Biko (Sweet Sticky Rice)

It's been a while since I joined the Kulinarya Cooking Club challenge.  My last was last October 2011 and how I miss the fun! February, as we all know, is a love month and the two hosts, Marni of Kensington Kitchen and Abigail of My NappyTales came up with a very interesting challenge - to create a dish that calls your first love to mind.  I can't really think of a dish that reminds me of my first love though I can recall the feeling of being in love for the first time.


 We were young.  We were naive and yes we thought it was forever.

He was a neighbor and a friend.  I was 12 and he was 13.  I started very young, huh? (don't tell my mom, she does not know, hihi). Since we are just a house away from each other and we grew up together, we don't need to sneak to meet up for our parents and the rest of our relatives know that we are just "playing" and having a good time.  That they know. 

It was a short lived "relationship" for he has to leave Manila and migrate to their hometown when their mom died.  I was devastated and felt I would die.  First love. First heartbreak.  We promised to communicate and continue whatever we have but unfortunately we did not.  There was no Internet at that time and long distance relationship is hard to maintain.  At a very young age, resources are limited.  To make the long story short, the relationship ended just like that.

Did I see him again after he left? Yes, I did.  After 7 years.  He visited our old house and we met, agreed to go to church the next day and talked about "us".  He wanted to continue what we have started but I said no for he has to leave again and there is no point to it.  I was 19 with a promising future and I don't want to sit and wait for him.  He left Manila and never saw him again.

Well, that's life.  Is he the one who got away? No.  I am grateful for him and what we had, it was good while it lasted.  Life goes on and so did we. *wink* If ever he come across this entry of mine, he will know that I was referring to him, ahahah!

Enough of my love story.  Let's get to the dish I am sharing for this month's challenge - BIKO or Sweet Sticky Rice.


Biko is a popular snack or merienda by the Filipinos.  It is described, as the English name suggests, sweet and sticky - just like when you are in love.  Sweet nothings and sweet gestures plus the fact that you want to be together and stick with one another as long as you possible, right?



There are several versions of this delicacy.  Every home and family has their own - some bake it, some prefer to have caramel toppings and some eat this with fresh coconut meat.  Me? I want it plain and simple, just like love, honest and true - no trimmings, no pretensions.

BIKO (Sweet Sticky Rice)
(Print this Recipe)


Ingredients
for the sticky rice cake
1/2 cups glutinous rice (some call it, sticky or sweet rice)
2 cups coconut milk

1- 200mL coconut cream
1/2 cup brown sugar (or 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup muscovado)
2 pandan leaves (screw pine leaves)

for the latik or fried coconut milk solids (optional)
1 200mL coconut cream

Banana leaf enough to cover bottom of desired pan (optional)

Method
1.  Wash glutinous rice with plain water twice or thrice.
2.  In a thick bottom pan, simmer together 2 cups of coconut milk, 1-200mL coconut cream, brown sugar and pandan.  Simmer until sugar is completely dissolved.
3.  Add washed rice stirring constantly.  Cook this in low heat until rice resembles the consistency of a risotto, about 30 minutes.
3.  In a separate pan, simmer the remaining 200mL coconut cream in low heat.  Cream will solidify and coconut oil will be produced.  Keep on stirring until you create brown coconut solids.  Set aside including oil. Careful not to burn.


4.  Going back to the simmering sticky rice - After about 25 minutes or so, rice will become very sticky and is difficult to stir.  This is the indication that the dish is ready to be transferred to a pan. Turn of heat and set aside.
5.   Over gas flame, heat banana leaf just enough to soften it and release it's aroma.  Careful not to burn it.
6.  Line pan with the pre-heated banana leaf and transfer cooked sticky rice.  Flatten rice and top with latik (fried coconut milk solids)


7.  Cool and serve though some (like me) want ot warm.



*NOTE:
Using banana leaf is optional, though it gives a certain flavor of the dish distinct to a Filipino kakanin *wink*

Check out what the other KCC members made for this month and be inspired by the stories behind their food entries *wink*

Aprodite's Baked Oysters by Chef Day of Chef by Day
Shrimp and Tofu Lumpiang Sariwa  by Tina of Pinay in Texas
Arroz a la Cubana by Jun Belen of Jun Blog
Tiramisu Sandwich by Oggi of Oggi I Can Do that
Lechon Manok by Adora of Adora's Box
Avocado-Calamansi Sorbet by Pearl of My Sassy Chef
Fruit Compote a la Jacques Pepin by Malou of Skip to Malou
Chili Crab by Felix of Reel and Grill
Pork Menudo by She of Senorita Sisa
Lomi by Isabel of My Expat Mommy
Longganisa Pandesal Pizza by Fred of I Love Sisig
Pork Sisig by Peachy of  The Peach Kitchen
Cassava Cake with Custard Topping by Abigail of My NappyTales
Dark Chocolate Wrapped Pastillas de Leche by Joy of Gastronomy by Joy
Danggit, Chorizo and Papaya-Calamansi Smoothie by Marge of Pinoy Kitchenette



KULINARYA was started by a group of Filipino foodies living in Sydney, who are 
passionate about the Filipino culture and its colourful cuisine.

Each month we will showcase a new dish along with their family recipes. 
By sharing these recipes, we hope you find the same passion and love for Filipino Food as we do.

If you’re interested in joining our Kulinarya Cooking Club
please feel free to drop by our foodblogs and leave a comment. We would love to hear from you!

Comments

  1. it looks so yummy ... especially with that "latik" ... now i'm craving for biko and i think i have to do this soon ... it's your fault Dudut. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ahahah! I gladly take the blame!

      thanks for visiting Felix!

      Delete
  2. Your story is so sweet. those memories will last forever. for both of you. AND this sweet sticky rice looks divine! I'm definitely going to try it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, V! Yeah, those memories will last :)

      Delete
  3. First of all, I'm getting so "kilig" with all the shared love stories, sorry i'm a sucker!
    Second, well done with getting a list of those who posted for this month, made it easier for to blog hop.
    Third, I never really learned how to cook biko and other native delicacies, because I just so blessed having yayas who does those for us, but now I will try this and the others as well!
    Lastly, just a question, what if he comes back and tells you he still has that same feeling and would ask if you could take him and his love?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha! sorry, you made me laugh with that question of yours. It may be a 'kilig' moment and 'haba ng hair' but the answer is still no. I already have a life and a partner. He had his chance. He just have to accept that I was the one who got away :) ahaha!

      Delete
  4. awwww...what a love story....

    Can I have a piece of that Biko???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sure peach! still have some here :)

      Thanks for stopping by :)

      Delete
  5. oh love love love... Him coming back and asking for you again sobrang kilig :)

    for the life of me I just want to grab that slice and enjoy every bite while I read each story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks Abi! yeah, it was one of the kilig moments of my teenage life!

      apreciate you stopping by :)

      Delete
  6. What a sweet love story! And what an even sweeter biko for a snack! Why didn't you make this for me when we had our Manila meet-up? Just kidding. Seriously, it was soooooo nice to have met you and @TangledNoodle & @80Breakfasts! What a fun day that was. Keep making this delish recipes & thanks for sharing your friendship!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sorry, heheh! next time...

      i'm equally grateful for the time you have spent with me, or with us for that matter. i consider meeting you as a privilege and i have always considered myself blessed with the friendship you unconditionally give:)

      till your next visit, tita!

      Delete
  7. Really cute! As much as long distance can work sometimes (so they say), I believe the physical perks of being in a relationship (warm hugs and talking face to face) is still something good to relish. Though it is still nakakakilig nga, especially when he came back!! :)

    That biko made me crave for some, but I always fail at that. Maybe I'll stick to the yummy latik :D

    I remember my first love (person this time) too, but since he found my blog I don't want to mention it in any way haha! Btw, thanks, I missed hopping through your entries! I hope I could spend more time on the internet soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ahahah! yeah, i hope so too! we missed you...

      making this one is easy, try it one time :p

      thanks for stopping by, Pearl!

      Delete
  8. great story behind the inspiration! young love is so great. thx for sharing one of my favorite pinoy goodies. Fred

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks! nothing can be compared to young love :p

      glad you liked it, Fred!

      Delete
  9. First love it's always unforgettable , I like your love story behind the inspiration of these Biko. They look absolutely delicious! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks sweetie!

      appreciate you stopping by :)

      Delete
  10. Beautiful plate of biko. I love a layer of caramel on top but I love it without, too. Just a generous sprinkle of latik for the texture and flavor of burnt coconut. Love the story behind the dish, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks for the sweet comments, jun!

      glad that you stopped by:)

      Delete
  11. Biko is one of my favorite kakanin, and this one looks really good. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Aww, so sweet. And the biko looks perfect.:)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Landi !!! hahahaha we call this "sinukmani" in Laguna. I love this with pansit ! =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ahahah! natawa naman ako!

      never tried it with pancit...what particular pancit? any pancit?

      thanks for dropping by, Day!

      Delete
  14. basta kakanin --- count me in!
    sarap nito...
    chefbyday is right - in laguna they call it sinukmani, in bicol we call it suman..
    but whatever they call it ---- masarap yan!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Such a sweet but sad story. I really didn't know what this was called before because we call all rice cakes bibingka. I love the latik part. I could eat that by the spoonfuls.

    ReplyDelete
  16. This is in my list of "what-to-cook-next' so... bookmarked! I wasn't a fan of biko but a lot of things changed since my first love and this is one of those. :-)

    ReplyDelete

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