Cooking A Special Recipe: Kalamayhati, A Sweetened Glutinous Rice in a Coconut Shell

Hello food lovers! I would like to present to you our special way of preserving one of our special delicacies called Kalamayhati. They call it Kalamay in other regions.

Here's the recipe:

•1 kilo grounded Glutinous Rice

•1 Kilo Brown Sugar or Muscovado

•4 Large Coconut, grated

Procedure

1. Pour a little amount of water into the grounded Glutinous then soak overnight. This will tend to soften the rice and quick to get cooked.

2. The following day, it's time to have the coconuts grated. Take note that it should be fresh and not done before soaking the glutinous rice. Since there are 4 large grated coconuts, the ratio would be 8 cups of water and squeeze then strain the milk juices.

1. Pour the liquid into a wok. Stir occasionally to avoid the coconut milk from getting burnt. Once it boils, lower the heat and keep stirring until the milk becomes thick and oily.

2. Next, gradually pour the brown sugar/Muscovado while stirring until all are melted and becomes syrup.

3. Pour the soaked glutinous rice along with the water which levels the rice only. It should not be too much.

1. Continue stirring. Well, this is the hardest part because you need to stir and push the inner part to avoid the mass from burning.

You will only stop stirring when the glutinous rice is fully cooked and dry or when it becomes oily.

When this is perfectly done, the glutinous rice may be sticky but it will only roll if you place it on your plate. It won't really stick because of the coconut milk's natural oil.

Here, I already have a prepared skinned and polished coconut shell so if you want to do this, it's better to have it prepared earlier especially for commercial purposes. Fill both shell with Kalamayhati then close with a tape including the 'eyes'.

After the long process, that's how the Kalamayhati would look like. It can stay for 3 days when cooked well or better yet, keep it refrigerated for a week or so.

For home use, you can simple put it in a tub and seal well. See that, it won't fall when you only use a fork!

Other options for commercial purposes: Kalamayhati is usually wrapped with clean banana leaves in rectangular form. You need to pour a hot water to make it soft and not hard to wrap. If you are using firewood in cooking this, you can heat the banana leaves (before cutting them) over the heat or over the charcoal to make it limp then rub it with the left over coconut sop.

More often than not, Kalamayhati is cooked outside with firewood when it's cooked in big volume or on occasions especially on traditional gatherings and special holidays.

We usually put about 3-4 tablespoonfuls of Kalamayhati in wrapping it with banana leaves.

The process is easy! Try it for yourself.

Thank you for dropping by and my gratitude to the ASEAN Hive Community. Thank you for your support! God bless!

Till then,

@Sarimanok