I miss rice puto (cake). It's one of my favorite "kakanin" back in the Philippines. I looked for recipes online and even tried to make one. It was good, but not very close to what I grew up to. Thankfully, a Filipina friend of mine gave me a great recipe and tips on how to make this awesomely tasting rice puto which also can be cooked as bibingka (bingka). This recipe absolutely tastes like it's directly from home. If you are from Mindanao or Visayas (and is currently living abroad), this is the recipe that you can appreciate. Just make sure you follow every bit of tip that is suggested.


RICE PUTO RECIPE

3 cups white rice (Buy the cheapest, ordinary kind you can find. I bought the Walmart brand white rice. Do not use Jasmine rice.)

1 cup coconut milk

1 pack yeast

1 cup and 1 tbsp white sugar (use brown sugar for bibingka)

1/4 cup rice-soaked water

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak rice overnight. Drain rice but reserve 1/4 cup of the rice water,'
2. Warm the rice water to lukewarm temperature. Pour and mix in yeast and 1 tbsp sugar. Let rise (10-15 minutes)
3. In a blender or food processor, grind rice with the coconut milk until rice is VERY FINE.
4. Mix rice and yeast mixture, pour in white sugar and stir. Use brown sugar for bibingka.
5. Set aside mixture and let rise (double the size, 2-3 hours).
6. Stir mixture thoroughly and make sure there are no bubbles before pouring in the puto mold.
7. Put a tablespoon of vinegar in water before steaming. Steam 30-45 minutes. Bigger mold takes longer to cook. For bibingka, bake at 400° for 30 minutes.

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