Puto Bumbong - No steamer (Steamed Glutinous rice in Bamboo)

Puto Bumbong - No steamer (Steamed Glutinous rice in Bamboo)

 “Puto Bumbong is literally translates as “Puto” steamed glutinous rice cooked in a bamboo “bumbong”or “bumbo”. It is served with margarine or butter, brown sugar and freshly grated coconut. This is another native Filipino delicacy that is usually available during Christmas season. It is made of glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, sugar and grated coconut.

Photos updated 20 April 2017
 

“Puto Bumbong” is traditionally sells during Christmas season. It is selling along the street or outside churches during “Simbang Gabi” or Night Mass together with other “kakanins” (various rice cakes) like, “Bibingka”. “Simbang Gabi” is the nine-day series of Masses practiced in the Philippines in anticipation of Christmas. Christmas in the Philippines is not complete without "Puto Bumbong" and “Bibingka” (rice cake) these are the two local kakanins that is very popular during month of December. When month of December is approaching, you will start seeing vendors in the street selling this and “bibingka”. 

It has a similar kueh that can be found in Indonesia and Malaysia called "putu bambu". They are  traditional cylindrical-shaped and green-colored steamed cake. The cake is made of  rice flour with green color acquired from pandan leaf called suji, filled with palm sugar, and steamed in bamboo tube, hence its name, and served with grated coconut. (Source Wikipedia: Putu Bambu)

Puto Bumbong Steamer

My version is a cheat version from the original recipe and traditional way of cooking it  but still tastes the same as the original (here is the link where you can find the original recipe: Inuyaki). I am making my version of “Puto Bumbong” without the traditional steamer. The steamer is a conical in shape with holes and consists of the long tube of bamboo where the uncooked purple “puto” is being filled up then inserted into the hole of steamer. The bamboo is wrapped with thick cloth for heat protection. The bamboo will create a whistling sound when the “puto” is already cooked. Then, they take out the bamboo and take out the “puto” and laid on the banana leaf, spread it with margarine or butter then add the grated coconut and brown sugar. It is really fun and enjoyable to watch the vendors doing it again and again.

I like my "Puto Bumbong" with lots of margarine, that's why my photo has lots of it, it is really yummy and while I am eating it, it brings back lots of childhood memories. I never miss buying it whenever we visited Philippines in the month of December. Try this as well, when you find yourself in the Philippines during the Christmas season.

Puto Bumbong (no Steamer)

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water (I use the water from boiled yam)
• 2 cups Mashed boiled Ube
• 1 cup Glutinous rice flour
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp purple food coloring (optional)
•  Margarine or butter
•  Brown Sugar (or white sugar) I use muscovado sugar
• Grated coconut
•  Banana leaf

Procedure:

1.   Mix the boiled ube and glutinous rice flour until the ube were fully covered by glutinous rice and the texture is like a powder ube.

 2.   Pour in the coconut milk and water then mix well till blended completely. Pour the purple food color, if using, mix well.

3.   Place mixture in a pre-heated pan, preferable use non-stick pan since this mixture is very sticky. Use low heat, continuously stir the mixture till it is cooked, the mixture consistency should like a very thick paste.

4.   Remove from the fire and set aside

5.   Pre-heat the banana leaf just to make it elastic and soft so it won’t tear easily, cut some small pieces to be use for covering the serving plate

6.   Rub a small amount of margarine on banana leaf surface then place a small amount of Ube mixture, roll with banana leaf till it shaped like a small tube. Continuously do this until all the Ube mixture are finished. Alternatively, you can use piping bag and piping tip #807 to shape your puto.

7.   Place 3 - 4 pieces of Ube roll (depending on your liking) in a serving plate with banana leaf rub the surface with Margarine or butter, place some sugar and coconut as a condiment of Puto Bumbong. Enjoy! 

Note:

If banana leaf is not available you can omit it and use cling plastic wrap instead. When serving coat the serving plate with a thin layer of margarine, this is to prevent the puto bumbong to stick on to the plate.