Biko is another Filipino kakanin ("kanin" = rice) with glutinous rice as the main ingredient. In the Philippines, we normally just buy this in the market as ready to eat, but being away from home, I have to try to make it on my own.

I remember the very first time I made it a couple of years back-- it tasted okay, but the consistency was gooey and porridge-like. 🙈 It was supposed to be firm and the rice should not be very thoroughly cooked.

Nowadays, with more extra time to spare, I decided to giving it another go. Do you think it would be much better this time?

Let's find out!

Quick tip: I found that we should put less water (duh! No brainer!) to make sure we get the right consistency.

BIKO RECIPE

Ingredients:

We have very simple ingredients for this delicacy. To enjoy this yummy kakanin, we will need:

• 4 cups glutinous rice
• 1 can coconut milk, divided
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups water

Procedure:

1. Place the glutinous rice in a medium-sized pot and wash thoroughly.
2. Boil the glutinous rice over medium heat for around 15 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid it from sticking under the pan.
3. Add the coconut milk. Leave at least 3/4 cup for the topping.
4. Add the sugar (you can adjust according to your taste preference). A dash of salt shall enhance the sweetness of the dish.
5. Cook until the water is dry. The rice should not be gooey, but should be firm to bite.
6. Transfer into small containers and let it cool.

Toppings:

Combine the remaining coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and vanilla in a small sauce pan. Cook it over low her and let it simmer until the volume reduces to half and you get a thick syrup.

Pour it over the biko.

Let it cool and settle until firm.

You can garnish it with "latik" or toasted coconut curd and serve. Again, best with coffee! 😊

There you have it! My second attempt to making biko. It was a hit to the fam (or maybe they just don't have a choice, lol!) that I made a second batch the following day.