Biko Recipe - Learn How to Make Filipino Biko Malagkit - Pilipinas Recipes (2024)

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In Tagalog region, Bikois also known as “Sinukmani” (sweet sticky rice). The Biko Recipe is the all-time favorite dessert or “meryenda” (mid-afternoon snack). A native Filipino Delicacy. It is served during special occasions such as town fiesta, reunion and parties.

Yesterday when I was working at home, my kids called me all of the sudden. They want something sweet. They said they misses my “Sinukmani” or “Biko” and ask me to cook their favorite dessert. They called my “Biko” as the “Best Biko recipe” ever. Well, that’s my kids, I can’t say no.

Biko Recipe - Learn How to Make Filipino Biko Malagkit - Pilipinas Recipes (1)

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Biko Recipe

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In Tagalog region, Bikois also known as “Sinukmani” (sweet sticky rice). The Biko Recipe is the all-time favorite dessert or “meryenda” (mid-afternoon snack). A native Filipino Delicacy.

  • Author: Pilipinas Recipes
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 60 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Yield: 10 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Filipino

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 cups glutinous rice, washed and drained
  • 2 cans (about 800ml) coconut milk
  • 2 cups water
  • ¾1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla – optional
  • ¼ cup dark crown sugar
  • veg. or coconut oil for greasing the pan

Instructions

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, mix together the 3 cups coconut milk and water.
  2. Add the sticky rice and bring to a boil.
  3. Once it starts to boil lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer, stirring constantly to keep rice from burning.
  4. Add more water in ½ cup increments if rice mixture is drying before rice is cooked.
  5. When rice mixture begins to thicken, add ¾ – 1 cup brown sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved and fully incorporated.
  6. Continue to cook, stirring regularly, until mixture is very thick and sticky. Biko is ready when it is already very difficult to stir and it pulls away from the pan.
  7. Pour the rice into the greased pan.
  8. Spread out evenly and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F/180°C for 15-20 minutes.
  9. While waiting, prepare the coconut caramel topping by combining the rest of coconut milk and ¼ cup sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat while constantly stirring until the liquid thickens and is reduced by almost half.
  10. Take the rice out of the oven and spread the caramel topping evenly over the rice and bake for another 15 minutes or until caramel is browned.
  11. Remove from oven and let it cool down before serving.

Notes

Watch this video as reference.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 517
  • Sugar: 56.7 g
  • Sodium: 16 mg
  • Fat: 2.5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 119 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 5.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

There are two ways to cook this sticky rice, one is by cooking the glutinous rice first before adding the coconut milk and sugar. The other one is the rice is cooked in the coconut milk and brown sugar until the rice absorbs the flavor as it cooks

Biko Variations

Biko is a type of sticky rice pudding. In Thailand they put coconut milk with sugar after cooking the glutinous rice while in Malaysia they cook it with pandan and wrap it in banana leaves but here in the Philippines the traditional way to cook is to mix all the ingredients together in a thick Filipino frying pan, this way the coconut milk and sugar will be cooked properly with the rice blending all the flavors together.

Biko, being a native sweet can be bought in many places as well as along the streets of various towns and cities. You can find it together with other “kakanin”. The typical Biko is also topped with golden brown coconut shavings and because it has been turned a little crisp, it gives a slight saltiness to this sweet treat. Additionally, “kakanin” came from 2 Tagalog words which are “kain” or to eat and “Kanin” meaning rice. Just like other “Kakanins”, Biko is a staple in many households as a dessert or snack. It is heavy on the tummy because its main ingredient is rice so make sure you leave room for it if you’re having it as a dessert.

If you are going to invite people to your house and you are going to serve Biko for dessert, make sure you cook it a few hours before they come because the quality of this sweet is so much better when you have just cooked it. Slice it diagonally and don’t forget to top it with its signature toasted coconut shavings. It’s also wonderful to pair it with hot tea or coffee or if you’re feeling fancy hot chocolate drink. A lot of tourist friends now know about this native delicacy by word of mouth and we Filipinos should really be proud because we get to offer an amazing food.

Biko Recipe & Preparation

My Biko recipe is so simple to make. I just need 4 ingredients which areMalagkit(glutinous rice), Coconut milk, brown sugar, and butter. Nowadays, you can buy ready to cook coconut milk in the supermarket but I used fresh coconut meat. You can find coconut in the market and ask the vendor to finely grated it by machine. Then I add a little hot water on the coconut meat, using my hand I squeeze the mixture for a thicker cream. This is the first squeezing, this process is repeated depending on how much you needed.

Biko Recipe - Learn How to Make Filipino Biko Malagkit - Pilipinas Recipes (3)

I rinse the glutinous rice and steam it. The rice must partially cook. Meanwhile, I bring coconut milk to boil, add the brown sugar and boil for few minutes until sugar melt and mixed into the coconut milk. Stir occasionally and add the glutinous rice until it becomes sticky. Brush the pan with butter first then pour in the sticky rice and spread it out evenly. You can use banana leaves, though optional, give the dessert a distinct taste and fragrance. Sprinkled the crunchy bits of “Latik” (toasted coconut milk crumbs) on top of sticky rice.

Best paired with Pancit Bihon and soft drinks. Yummy!


PS:Ideas and Suggestions to improve this recipeare much appreciated. Just comment below. Also, don’t forget to like our Facebook Page for more Free Filipino Recipes. Search “Pilipinas Recipes” on Facebook or simply click this LINK. Thank You!

4.2/5 - (4 votes)

Biko Recipe - Learn How to Make Filipino Biko Malagkit - Pilipinas Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the history of biko recipe? ›

The origin of this classic Filipino rice cake is said to have evolved from the traditional practices of cooking rice in the Philippines. Rice has always been a staple food in Filipino cuisine and the combination of glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar highlights the abundance of these crops in the Philippines.

What is the other name for biko? ›

It is also known as inkiwar in Ilocano Northern Luzon and sinukmani or sinukmaneng in the Southern Luzon area. In the Muslim regions of the Philippines, it is known as wadjit in Tausug; wadit in Maranao; and wagit in Maguindanao. A notable variant is puto maya in Cebuano-speaking regions of the Philippines.

What is the classification of biko? ›

Biko is essentially a dark caramel-colored baked rice cake cooked with brown sugar and coconut milk. It uses glutinous rice or sweet rice, which makes biko's sticky, chewy texture. Biko is part of a group of rice items called kakanin, a term created for sweets made from either glutinous rice or glutinous rice flour.

Is biko and Suman the same? ›

On Panay Island where I was raised, we have at least three different kinds of suman: ibus (eeh-boos), which is the same sticky rice cake but wrapped in buri (palm leaves) and boiled; biko (bee-koh) made with whole rice kernels (not ground rice or rice flour) and cooked with coconut milk and brown sugar, then slathered ...

What is malagkit rice in English? ›

In the Philippines, glutinous rice is known as malagkit in Tagalog or pilit in Visayan, among other names such as diket in Ilocano. Both mean "sticky".

What is the meaning of biko in Tagalog? ›

Definition for the Tagalog word biko:

biko. [noun] a type of Filipino rice cake / dessert.

Is biko a Filipino delicacy? ›

Biko is a rich, chewy Filipino rice cake made with sticky rice, coconut milk, and dark sugar. Traditionally served in a round, shallow bamboo tray lined with banana leaves known as a bilao, biko belongs to a category of sweets called kakanin, which is made up entirely of rice cakes.

Where did biko originated in the Philippines? ›

Biko appears everywhere in the Philippines and no one seems to question its origins—but it's probably from China, where rice is believed to have been first cultivated as a domestic crop.

What is kakanin in English? ›

What is kakanin? The name kakanin is derived from two Tagalog words: “kain” (to eat) and “kanin” (rice). It's an umbrella term for sweets made of glutinous rice and coconut milk, two ingredients that tropical countries like ours have in abundance.

What are the characteristics of biko? ›

Biko made of glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar is the ultimate snack or dessert. This classic Filipino rice is deliciously sweet, creamy, chewy, and gluten-free!

What are the different types of kakanin? ›

Puto Biñan (Laguna) is brownish from brown sugar. Puto bumbong becomes purple because of the pirurutung glutinous rice. Other kinds include puto dayon and puto nga mungguhan from Leyte, puto Marilao, puto Pangasinan, puto Manapla (Negros Occidental), puto lasung (Pampanga), puto bumbo and lanson (from cassava).

What is the significance of the biko culture? ›

Biko is a sweet and sticky rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar. It's often garnished with latik, a residue from coconut milk. Biko represents the sticky ties that bind us together as families and communities. It emphasizes the importance of unity and harmony in the coming year.

What country is biko from? ›

Steve Biko (born December 18, 1946, King William's Town, South Africa—died September 12, 1977, Pretoria) was the founder of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa. His death from injuries suffered while in police custody made him an international martyr for South African Black nationalism.

How long does Suman last in the fridge? ›

Suman is a traditional Filipino food made of glutinous rice, sugar, and coconut milk as its main ingredients and wrapped in banana or coconut leaves before being cooked by steaming. The delicacy spoils in two days if stored at room temperature and lasts for a week if refrigerated.

What is the Filipino food with banana leaves? ›

What is Kamayan? Kamayan is a communal-style buffet of delicious Filipino food: it features seafood, grilled meats, vegetables and garlic rice served on fresh (or frozen and thawed) banana leaves. In Tagalog, kamayan means “by hand” — and refers to how the meal is eaten.

Why is it called biko? ›

Biko takes its name from the coffee-colored, sweet coconut curd that gives it its distinctive flavor.

What is the history of coconut rice? ›

There is no clear history of its origin. But, it can be said that this recipe comes from the culinary mixtures of African, indigenous, and Spanish. Coconut is a flagship tropical fruit of the Caribbean and Pacific zone. Therefore, it is one of the most used ingredients in the cuisine of these regions.

Is biko from the Philippines? ›

Biko is a rich, chewy Filipino rice cake made with sticky rice, coconut milk, and dark sugar. Traditionally served in a round, shallow bamboo tray lined with banana leaves known as a bilao, biko belongs to a category of sweets called kakanin, which is made up entirely of rice cakes.

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