Ginataang Bilo-Bilo

Ingredients

Measure and prepare everything before you begin cooking.

• 1 cup glutinous rice flour
• ½ cup water, added gradually
• 400 ml unsweetened coconut milk
• 400 ml water
• ½ cup small tapioca pearls, cooked and drained
• 1 medium orange kūmara or sweet potato, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 3 saba bananas or firm cooking bananas, sliced
• 1 cup young jackfruit strips, drained
• ⅓ cup white or light brown sugar, plus more to taste
• 200 ml coconut cream
• Pinch of fine salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the glutinous rice flour with water a tablespoon at a time until a soft, smooth dough forms. Roll into small marble-size balls and keep them covered so they do not dry out.

2. 2

   Combine the coconut milk and measured water in a wide pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring regularly so the coconut does not catch.

3. 3

   Add the sweet potato and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until partly tender. Drop in the rice balls one at a time and stir gently so they do not stick together.

4. 4

   When the rice balls float, add the bananas, jackfruit, sugar and salt. Simmer gently for 6–8 minutes until the fruit is tender and the rice balls are cooked through.

5. 5

   Fold in the cooked tapioca and coconut cream. Cook for another 3–4 minutes without boiling hard; the mixture will thicken further as it cools.

6. 6

   Taste and adjust the sweetness. Serve warm for merienda, or cool completely and refrigerate for a thicker chilled dessert.