BIKO: A Filipino Delicacy
Biko or rice cake is one of the kakanin delicacies that are famous all over the Philippines without a doubt. According to my grandmother, she has made this delicacy over the past couple of years of her entire life the moment she was still a young girl. Whenever we have a special occasion to be celebrated, a platter of this delicacy wouldnât be forgotten. Also, especially during the night of All Saintâs Day, Biko is always prepared and is afterwards distributed to our relatives in preparation for the next day. Yet she said that she doesnât know where this food came from hence as long as our family loves it, thatâs all that matters. Though most of the time, people just donât really question its origin because they just canât resist the gooey, sticky, sweet and delicious Biko. This food was traditionally being placed in banana leaves where it has to cool down and is devoured afterwards. Biko now has a wide variation of styles on how to cook, where some bake the food; and some even add their own touch to it by adding ingredients which isnât traditionally part of the ingredients like for example Ube Biko, Yema Biko, and many more!
Biko (pronounced bee-koh) is one of the malagkit rice specialties or kakanin coming from the Philippines. It is no doubt a highly adored native delicacy where it is known to have a lot of names in the entire country. It has a long list of names from different places of the Philippines. For the places in the Luzon area, it is called sinukmani or sinukmaneng; in the Bisaya area, itâs what we commonly known as Biko; for Ilonggo, they call it as Suman; and as for the Muslim regions of the Philippines, it is known as wadjit in Tausug; wadit in Maranao; and wagit in Maguindanao. Some places even call it as Bibingkang Malagkit and Kalamay.
This delicacy is traditionally made from glutinous rice or pilit, as what we call here in Leyte; with rich coconut milk or gata, water, brown sugar and is afterwards topped with ground roasted peanuts and a good amount of caramelized coconut milk and sugar mixture or what we call latik, which can be in curd form or in syrup. Though over the past years that have gone by, home cooks have levelled up their game of making Biko. Which is what we can see now, it can be prepared with other common Filipino ingredients. Examples include ube-biko which is made with ube halaya (mashed purple yam), and pandan biko which is made with pandan leaf extracts; these are characteristically deep purple and bright green, respectively.
Cooking it requires a lot of muscle â the more cooked the glutinous rice gets, the heavier it gets as well thus, making it harder to stir. (Joel, 2011) Though there are several ways to cook it but the most common and traditional way is by cooking the glutinous rice, with pandan leaves, first like you do in regular rice and then it will be added to the coconut-caramel mixture later on. The coconut milk will be boiled with water and brown sugar so that the texture will become thick. Traditionally, this delicious rice cake is placed over banana leaves in a bilao (round woven bamboo tray) and garnished with latik (cooked coconut milk residue) on top. There is also another way where you simply put the ingredients for the Biko together in a rice cooker and that is it. Practically if you do not have time and just want a quick snack.
For added flavor â it can be added with a pinch of salt, a bit of vanilla extract to the latik syrup to make it extra delicious; adding pandan leaves extract while cooking the rice will also give it nice aroma and flavour; or even a cup of macapuno (coconut strings) in order to add sweetness of the food.
There are endless varieties of kakanin and one of these is the 6 different variations of Biko. First, is biko in its usual and most basic form. Second is Biko na Pirurutong, which is basically prepared with pirurutong (purple sticky rice) and white glutinous rice cooked in ginger, coconut milk, lemon rinds, brown sugar and topped with latik. Third is Bikong Navotas or Biko with Munggo which is prepared with glutinous white rice and green mung beans. Next is Pandan Biko where it is Biko infused with pandan essence. Another variation is Puto Maya where it sounds like puto but it is biko served like a puto. And last is Ube Biko which is Biko infused with purple yam.
Just like what Adaengkantada said in her blog, it is best served with kapeng barako or brewed coffee. This delicacy can be found at every special occasion, from birthdays, family gatherings, holidays, fiesta to even just a plain simple day served as a merienda or afternoon snack.
It is a famous desert or mid-afternoon snack especially in provinces like Bicol and other Southern Luzon Regions whenever there are fiestas or other festivities. Â Thereâs even a Sinukmani festival in Batangas City. During the first Sinukmani festival, a long table of this sweet delicacy were laid out to be shared among the local residents.
https://m.facebook.com/LakbayMindanao/photos/a.2458237057547803/2973187199386117/?type=3&source=57&__tn__=EH-R
https://www.angsarap.net/2019/09/09/the-endless-varieties-of-kakanin/4/
https://www.foxyfolksy.com/biko-recipe-filipino-rice-cake/
https://patriciacelestial.wordpress.com/sinukmani/