Sticky rice dumplings in coconut milk or “Ginataang bilo-bilo” in tagalog, is typically enjoyed as a dessert or an afternoon snack or “merienda”. This snack food is widely popular in the Philippines. It is made of Sticky rice balls, coconut milk, tapioca pearls, sweet potato, saba banana and jackfruit (optional).
Ginataan means “cooked in coconut milk”. It comes from the root word “gata” which means coconut milk in tagalog.
I love how the flavor & taste lingers in your mouth. The smooth texture, the sweetness and the soft & chewy components make the dish so perfect and make eating more enjoyable. Some people enjoy Ginataang bilo- bilo cold while others prefer it hot.
For many Filipinos, any food with coconut milk is comfort food.
Enough with the talking, now let’s get down to the recipe!
How to cook:
Ingredients:
STICKY RICE BALLS OR BILO-BILO
1 ½ cup sticky (glutinous) rice flour
¾ cup water
TAPIOCA PEARLS
½ cup tapioca pearls
3 ½ cups water
FOR THE STEW
3 cans coconut Milk
1 cup water
1 pc sweet Potato (peeled & cut in chunks)
2 pcs. saba banana (peeled & cut in chunks)
¼ cup jackfruit (cut in strips)
¼ cup small tapioca pearls (cooked)
1/3 cup sugar
Procedure:
STICKY RICE BALLS OR BILO-BILO
Knead the sticky rice flour and water to make smooth dough. Pinch off a small piece of dough then roll into a ball like the size of a penny. Set aside.
TAPIOCA PEARLS
Bring water into a boil then add the tapioca pearls. Mix occasionally so the tapioca pearls won’t stick to each other. Turn off the heat once the tapioca softens (about 8 minutes). Then drain the excess water. Set aside.
GINATAANG BILO-BILO
In a large pot, bring the coconut milk and water into a boil. Then drop the sticky rice balls, let it boil for 10 to 15 minutes over low heat. Next, add the saba bananas and sweet potato, simmer for another 10 minutes. After that, add the jackfruit, tapioca pearls and sugar, simmer until sweet potatoes are tender. Mix it every once in a while so the tapioca pearls and bilo-bilo won’t stick on the bottom of the pot.
Note:
• If the stew got too thick, you can add coconut milk or water
• You can also adjust the sweetness by using more or less sugar.
/// Written by Jahweh Huerta, The Philippines
