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Biko
Sweet sticky rice cake
Biko: sticky rice cooked in coconut milk and brown sugar, topped with latik
Bring biko to a Tagalog or Visayan gathering, whether a wake, a birthday or a fiesta, and the tray will be scraped clean. Glutinous rice is cooked, then stirred hard in a thick coconut milk and brown-sugar caramel until every grain is coated and the mass is dark, glossy and heavy on the spoon. Pressed into a tray and topped with crisp latik, it is cut into squares that are chewy, sweet and rich. Chef's tip: keep stirring once the rice goes into the caramel; leave it for a minute and the sugar catches and burns on the pan base.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the rice
- 1 ⅛ lb glutinous ricerinsed until the water runs clear
- 2 ¼ cups water
For the caramel
- 3 ¼ cups coconut milk
- 10 ½ oz dark brown sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 pandan leaves (optional)knotted
For the latik
- 1 ¾ cups coconut cream
- 1 banana leafto line the tin, or baking paper
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cook 1 ⅛ lb glutinous rice with 2 ¼ cups water in a covered pan over a low heat for 15–18 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Leave covered.
18 minStep 2: Meanwhile, make latik: boil 1 ¾ cups coconut cream in a wide pan, stirring as it thickens, until the oil separates and golden-brown curds form, 25–30 minutes. Strain and keep the curds and oil separately.
30 minStep 3: In a large wok or heavy pan, bring 3 ¼ cups coconut milk, 10 ½ oz dark brown sugar, ½ tsp salt and 2 pandan leaves to the boil and simmer, stirring, until reduced by about a third and thick like syrup, 15 minutes.
15 minStep 4: Remove the pandan, add the cooked rice and stir hard with a wooden spoon over a medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes, until the mixture is very thick, glossy and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
13 minStep 5: Line a 23 × 23 cm tin with 1 banana leaf, brush with a little latik oil and press the rice in evenly with an oiled spatula.
5 minStep 6: Scatter the latik curds over the top. Cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares; it slices cleanly only once set.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does biko take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of glutinous rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
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