see what I mean.

Steamed Ube Cake

from "Filipino Cuisine," by Gerry G. Gelle, Red Crane Books, 1997

Ingredients
2 cups purple yam, washed, peeled and cubed
2 cups sweet rice flour
1-1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1-1/4 cup coconut milk
4 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 cup grated coconut

Directions
Cover yams with water and boil until tender or soft. Drain and put through a ricer. Mash until smooth.
Mix flour and water in a bowl to form a thick batter. Add sugar and mashed yams. Blend well. Strain to remove lumps. Add coconut milk and the baking powder and mix well.

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