Another sticky rice treat? Here is a guide to cooking that classic Filipino kalamay.
Several glutinous rice cake recipes have already been featured here. Kalamay, which means sugar, is another sticky sweet delicacy is made of coconut milk, brown sugar, and ground glutinous rice. This treat is similar to the Chinese Nian gao, which is also known as tikoy in the Philippines, but is sweeter and more viscous. (I bet you’ll see a number of tikoys around with the upcoming Chinese or Lunar New Year).
Kalamay is made by extracting coconut milk from grated coconuts twice. Glutinous rice is added to the first batch of coconut milk, and the mixture is ground into paste. Brown sugar is added to the second batch of coconut milk and boiled for several hours to make latik. The mixture of ground glutinous rice and coconut milk is then poured into latik and stirred until the consistency becomes thick. This viscous kalamy is often served cooled to make it less runny and easier to eat.
Different regions have their own particular recipe and packaging; some are made from glutinous rice and others from rice flours. Kalamay from Bohol is packaged inside empty coconut shells. Wrapping this in banana leaves also give this dessert a distinct taste and fragrance. Whereas, common as pasalubong is that thin-layered kalamay in plastic film.
Ready to try this version of kalamay here? Oh, don’t forget to use vegetable or coconut oil to prevent this kakanin from sticking to your baking dish.
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SHOPPING LIST:
- Glutinous Rice
- Coconut Milk in can
- Coconut Cream in can
- Palm Sugar or Dark Brown Sugar or Panutsa
- Anise Seed (optional)
- Banana Leaves, optional
IN THE PANTRY:
- Sugar
- Vegetable or Canola Oil
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups Glutinous Rice
- 4 cups Coconut Milk(or 1 can coconut milk plus enough water to make 4 cups)
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon anise seed(optional)
TOPPINGS
- 1 can Coconut Cream or 1 1/2 cups Kakang Gata
- 250 grams Brown Palm Sugar or Dark Brown Sugar
- Banana Leaves, heated
- Vegetable or Canola Oil
Cooking Instructions:
- Dissolve the sugar in the coconut milk and put in a pot. Add the anise seeds.
- Wash the glutinous rice and pour into the coconut milk and sugar mixture.
- Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the liquid is fully absorbed by the rice.
- On a separate pan over medium heat, put the Coconut cream and Palm sugar and cook stirring continuously until the liquid has reduced in half.
- Assemble the Kalamay in a baking dish. Place the banana leaves at the bottom, and brush with oil. Spread the cooked sweet rice onto the leaves and flatten evenly.
- Spread the topping onto the sweet rice and bake on a 350 degrees F, pre-heated oven for 20 – 25 minutes.
- Cool for 30 minutes before serving.
Cooking Tips:
- When buying palm sugar, get the darker brown, not the light brown so the topping will have an appetizing golden color.
- Lightly heat the banana leaf over the stove-top burner or in the microwave to make it pliable and easy to handle.
- Oil your spoon or spatula when spreading the sweet rice onto the baking dish for easy handling.
- The familiar licorice-taste in most biko is because of the anise seed, but it’s up to you if you want to skip it.
Recipe Source: http://www.filipino-food-recipes.com/kalamay.html
Image Source: http://healthyfoods.seerez.ninja/kalamay-recipe
