The first time I served this to my non-Filipino friends, I was hesitant because of its rather unappetizing look. But when I got the confirmation that they liked the taste and even wanting to try another one, I was very happy!
This biko tapol, also known as biko Bisaya, or purple biko is the Visayan version of the well-known Filipino sweet sticky rice cake–biko (pronounced BI-KOH).
It is a combination of glutinous white rice (pilit) and black/purple sticky rice known as “tapol“, simmered in coconut cream, coconut milk, and brown sugar.
The result is a dark, purplish, rice cake that may not look very attractive but tastes really good.
Biko tapol is one of those special desserts we prepare during Christmas and New Year’s Eve in the Philippines.
It’s part of our culture and beliefs to make as many sweets during these celebratory occasions to attract good luck and abundance.
This version of biko I’ll share in this post is the one I grow up eating, although occasionally my family also made the plain biko topped with coconut syrup.
This is a scaled-down version of my mom’s original biko tapol recipe which didn’t have the precise measurements of the ingredients. She usually makes a large batch requiring kilos of rice and sugar and large quantities of coconut milk.
I modified the recipe to make it available for home cooks who wanted to make biko enough to feed a small crowd.
I adopted the 4:1 ratio for the glutinous rice vs purple rice, and used an equal ratio for coconut cream and milk.
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups sweet rice/glutinous rice (aka pilit) 1/2 cup sweet black or purple rice (aka tapol) 3 cups + 1 1/2 cups water (for cooking the rice) 2 cups packed brown sugar 2 cups coconut cream 2 cups coconut milk
Tools/Materials You’ll Need: Medium sauce pan or pot for cooking the rice Large skillet or wok Cooking spoon Container for cooked biko Banana leaves (optional)
Procedure: 1. Mix purple rice and 3 cups of water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until most of the water dries up. 2. Rinse glutinous rice with cold water and place in same pot. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium low heat until most of the water has evaporated. Check the rice for doneness. Purple rice should be cooked al dente (not mushy) while sweet rice is about almost cooked but not quite (it should be a little nutty when you bite the grains with your teeth). Set aside.3. In a large skillet or wok, mix together brown sugar, coconut cream, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium high heat for about 10 minutes until the liquid has thickened a little, stirring often.4. Lower heat to medium and add pre-cooked rice. Cook until mixture gets very sticky and pulls away from the skillet. It’s done when you barely can mix it and when it gets shimmery in appearance.5. Remove from heat and transfer to a prepared container lined with banana leaves, then allow to cool before serving. My favorite way is shaping them into round discs using the lid of a quart-size mason jar and placing them individually in pre-cut round-shaped banana leaves for easier serving and portion control.
A delicious Filipino snack made from sweet rice, purple sticky rice, coconut milk, coconut cream and brown sugar.
Author: Mia
Recipe type: Dessert, Snacks
Cuisine: Filipino
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
1½ cups sweet rice/glutinous rice (aka pilit)
½ cup sweet black or purple rice (aka tapol)
3 cups + 1½ cups water (for cooking the rice)
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups coconut cream
2 cups coconut milk
Tools/Materials You'll Need:
Medium sauce pan or pot for cooking the rice
Large skillet or wok
Cooking spoon
Container for cooked biko
Banana leaves (optional)
Instructions
Mix purple rice and 3 cups of water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until most of the water dries up.
Rinse glutinous rice with cold water and place in same pot. Add 1½ cups water and stir. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium low heat until most of the water has evaporated. Check the rice for doneness. Purple rice should be cooked al dente (not mushy) while sweet rice is about almost cooked but not quite (it should be a little nutty when you bite the grains with your teeth). Set aside.
In a large skillet or wok, mix together brown sugar, coconut cream, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium high heat for about 10 minutes until the liquid has thickened a little, stirring often.
Lower heat to medium and add pre-cooked rice. Cook until mixture gets very sticky and pulls away from the skillet. It's done when you barely can mix it and when it gets shimmery in appearance.
Remove from heat and transfer to a prepared container lined with banana leaves, then allow to cool before serving. My favorite way is shaping them into round discs using the lid of a quart-size mason jar and placing them individually in pre-cut round-shaped banana leaves for easier serving and portion control.
It is also known as inkiwar in Ilocano Northern Luzon and sinukmani or sinukmaneng in the Southern Luzon area. In the Muslim regions of the Philippines, it is known as wadjit in Tausug; wadit in Maranao; and wagit in Maguindanao. A notable variant is puto maya in Cebuano-speaking regions of the Philippines.
There are a couple of ways to make biko, otherwise known as sinukmani in the Northern region. One method is steaming the glutinous rice until partially cooked and then finishing it in a coconut milk-brown sugar syrup. The second method is cooking the sweet rice straight in the coconut mixture.
It is a combination of glutinous white rice (pilit) and black/purple sticky rice known as “tapol“, simmered in coconut cream, coconut milk, and brown sugar. The result is a dark, purplish, rice cake that may not look very attractive but tastes really good.
Suman is to the Ilonggos as what biko is to Tagalogs and other places. So don't be surprised if you're given this malagkit rice specialty instead of the one wrapped in coconut leaves which is commonly called ibos in this part of the country. Here's a simple recipe for Suman or Biko.
Biko is a rich, chewy Filipino rice cake made with sticky rice, coconut milk, and dark sugar. Traditionally served in a round, shallow bamboo tray lined with banana leaves known as a bilao, biko belongs to a category of sweets called kakanin, which is made up entirely of rice cakes.
Puto. Arguably the most popular kakanin, this steamed rice cake is traditionally white in color, although it can also be tinged green or purple to indicate that its been flavored with pandan or ube, respectively. Like the French baguette, it is sometimes eaten alongside savory viands, most notably the dinuguan.
There are different kinds and colors of Filipino biko, from yellow-colored ones made with kabocha squash and pale green ones made with sweet-smelling pandan to maroon-colored sweet biko made from purple rice.
Can You Replace Coconut Cream with Coconut Milk? The good news about coconut cream and coconut milk is that although they may be different consistencies, they're very similar. You can use coconut cream in place of milk if you dilute it with additional water. Different coconut cream brands vary on fat content.
Latík (Tagalog: [laˈtɪk]) refers to two different coconut-based ingredients in Filipino cuisine. In the Visayan region it refers to a syrupy caramelized coconut cream (coconut caramel) used as a dessert sauce.
Black or purple rice is rich in antioxidants, vitamin E, zinc, calcium, iron, potassium and various other nutrients making it a popular variety among rice. Low on glycemic index, it can be consumed by those suffering from high blood sugars.
Black rice might be an excellent dietary choice for diabetic people. The phenolic compounds present in black rice may help reduce blood glucose levels. However, if you have diabetes, you are advised to strictly adhere to your doctor's advice.
For example, whole grains are better for our health when compared to simple carbs – which is why brown rice or black rice are regarded as the healthiest options. You should certainly be looking into eating whole grain rice. Furthermore, some types of rice have lower levels of carbs, or lower calories, than others.
Steve Biko (born December 18, 1946, King William's Town, South Africa—died September 12, 1977, Pretoria) was the founder of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa. His death from injuries suffered while in police custody made him an international martyr for South African Black nationalism.
I googled it and found out that biko is made from glutinous rice (usually combination of black rice and white sweet rice) and is topped with Latik, which is fried coconut milk curd. Bibingka is made from white glutinous rice and topped with caramelized sugar and coconut cream.
Puto Kutsinta is a very popular merienda snack throughout the Philippines and its name's origin is very much debated. According to some people, the name kutsinta is derived from a pre-colonial kitchen tool used in shaping the rice cake.
In Oregon, he is part of a heathen folk band, Endelos, that plays at local mead halls, pubs and festivals. Biko has longed for an adventure like Alone his whole life. To help Biko prepare for Alone, his dad camped out on Biko's property.
What are now the Philippine Islands were probably once a part of the land mass of Asia. The original settlers may have come from interior Asia by land; one strain may even have come from Africa.
Kakanin has been around since the 9th century. Most of its variants are believed to have been influenced by the Chinese, based on their names. Kutsinta, for example, is derived from kueh tsin tao (Hokkien for bite-sized snack or dessert), which Chinese traders introduced to the pre-colonial Philippines.
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2. Rinse glutinous rice with cold water and place in same pot. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium low heat until most of the water has evaporated. Check the rice for doneness. Purple rice should be cooked al dente (not mushy) while sweet rice is about almost cooked but not quite (it should be a little nutty when you bite the grains with your teeth). Set aside.
3. In a large skillet or wok, mix together brown sugar, coconut cream, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium high heat for about 10 minutes until the liquid has thickened a little, stirring often.
4. Lower heat to medium and add pre-cooked rice. Cook until mixture gets very sticky and pulls away from the skillet. It’s done when you barely can mix it and when it gets shimmery in appearance.
5. Remove from heat and transfer to a prepared container lined with banana leaves, then allow to cool before serving. My favorite way is shaping them into round discs using the lid of a quart-size mason jar and placing them individually in pre-cut round-shaped banana leaves for easier serving and portion control.
